Woodbine Racetrack has been a notable location for horses from the U.S. and Europe to race in a top-class event while preparing for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. In particular, Woodbine’s famed E.P. Taylor turf course has spawned many Breeders’ Cup starters and winners, especially since its trio of Grade 1 races – the Summer, Natalma and Woodbine Mile – were tabbed Breeders’ Cup Challenge races and then Win and You’re In events within the last 17 years.
The Woodbine Mile has been a key race heading to the Breeders’ Cup Mile. The great WISE DAN rolled through Woodbine’s long Taylor stretch when winning two Mile races and then two Breeders’ Cups; TEPIN beat the boys at Woodbine and then in the Cup; WORLD APPROVAL, MODERN GAMES and MASTER OF THE SEAS won at Woodbine and also won at the Breeders’ Cup.
The Summer has produced one Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner, PLUCK. The Natalma was won by CATCH A GLIMPSE, who went on to Breeders’ Cup glory and several fillies who won or ran well in the Natalma had big efforts in the Cups including SHE FEELS PRETTY, PIZZA BIANCA, and STEPHANIE’S KITTEN.
In the 42nd Breeders’ Cup races, 11 starters made their last or next-to-last run at Woodbine on the turf, but only four competed in one of the WAYI races. (Also note that the turf races at Woodbine were moved to the inner course in late August).
Let’s take a look at the horses who raced at Woodbine just before their dates at the Breeders’ Cup this weekend:
CY FAIR – This two-year-old filly is in the first Cup race, the Juvenile Turf Sprint (race 6 on Friday) and what a performance she put in at Woodbine in the Algonquin Stakes, a $184,000 turf dash. Trained by George Weaver, Cy Fair (Not This Time) was even-money in the field of just six, trailed early and then flew past the boys on her way to a big 3 1/4 length win. Her Beyer Figure was 82.
She can be a top four player.
FINAL ACCORD – A two-year-old filly by War of Will, this gal won her career debut in September at Woodbine, putting up a 79 Beyer in a big win at 5 furlongs on turf. She came back to win the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at 6 furlongs on turf at Aqueduct for trainer Mark Casse.
She tries one mile in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and could grab a share of the purse.
ARGOS – The Summer Stakes winner is trained by Riley Mott and since he raced twice at Woodbine (he was third in the Soaring Free Stakes), this Vekoma colt is the leader for Champion two-year-old male honours in Canada for 2025. The son of Nyquist earned an 81 Beyer in his Summer win and he is a contender on Friday.
BRING THEBAND HOME – Trainer Mark Casse brought this Grade 2 winner to Woodbine for the Nearctic Stakes on Oct. 4 off two huge wins at Saratoga, a 105 and 109 on the Beyer Figure scale. The gelding had never raced like that before and at Woodbine, he showed his customary speed, but faded to last. He’s a longshot.
SILAWI The winner of the Grade 1 Canadian International will make his second start in North America in the Turf on Saturday. The Irish-bred galloped along on the lead at Woodbine and posted a 100 Beyer Figure in his narrow win over Tawny Port. Longshot.
TAWNY PORT – This trusty New York-based fellow has not won a race in a couple of years, but he came close with a late charge at Woodbine in the Canadian International. Tawny Port is also zero-for-eight at the distance of 1 1/2 miles. Longshot.
GAS ME UP – Champion Canadian trainer KEVIN ATTARD is back, a year after he saddled the great Moira to a stirring and exciting win in the Filly & Mare Turf. He has sent Ontario-bred GAS ME UP to the Breeders’ Cup Mile following a third-place finish in the Woodbine Mile behind Notable Speech. Gas Me Up, who is American owned, won the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes at one mile on the Taylor turf in a previous outing. This is a monumental task.
NOTABLE SPEECH – Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby sent up another star for the Woodbine Mile and won again, this time with a four-year-old colt who was third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile to More Than Looks. Winless in more than a year, Notable Speech was a handy winner at Woodbine in a modest renewal of the race.
ONE STRIPE – South African star came off a layoff and a long trip from his homeland and he was a bit flat in the Woodbine Mile. He would need a huge move forward.
DIAMOND RAIN – This is a Godolphin/Appleby filly who was at Woodbine with SHE FEELS PRETTY for the 10 furlong E.P. Taylor (G1) in August. Held on the Taylor turf, the popular E.P. Taylor Stakes is now a Win and You’re In for the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf in January at Gulfstream The race was strictly a two-horse match between this gal and She Feels Pretty. The latter had a dream trip stalking the modest pace, did some odd swishing of her tail a few times down the backstretch, but then glided to the lead into the stretch. The Cherie DeVaux-trained gal drifted out late and just held off Diamond Rain, who broke very slowly and had a good finish. Both are contenders.
SHE FEELS PRETTY – see above
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