Gary and Mary West's Buddha dueled though the Aqueduct stretch with Medaglia d'Oro and Sunday Break en route to a head-length win in Saturday's exciting renewal of the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I). Under Pat Day, the gray son of Unbridled's Song completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.61 on a fast track.

Medaglia d'Oro was sent to the early lead under Laffit Pincay Jr. before Pat Day moved up approaching the first turn to maintain his inside position. Medaglia d'Oro set fractions of :46.98 and 1:10.14 while being pressed from the inside by Buddha. Sunday Break moved up on the outside to challenge on the second turn and the three leaders headed into the stretch lined up across the track, with Saarland moving closer to the lead, just behind Blue Burner. In the stretch, Buddha claimed a slim lead and fought a game Medaglia d'Oro to the wire to claim the win, with Sunday Break dropping back slightly as they approached the wire.

"This horse really ran big," said Day. "He sat calm down inside the whole way. He got squeezed a bit on the first turn, but hung in there and secured the inside position. He really fought hard to the wire. The other horse (Medaglia d'Oro) was alongside him the whole way, and when the other horse came back on him at the end, my horse wasn't giving up anything. It was a super effort."

Medaglia d'Oro finished a half-length ahead of Sunday Break. Saarland came home fourth after racing in last place through the early going. Blue Burner, Iwin, and Nokoma completed the order of finish. Laissezaller was pulled up on the backstretch with a broken right-hind leg. He was later euthanized.

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