Things are a bit different this year for the trio of Grade 1 turf races at Woodbine that all offer Win and You’re In passes to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, but one thing remains – Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby have a strong team arriving.
The turf races will be run over the bet365 inner course this year while the E.P. Taylor turf is being refurbished. The inner course plays fair for the most part, especially when the rails will be brought down for next Saturday’s events.
NOTABLE SPEECH (GB) will be in the Woodbine Mile (G1) and is already on the grounds, having arrived Sunday. The son of Dubawi (Ire) has earned over $1.7 million and is a true Group 1 horse as he won the Sussex Stakes last July. However, the four-year-old has not won since.
Notable Speech was third to More Than Looks in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar last year. Recently he was a troubled second in the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville.
Notable Speech will be meeting One Stripe (SAf), the very good American miler Zulu Kingdom, Win for the Money and My Boy Prince.
Godolphin and Appleby won two straight Woodbine Miles before Naval Power was on the edges last season.
For the Summer Stakes (G1) for two-year-olds, a race that Godolphin and Appleby have won twice in the last four years, they are sending WILD DESERT (Ire) (not that Wild Desert), an impeccably-bred two-year-old colt who was banged around when just missing in the Group 3 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.
There are perhaps five Mark Casse juveniles headed to the Summer with three from Kevin Attard’s barn including the unbeaten Two Out Hero.
The Grade 1 Natalma is in the sights of the unbeaten Godolphin filly DANCE TO THE MUSIC (GB), who won the Group 3 Solera Stakes in her second start. She is by Dubawi (Ire).
The very impressive HOT MASH, by Not This Time, is expected for the Natalma for trainer John Servis and the Avalon and Mainline Stables.
Hot Mash won her debut at 5 1/2 furlongs by 7 3/4 lengths with an 80 Beyer Figure.
More News
