The WOODBINE MILE (G1) is just about here, and next Saturday’s popular Win and You’re In race has a few major contenders once again for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) this year at Keeneland.
There was some switching around done by Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby last week when Opera Ballo (Ire), originally meant for Woodbine, instead went to Longchamp where he raced in the Sept. 6 Prix de Moulin (G1). The colt raced in a headstrong manner, however, and faded to be fourth.
Meanwhile, Notable Speech, last year’s Woodbine Mile winner (on the inner turf) who then won the Breeders’ Cup Mile, is now reportedly headed to Ontario for Saturday’s race. The chestnut five-year-old won the Group 1 City of York Stakes at seven furlongs at York in August and is expected to be heading to the Breeders’ Cup again. Notable Speech’s owner, Godolphin, has won three of the last four Miles.
Should Notable Speech compete, he will surely be meeting a stronger field than he did a year ago when he beat My Boy Prince and Gas Me Up.
The top miler in the U.S., Deterministic, is headed here, as is the improving Archivist, who just won the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York by more than seven lengths for the powerful Wathnan Racing stable. Archivist will be ridden by Joao Moreira, a multiple champion jockey in Singapore.
Another improving fellow is SILIUS (Ire), for breeders Wertheimer et Frere. Silius just won his first group race, the Group 3 Prix Messidor, where he defeated Erdenali by two necks after that rival had a costly trip. Erdenali came back to win the Prix de Moulin on Sunday.
Silius is a full brother to Wathnan star Silawi, who shipped to Woodbine last fall and won the Canadian International (G1).
DETERMINISTIC – Trainer Miguel Clement could hardly contain himself after Deterministic’s latest workout on the Oklahoma turf course at Saratoga last Wednesday. The course was opened only for the brilliant Deterministic, a five-year-old son of Liam’s Map who has won six straight graded stakes races, four of them Grade 1s. Clement told Daily Racing Form he was ‘bullish’ on going to the Woodbine Mile and that the horse was doing as well or better before this race than his recent win in the Fourstardave Stakes (G1), a race he also won last year.
From Daily Racing Form: “Despite overnight rains and a course that was officially listed as “soft,” Deterministic turned in yet another in a long series of brilliant works, breezing five furlongs from the half-mile pole in 1:02.13, with the best yet to come on the gallop-out. The four-time Grade 1 winner continued out six panels in 1:14.70 before pulling up down the backstretch after a full mile in 1:39.37.”
Miguel Clement told DRF, “Not many horses finish up and gallop out like he does, to keep wanting to do more, and I think he’s sitting on yet again another big performance. He’s doing spectacularly well. This race is a big deal for us and I’m very bullish on Deterministic.”
An interesting probable for the Mile is the mare VINA ARANA (Ire), who crushed a modest field in Woodbine’s Nassau Stakes (G2) on the inner turf on July 19 when getting Lasix. She raced again on Aug. 29 in the Grade 1 Ladies Sprint at Kentucky Downs at 6 1/2 furlongs and ended up fifth.
PIERRE, an Ontario-bred who was racing at Woodbine for Al and Bill Ulwelling until the horse was sold in a digital sale for $100,000 in June, made his first start for new trainer David Jacobson on Aug. 27 at Saratoga and ran a 96 Beyer Speed Figure in a nose loss in an allowance race. Pierre, by Tapiture, would have to be supplemented.
Locals Gas Me Up, who won the King Edward Stakes (G2) by inches over Piper’s Factor and Mile hopeful Irish Aces (90 Beyer) and Itsastormymonday (Get Stormy), who would be making his stakes debut off a 91 Beyer, are also on the probable list.
Horse / Trainer / Jockey
Archivist (GB) – Hamad Al Jehani – Joao Moreira
Deterministic – Miguel Clement – Kendrick Carmouche
Gas Me Up – Kevin Attard – Fraser Aebly
Irish Aces – Brendan Walsh – Pietro Moran
Itsastormymonday – Don MacRae – Rafael Hernandez
Notable Speech (GB) – Charles Appleby – William Buick
** Pierre – David Jacobson – Javier Castellano
Silius (IRE) – Christophe Ferland – John Velazquez
Vina Arana (IRE) (filly) – Jack Sisterson – Adam Beschizza
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