Oscar Performance rebounds to win Woodbine Mile 2018

Pulled up and vanned off in his last start just a month ago, Oscar Performance proved he's back healthy by going wire to wire in Saturday's Grade 1, $800,000 Woodbine Mile.

The front-running 4-year-old by Kitten's Joy enjoyed fractions of 24.60, 48.78 and 1:11.49, outlasting local hero Mr Havercamp over firm turf. The final time was 1:33.12.

Stormy Antarctic ran on for third with favored Delta Prince fourth of eight runners. Divisidero, Lord Glitters, Good Samaritan and Vanish completed the order of finish.

Trained by Brian Lynch, the Amerman Racing homebred Oscar Performance bounced back after failing as the favorite in the Arlington Million.

“I'm very emotional right now,” said jockey Jose Ortiz. “This is my favorite horse. He gave me my first Breeders’ Cup. I’m just happy he’s back.”

The Woodbine Mile win earned Oscar Performance a "Win and You're In" trip to the Breeders' Cup Mile, scheduled for Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. Oscar Performance won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf with Ortiz at Santa Anita Park two years earlier, the first Breeders’ Cup victory for the jockey.

Lynch’s assistant trainer and wife, Erin, was also emotional following the win.

“After Arlington he gave us a really bad scare, so for him to come back and do this, it’s a big deal,” she said.

“We literally made a decision the Monday before entries. Brian put his last work into him and just made sure all systems were a go. He was happy with him and decided let’s try. Let’s give it a shot.”

After his 2018 campaign, the horse is scheduled to retire to Mill Ridge Farm, where he'll stand at stud.