updated 7:04 p.m. ET April 7, 2007

NEW YORK - Barclay Tagg will get to play a leading man at the Kentucky Derby, thanks to Nobiz Like Shobiz.

Four years ago, the trainer went all but unnoticed at Churchill Downs until a New York-bred gelding named Funny Cide stole the show and won the Derby.

In four weeks, Tagg will have a more visible role now that Nobiz Like Shobiz has established himself as one of the Derby favorites.

“I’d love to win it again, who wouldn’t?” Tagg asked. “Maybe people tend to think it’s a fluke the first time. The second time would quell that.”

Nobiz Like Shobiz just might have the talent to pull it off. The imposing 3-year-old colt took the lead in the stretch and won the $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on Saturday, beating late-closing Sightseeing by a half-length. Any Given Saturday, one of trainer Todd Pletcher’s several Derby hopefuls, was third.

In other Derby preps Saturday, Pletcher’s Cowtown Cat won the $500,000 Illinois Derby, and Tiago, a half-brother to 2005 Derby winner Giacomo, was the surprise winner in the $750,00 Santa Anita Derby.

The Wood was a flawless final rehearsal for Nobiz Like Shobiz, who seems to have found his stride five weeks after ducking in during the stretch and finishing third in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park.

“He’ll be fine now,” Tagg said. “The things that were happening to him were just immaturity. He’ll come around. He’ll get better each time.”

Tagg equipped Nobiz Like Shobiz with blinkers for the first time and put cotton in the colt’s ears to keep him focused and running straight. Nobiz, breaking from the rail, challenged for the lead early under Cornelio Velasquez, with Summer Doldrums running just ahead. Around the turn for home, Nobiz Like Shobiz briefly dueled with Any Given Saturday, then shook free and held off Sightseeing.

“I like that he really finished good,” Velasquez said. “He wasn’t really coming in. He really ran straight today. I think he’s got a very good chance in the Derby.”

Like 2003, Tagg plans to arrive as late as possible in Louisville, likely two days before the race. Tagg sent out Showing Up to finish sixth in last year’s Derby.

“I don’t like to go down and mess around with that crowd,” Tagg said. “It’s hard on the horses to be chased around all day, every day.”

Nobiz Like Shobiz, a strapping son of Albert the Great, won for the fourth time in six starts, earning $450,000 and boosting his earnings to $804,900 for owner Elizabeth Valando. The horse is named for Valando’s late husband, Tommy Valando. He was in the music publishing business and had a hand in such Broadway hits as “Cabaret,” Fiddler on the Roof,” and “A Little Night Music.”

Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the field of six, Nobiz Like Shobiz covered the 1 1-8 miles in 1:49.46.

Any Given Saturday likely is headed to the Churchill Downs after his finish. Summer Doldrums was fourth, followed by Reptillian Smarts and Flashstorm.

“I was disappointed in the last sixteenth of a mile. He didn’t polish it off,” Pletcher said. “I still believe Any Given Saturday is a good horse.”

Nobiz Like Shobiz paid $3.40, $2.60 and $2.10, while Sightseeing, with Javier Castellano aboard, returned $7.20 and $3.20. Any Given Saturday, who came into the race off a nose loss to 2-year-old champion Street Sense in the Tampa Bay Derby, paid $2.10 to show.

Tagg had been concerned for weeks that his star might be slow to immature, which could explain Nobiz’s lack of focus. The trainer said his colt could have won the Fountain of Youth if he ran straight — Nobiz finished third, a half-length behind Scat Daddy and Stormello.

From the time he showed up on the track, Nobiz had the look of a champion. He was bigger than many of the 2-year-olds around him and an imposing sight galloping over the Belmont training track.

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He emerged as a Derby contender after his first race — a 10¾-length romp at Belmont last September. Then, the colt finished second to Scat Daddy in the Champagne before Tagg chose to skip the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in favor of the Remsen. Nobiz delivered a 6½-length victory.

Nobiz Like Shobiz opened his 3-year-old campaign by avenging his loss to Scat Daddy, taking the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. In the Fountain of Youth, over the same track, Nobiz Like Shobiz was moving well before his stretch woes slowed him down.

The Wood erased all doubts.

“He ran a very good race today,” Tagg said. “My confidence wasn’t shaken because I thought he had the ability.”

In other stakes at Aqueduct, Silver Wagon won the Carter Handicap, Magna Graduate took the Excelsior Breeders’ Cup Handicap and Bill Place won the Bay Shore Stakes.

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