Notable Speech wins for familiar faces in Woodbine Mile

Odds-on favorite Notable Speech, a 4-year-old son of Dubawi out of Invincible Spirit mare Swift Rose, rallied determinedly to win Saturday in the Grade 1, US$768,833 Woodbine Mile, part of the Breeders’ Cup win-and-you’re-in program.

It was the third Woodbine Mile victory in the last four runnings for the top-shelf trio of jockey William Buick, trainer Charlie Appleby and breeder-owner Godolphin. They also teamed to win in 2022 with Modern Games and 2023 with Master of the Seas.

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With Saturday’s win, Notable Speech qualified to go back to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar, where he finished third last year.

Although it was not the smoothest of journeys early, it ended with an outstanding triumph courtesy of a tremendous turn of foot in the latter stages of what was the North America debut of the victorious chestnut colt.

My Boy Prince broke alertly and took the early lead while Gas Me Up settled into second. Notable Speech, who had a tardy start as the 2-5 favorite, had to contend with a traffic jam heading into the first turn as he raced along the inside.

It was My Boy Prince on top by two lengths over Gas Me Up through an opening quarter in 23.31 seconds. They were followed by Stanley House and Wyoming Bill. Buick positioned Notable Speech fifth of the nine runners.

My Boy Prince still was calling the shots through a half-mile in 47.33 seconds, maintaining a two-length advantage over Gas Me Up. Notable Speech was sixth at this point. He stayed under a patient hand from Buick, who looked for the right moment to call on his charge for his best run.

That would come 300 yards from home. Notable Speech, unfettered on either side, kicked into gear and began to pick off rivals en route to an emphatic, 1 3/4-length score. My Boy Prince was second, 1 3/4 lengths clear of Gas Me Up. Naptown at 98-1 was fourth. ? ? ? ? ? 

The final time over firm inner turf was 1:35.33.

“Obviously we’re on the inside track for these races, so it changed the dynamics a lot,” Buick said. “I think our horses find it challenging. I was not going to give up my position on Notable Speech, and he’s an experienced horse, so I knew I could do that with him. He had to be brave for a little bit there, but he was, and once he got into that position, he relaxed beautifully, and he got into nice rhythm. For me he was winning from a long way out.”

Last out Notable Speech rallied stoutly from the back of the 11-horse field to finish a head shy of Diego Velázquez in the one-mile Prix Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville last month.

“He’s been a bit unfortunate this season,” assistant trainer Alex Merriam said. “It’s nice to get a Group 1 by his name this season.”

The colt contested the first 10 races of his career at one mile, winning the 2,000 Guineas (G1) and the Sussex (G1) in England in 2024 before closing his 3-year-old campaign at the Breeders’ Cup.

“Look, he ran a solid race last year,” Merriam said of that third-place finish at Del Mar. “I think the experience from going there, and coming here again, hopefully sharpening up on the two turns, he shouldn’t be too far away.”

Now 13: 6-1-1, Notable Speech paid $2.80 for Saturday’s win.