When trainer Charlie Appleby brings a horse to Woodbine for a major turf race, it is now a matter of how much the horse will by rather than if the horse will win.
On Saturday, September 17, Appleby trainees Modern Games and Mysterious Night won two of the three Grade 1 races on the beautiful E.P. Taylor turf course, one year after he sent three horses over to win a trio of Grade 1s at Woodbine.
Woodbine Mile day, held on a bright and very warm sunny afternoon, attracted wagering of over $11.7 million for 11 races. The 12th race on the card was canceled due to a health issue with a track veterinarian before the race.
When it became known that Appleby was sending Godolphin’s star 3-year-old colt MODERN GAMES (Ire) (Dark Angel – Modern Ideals (GB) by New Approach) to Woodbine for the Woodbine Mile (G1) from overseas, shrewd race-goers knew the race would be for second. The colt was one of the best 2-year-olds in the world in 2021, won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and already had won the French 2000 Guineas this spring. When he was a gallant second to the great Baaeed in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes last month at Goodwood, Appleby made plans to run the colt at Woodbine before another shot at the Breeders’ Cup.
Fans were shrewd too, hammering the chestnut 3-year-old colt down to 3-to-5 in a solid 11-horse field for the $1,017,200 Mile, Woodbine’s popular turf race that is a ‘Win and You’re In’ event for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI).
The early pace came predictably from Get Smokin, who was pressed by Woodbine stakes winner War Bomber and last year’s longshot Woodbine Mile winner Town Cruise. After a relatively easy opening two furlongs of 23.08, the trio bounced along, closely chased by two-time Horse of the Year Mighty Heart. Modern Games and jockey William Buick were well back in the field while another hot invader, Ivar (Brz), the 5-to-2 second choice, trailed.
The tempo picked up greatly through the second quarter mile as the leaders went in 45.79 and Get Smokin still led narrowly over War Bomber with Mighty Heart tracking in third. Modern Games was still some seven lengths towards the back, just off the rail, as Buick started to look for some room.
At the head of the stretch, both Mighty Heart and Town Cruise made bids to the lead while Buick had angled Modern Games out another path, and then a couple more, barging past Shirl’s Speight while six wide. Ivar was also moving wide, even further out than Modern Games, while another European, the feisty Finest Sound, moved inside of Modern Games.
A tiring War Bomber drifted out sharply at that point, causing Mighty Heart to be pinballed around between that rival and Town Cruise. While those guys knocked each other around, Modern Games turned on the jets, “absolutely punishing them,” flying past for a five-length win with Ivar closing for second over Finest Sound. Shirl’s Speight was along for fourth and Town Cruise held on for 5th over an unlucky Mighty Heart.
The time was a quick 1:32.77.
Modern Games became the first 3-year-old to win the Mile since the race became a turf race in 1997. He paid $3.50 to win.
“I didn’t know that,” said Alex Merriam, assistant to Charles Appleby, in regard to Modern Games (IRE) becoming the first 3-year-old to win the Mile. “He’s a lovely horse, you know. Obviously, he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last year, and he’s got some solid form in Europe. He’s just a lovely horse and I’m delighted.”
Buick has ridden Modern Games in every start and knows what kind of quick turn of foot the colt possesses.
“He was back in the pack a little bit and he had to make a bit of room,” noted Buick. “But you saw he has that speed for a mile, you know, that you need to get yourself out of trouble, so, he picked up really fast and really good. It was a very good performance.”
With Saturday’s win, Modern Games (IRE), now 6-2-1 from 11 starts, with $1. 8 million in earnings, earns a fees-paid berth to run in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on November 5.
Modern Games is a half-brother to two other winners including this year’s Group 2 juvenile winner Mawj. Modern Games descends from the E.P. Taylor-bred KONAFA, dam of a litany of stakes winners and granddam of champions Bosra Sham and Hector Protector.
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