Six weeks ago in the bet365 Highlander Stakes (G2), multiple champion Filo Di Arianna (Brz) coasted to a handy score in the six-furlong sprint run over a turf course that was less than firm. This corner did a handicapping feature on the race (you can read it here) and touted that the 5-to-2 shot would be the winner that day.
The second race of the bet365 turf series was the Connaught Cup (G2) at seven furlongs on turf, and the winner was mild upsetter Cruden Bay, while Filo di Arianna took the race off. Cruden Bay came from far off a strong, early pace and caught War Bomber in the final yards.
The two will meet in the third event of the bet365 turf series, the $200,000 King Edward Stakes (G2) on King’s Plate day, August 17 at Woodbine. The one-mile turf race is one of the oldest stakes on the Woodbine calendar, as it was inaugurated in 1903; this is the 122nd running.
The distance
The King Edward (previously know as the King Edward Gold Cup), became a one-mile turf race in 2010. In earlier years it had been raced at 1 1/8 miles and even on the dirt at Old Woodbine.
To win a one-turn, one-mile race takes not just speed but a good deal of stamina, in particular when the stretch run is a long one like that of the E.P. Taylor turf course. In such a race you may find a sprinter able to stretch out and win but for the majority of the last dozen runnings of the King Edward, the winner has been a confirmed miler and had come into the race off a good effort at seven furlongs.
A one-mile race is a specialty distance and in this year’s King Edward field of seven, just three have had previous wins at the distance: (#4) LIKE THE KING, (#6) WAR BOMBER and (#8) FILO DI ARIANNA. Filo di Arianna, trained by Mark Casse, and War Bomber, in the barn of Norm McKnight, won the 2023 and 2022 King Edward Stakes, respectively.
Others in field have fared well at seven furlongs on the Taylor including, most notably (#1) CRUDEN BAY, who has the best two races of his career off the December – July layoff for trainer Don MacRae. It should be noted that Cruden Bay has won at route distances around two turns on Tapeta and turf.
The Casse and Filo Factors
Not only has trainer Mark Casse sent out three of the last four winners of the King Edward and four overall but this year, the stable is on the cusp of setting a new personal record for stakes wins. The barn currently has 21 stakes victories (60 percent of the stakes that have been run at Woodbine this year), not far off its record of 27.
Filo di Arianna, who will have Kazushi Kimura on board once again, is no doubt a delicate sort as the eight-year-old has only raced 16 times in his career. He has won half of those starts and he is four-for-four on the Woodbine turf course. When he won the 2022 King Edward, he led all the way to defeat five rivals. His Highlander victory on June 29 saw the gelding track a modest pace and that scenario may set up again, with only Secret Reserve as a possible pace runner.
The one mile distance might be pushing the boundaries of how far Filo di Arianna prefers to run, but based on his fast workout times since his Highlander win (in which he posted at hefty 101 Beyer Speed Figure), he is still razor sharp.
Both Cruden Bay and War Bomber are logical contenders in the King Edward, although the possibility of a slower early pace plays better for the latter. A longshot play for the race is Like the King, also trained by Casse, who is not the easiest horse to figure out, but he likes the distance and wet turf.
Since Filo di Arianna, the 2022 Champion Male Turf Horse and Male Sprinter in Canada, is a paltry 4-to-5 in the morning line odds, let’s play a trifecta with the champ on top:
$2 Trifecta Part Wheel – 8 / 4, 6 / 1, 2, 4 6 = $12.00
*Note – a $250,000 Guaranteed Pick 5 wager starts on race 6, the bet365 Soaring Free Stakes, and Filo di Arianna would make a good key for that wager.
Good luck with your bet365 wagers!
