After working five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 Sunday morning, Cuba has joined the field for Saturday's $750,000 Wood Memorial (GI), New York's most important prep for the May 1 Kentucky Derby (GI).

His time was the best of 17 over the Belmont training track, which was rated "good."

"I was comfortable with how he worked," said trainer Tom Bush, who outfitted the colt with blinkers for his last two works. "I have always thought he might need blinkers. His last two works have been in blinkers and they've both been bullets (:57 1/5 on March 29)."

Second in an entry-level allowance at nine furlongs on March 12, the son of Not for Love is 1-for-4 and will be a longshot in a field that is likely to include Sham winner Master David, Value Plus, second in the Florida Derby, and Lane's End winner Sinister G. as well as Eddington, Tapit, Little Matth Man, Swingforthefences, Bride's Best Boy and The Cliff's Edge. Consecrate, runner-up in the WinStar Derby, is also a possibility, said trainer Bob Baffert.

"I know he's going to be a longshot Saturday but I really think he has a chance," said Bush, who trains Cuba for Cam Allard. "He's doing everything right. Now we just need to find a rider."

In his third start, Cuba broke his maiden by 5 ¾ lengths in a two-turn race on February 28 at Aqueduct under regular rider Shaun Bridgmohan, who is committed to Swingforthefences.

Arriving Tuesday for the Wood from California will be Master David, who worked five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 at Hollywood Park Monday morning, and Value Plus, who worked Sunday morning at Palm Meadows in Florida in :59 3/5.

Master David, trained by Bobby Frankel, will be making his first start since the Sham in the Wood. After going 1-for-3 in England, he finished second to Read the Footnotes in the Remsen at Aqueduct.

"I think the horse likes Aqueduct," said Frankel. "The main things in the Wood are for him not to leave his race on the track and to arn enough money to get into the Kentucky Derby. I am looking for a top-three finish."

Value Plus, trained by Todd Pletcher, won a seven-furlong allowance at Gulfstream Park to kick off his 3-year-old campaign before finishing second in the Florida Derby.

"We only had one seven furlong race into him before the Florida Derby and the track was not carrying speed in the Florida Derby," said Pletcher. "It was really only his second start since the Breeders' Futurity in October, not counting the Nashua."

In that race, Value Plus stumbled and lost his rider.

The one thing Pletcher is not concerned about is the Wood distance of nine furlongs.

"When you watch him he gives you the impression that he'll run all day," he said. "His dam's side (Roll Over Baby, by Rollin On Over) doesn't scream a mile and a quarter, but he looks a lot more like his sire, Unbridled's Song, and I think he carries more of his sire line than his dam's line. I've got to go by what I see."

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