Woodbine Mile 2014 Notes - September 7

EARLY LOOK AT SUNDAY’S RICOH WOODBINE MILE (12)

 

Horse/Owner/Trainer/Jockey

 

Ancil / Scott Farmer and Kathy Thompson / Joan Scott / TBA

Best Bard / Cinnamont Stable / Jim Smith / TBA

Bobby's Kitten / Ken and Sarah Ramsey / Chad Brown / Joel Rosario

Dorsett / Terry Hamilton / Brian Lynch / TBA

Grand Arch / Jim and Susan Hill / Brian Lynch / David Moran

His Race to Win / Sam-Son Farm / Malcolm Pierce / Eurico Rosa da Silva

Jack Milton / Gary Barber / Todd Pletcher / Javier Castellano

Kaigun / Quintessential Racing, Horse'n Around, & G. Barber / Patrick Husbands

Lockout / John C. Oxley / Mark Casse / Gary Boulanger

River Seven / Tucci Stables / Nick Gonzalez / Jesse Campbell

Summer Front / Waterford Stable / Christophe Clement / John Velazquez

Trade Storm / Qatar Racing Limited / David Simcock / Jamie Spencer

 

 

For the seventh consecutive year, the Ricoh Woodbine Mile is part of the Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ series and will offer the winner an all-expenses paid berth (entry fees and travel costs) into the Breeders’ Cup Mile, November 1 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California.

 

The 18th edition of one of the premier grass races on the continent will be televised live across Canada on TSN and across the U.S. on FOX Sports 1 as part of The Jockey Club Racing Tour, featuring Grade 1 events from across North America.

 

The winner of the Mile receives $600,000, while the runner-up gets $200,000.

 

A talented group of 12 horses are in the running for the one-turn mile over the world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course including graded stakes winning Saratoga shippers Summer Front, trained by Christophe Clement; Jack Milton, trained by Todd Pletcher; Bobby's Kitten, from the barn of Chad Brown; and Group 2 winner Trade Storm, third in the 2013 Mile, who arrives from England for trainer David Simcock.

 

Last year's winner, the two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, successfully defended his 2012 Woodbine Mile title with a swift score in track record time of 1:31.75 with John Velazquez on board for trainer Charlie LoPresti and owner-breeder Morton Fink.

 

Wise Dan, who scored a remarkable victory in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch last weekend on his return from a bout with colic, will not make the trek north, though LoPresti will be represented on the undercard by Villandry in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer.

 

The lucrative weekend of racing at Woodbine starts on Saturday, September 13 and includes two Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In races for two-year-olds - the $200,000 Natalma Stakes for fillies and the $200,000 Summer Stakes, both to be contested at one mile on the grass.

 

In addition to the Ricoh Woodbine Mile, Sunday's card also features the Grade 1 $300,000 Northern Dancer Stakes, presented by VTech, and the Grade 2 $300,000 Canadian Stakes, which also has Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In status.

 

 

Six-time Sovereign Award-winning trainer Mark Casse will send out two hopefuls in Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile – Kaigun and Lockout.

 

Surprisingly, he’s never run a horse in the turf classic in its 17 previous editions.   In a year in which he won the Queen’s Plate for the first time with filly Lexie Lou, after second and third place finishes in previous years, perhaps he could also add the Mile to his resume first time out.

 

Kaigun, co-owned by Gary Barber, Horse’n Around Racing Stable and Quintessential Racing Florida, likely represents his best chance and will be well supported at the windows. 

 

Fresh off a hard-charging victory in the seven furlong Play the King, a prep for the Mile on August 10, the four-year-old gelded son of Northern Afleet-Cruising Kris has been hooking many of the best turfers in North America in a number of Grade 1 events at various distances this year.

 

He’s certainly found a home on the lawn since a ninth place finish in the Queen’s Plate over a year ago, earning over $500,000 in nine turf runs since.

 

“I was worried about cutting him back from a mile and three-eighths to seven-eighths,” explained Casse, about going from the United Nations July 6, when finishing fifth at Monmouth Park to Woodbine’s Play the King. 

 

“I thought he was very impressive.  I think probably he might be a better miler but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference.  He can do anything.  I don’t know if he’s any better now than he was in the spring (when finishing second to Wise Dan in the Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland) but his last race was powerful.   We gelded him (after winning his turf debut a year ago).  That really helped too.”

 

Kaigun will be ridden by Patrick Husbands, who won the 2001 Mile aboard Numerous Times.  Co-owner Barber was a co-owner of 2006 Mile victor Becrux.

 

John Oxley’s Lockout, a five-year-old son of Limehouse, finished second to Kaigun in the Play the King and has earned almost $400,000 while winning four of 19 starts in a very consistent, if limited, career, while displaying his versatility on dirt, turf and poly.   Gary Boulanger retains the mount.

 

 

Terrence Ross, star shooting guard for the Toronto Raptors, will be in attendance at Woodbine on Thursday, September 11, to pull the post positions for the Ricoh Woodbine Mile.

 

Ross was drafted in the first round by the Toronto Raptors with the eighth overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft.  As a rookie, Ross won the 2013 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

 

The Raptors pre-season schedule kicks off on October 5 against the Sacramento Kings and the regular season begins October 29 versus the Atlanta Hawks.