Frosted Back To Form With Easy Win In Wood Memorial

Frosted won the US$1-million Grade One Twinspires.com Wood Memorial Stakes in great style at Aqueduct, USA, on Saturday, April 4 and now is on target for the Kentucky Derby.

The three-year-old Tapit colt, returning to the New York course where he has shown his best form, broke well in the field of seven but was held up by Joel Rosario.

Frosted disputed last place on the outside before moving up to second last after a quarter-mile and made progress on the final bend to go fourth.

Further momentum took him to second straightening up and he moved smoothly into the lead inside the final furlong.

Frosted drew clear to win by two lengths from Tencendur in 1m 50.31s over nine furlongs on dirt.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said: "This was an extra special victory from Frosted who had frustrated us in his previous race.

"We changed lots of things after that - the racetrack, the jockey, worked him in behind as he seemed to pull up when going to the front and also carried out a Llewellyn procedure on his soft palate.

"It all came together today as he won quite well. I emphasised to the jockey to wait.

"Frosted answered the big question about the distance and I think a mile and quarter in the Kentucky Derby (Grade One, 10f, Churchill Downs, May 2) will be fine.

"He gets 100 points (for Kentucky Derby qualification) and will have no difficulty getting a run in the race.

"Frosted is a beautiful colt and I am so proud to win this race with him as he is a homebred."

Joel Rosario added: "He was always there for me. I tried to get him to the outside, where he'd be comfortable. The whole way, he was taking me. That was a very good race."