I Want Revenge overcame a horrible start, traffic problems and seven other three-year-olds Saturday afternoon to win the 85th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Rracetrack by a length and a half over West Side Bernie.

In what is certain to be rated as one of the top races of the year, the Stephen Got Even colt thrilled the crowd of 7,209, which had made him the overwhelming favorite, with a demonstration of courage and ability not often seen in horses making their eighth career start.

“You don’t want to see that kind of trouble, and nine out of 10 times they don’t overcome it,” said winning trainer Jeff Mullins, as I Want Revenge paid $3 for his second victory on dirt. “So, for him to do what did today is just unbelievable. He had every trouble you could have in a race and still overcame it. That’s as good as it gets right there.”

I Want Revenge had showed class on March 7 when he won the Grade 2 Gotham Stakes by more than eight lengths. It was his first start on dirt after going 1-for-6 on the synthetic surfaces in California.

That race was easy. And it prompted owner David J. Lanzman sell a half-interest in the colt to IEAH Stable in a private transaction on March 30.

The Wood Memorial, however, was the gut-check.

Breaking from the rail, I Want Revenge reared back, and then lunged forward when the gate opened to spot the field several lengths.

“I was heading back to the barn,” Mullins said.

That misstep opened the door for Lord Justice to set the pace of 24.50, 48.13 and 1:12.32., with Atomic Rain close up, along with second choice Imperial Council.

With I Want Revenge far back, the race seemed to set up for Imperial Council. He had run second in the Gotham, and Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey believed he was too far off a slow pace. This time, he was in the thick of the fight and was just behind Just a Coincidence, who had been rating in fourth, when they hit the top of the stretch.

Suddenly, a wall was formed up front with Imperial Council, Just a Coincidence and Atomic Rain fighting for the lead.

I Want Revenge, meanwhile, had saved ground under jockey Joe Talamo, tilted out to the middle of the track and moved steadily into contention. He waited for running room behind the wall, as West Side Bernie came outside.

Talamo, whose patience will be mentioned often in the weeks leading to the Kentucky Derby on May 2, waited for the hole and when West Side Bernie drifted a tad outside, he shot through to win the nine-furlong event in 1:49.49. Just a Coincidence was two lengths behind West Side Bernie in third.

“At the break he kind of reared up a little bit,” Talamo said. “But he actually had a great trip. He was on the rail the whole way and got to save ground. Right down the stretch, I found an opening and he kicked down like a real nice horse. You can’t panic. You just have to go with Plan B. Can’t rush him up, just stay relaxed and let the race go like it is. At the half-mile pole, he was moving so good it was just a matter of if he could get out. He was just cruising at the quarter-pole and was covered up, then when I found a seam I asked him and he just kicked it home.

“I thought today was a fairly easy race for him. To be honest, he only ran the last eighth of a mile, so I don’t think it took too much out of him. He just keeps getting better and better. That was the first time he got real dirt in his face and he took it like he’s had it before 100 times. He’s such a smart animal and he’s real mature for his age.”

Mullins said he would like to ship to Churchill on Monday, and hopefully, start training I Want Revenge for the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Kelly Breen, who finished second and fourth, respectively, with West Side Bernie and Atomic Rain, is excited about his first trip to the Derby.

“When Stewart (Elliott, jockey of West Side Bernie) got clear and got the dirt out of his face at the top of the stretch, he really kicked in,” Breen said. “Asking Stewart about going to Kentucky, he said they have the ground and you can take as much into contest as you want about whether he’s bred for it or not. But he seems to like the distance. The 2-horse (I Want Revenge) ran a great race got left and had a ton of horse left. But the Kentucky Derby I don’t want to say it’s a once in a lifetime shot, but it would be my first shot, knock on wood. If this horse comes out of the race good, then we’re all systems go.

“I hope we can throw out the race at Turfway and say he’s on a forward progress line and ready for the `First Saturday in May.’ The winner ran a nice race. It was his day.”

Imperial Council finished fifth, but McGaughey said there was no way he would make the Derby.

Cellar Dweller, Lord Justice and Lime Rickey, a turf specialist who was taking a shot in the Wood Memorial, completed the order of finish.