Fields taking shape for big turf weekend at Woodbine

With four wins from 15 starts, accompanied by 15 top-three finishes, Grand Arch, a five-year-old gelded son of Arch, brings a strong track record of success and current form into Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile.

There are 100 reasons, times two, that indicate Grand Arch is at the top of his game. In his past two starts, a win in the Grade 2 King Edward at Woodbine on June 22, and a neck loss in the Grade 2 Fourstardave at Saratoga on August 9, the bay has hit the century mark (a career-best) in Beyer Figure rating.

“That was a tough one to lose,” noted trainer Brian Lynch, of the Fourstardave, which also saw Lynch pupil and fellow Woodbine Mile contender Dorsett finish fourth. “He gave everything he had and fought right to the wire. That’s what you love to see in a horse, one that won’t give up at any point. And he was just superb in the King Edward, too. The bigger the race, the bigger the effort you get from him. And that’s certainly what has happened over his past two starts.” 

Owned by Jim and Susan Hill, whose Solid Appeal won the Sovereign Award as Canada’s 2013 champion turf female, Grand Arch has shown an affinity for Woodbine’s world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

In seven races on the Toronto oval grass, the Kentucky-bred has three wins, one second and three thirds.

“He is just the absolute model of consistency,” raved Lynch. “Just like Dorsett, he’s getting better with age.”  

All the more reason as to why Lynch is feeling just ‘Grand’ heading into the Mile. 

“Last year, he was up on the pace more,” he said. “This year, he’s learned to settle more. To be honest, it doesn’t really matter where he is. When you ask him, he’ll respond. He has that ability to be anywhere in a race, and when you need him to run, he’ll do it.”  

Jockey Davy Moran, aboard Grand Arch for the King Edward and Fourstardave, once again gets the call.

A four-year-old son of Artie Schiller, Dorsett is one of two runners (Grand Arch is the other) who will contest Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile for trainer Brian Lynch.

Owned by Terry Hamilton, the Kentucky-bred colt heads into his first Grade 1 appearance on a strong note, a fourth-place finish, just 1 ¼-lengths behind winner Seek Again, in the Grade 2 Fourstardave (Grand Arch was second) on August 9 at Saratoga.

Lynch, who recently took over the training reins of Dorsett from Michael Stidham, was pleased with that performance as well as a fourth in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes on July 19 at Woodbine.

“We ran him in the Nijinsky first up and I thought he ran very well,” said Lynch. “But, you could also see that he needed that race. He trained on beautifully from there and we decided to run him in the Fourstardave. I thought that was a crackerjack race by him. He was fanned out wide and kept on fighting. He emptied out a bit in the stretch, got a little tired, but now here we are, third off the bench, and ready to go.”

Dorsett has three wins, one second and one third from 14 starts. His past five efforts have been in graded stakes events.

“His breeding says the older he gets, the better he’ll get,” offered Lynch. “And that’s what we are seeing. He’s the ultimate professional who loves his job.

Champion rider Luis Contreras gets the call for the Mile.

 

Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In event

Ancil / Scott Farmer and Kathy Thompson / Joan Scott / Justin Stein

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

Dorsett / Terry Hamilton / Brian Lynch / Luis Contreras

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 

A reminder that Thursday's Woodbine Mile draw, with honourary draw master Terrence Ross from the Toronto Raptors, will be streamed live at www.woodbinemile.com.  Further information and event details for Mile day are available there.  The Twitter hashtag is #WOMile.

Environment Canada is calling for sunshine on Woodbine Mile day with a low of 6 degrees Celsius (42 Fahrenheit) and a high of 17 degrees Celsius (62 Fahrenheit).

Horse / Trainer / Jockey

ALDOUS SNOW/MALCOLM PIERCE/EURICO ROSA DA SILVA

DYNAMIC SKY/MARK CASSE/TBA

FORTE DEI MARMI (GB)/ROGER ATTFIELD/TBA

KARIBU GARDENS/JOSIE CARROLL/LUIS CONTRERAS

PERFECT TIMBER/ROGER ATTFIELD/TBA

REPORTING STAR/PAT PARENTE/JUSTIN STEIN

SHEIKHZAEDROAD(GB)/DAVID SIMCOCK/MARTIN LANE

SKY CAPTAIN/MARK CASSE/PATRICK HUSBANDS

* THE PIZZA MAN/ROGER BRUEGMANN/ FLORENT GEROUX

VILLANDRY/ CHARLIE LOPRESTI/JAVIER CASTELLANO

 

Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In event

Horse / Trainer / Jockey 

DANCE AGAIN/MALCOLM PIERCE/LUIS CONTRERAS

DECEPTIVE VISION/MALCOLM PIERCE/EURICO DA SILVA

INDUSTRIAL POLICY/ MARK CASSE/JAVIER CASTELLANO

LA TIA/ARMANDO DE LA CERDA/JOEL ROSARIO

LEXIE LOU/MARK CASSE/PATRICK HUSBANDS

MERI SHIKA/ROGER ATTFIELD/TBA

*ROYAL FURY/BRIAN LYNCH/JOHN VELAZQUEZ

SAVVY HESTER/RICKY GRIFFITH/JUSTIN STEIN

SKYLANDER GIRL/ALEX PATYKEWICH/EMILE RAMSAMMY

SOLID APPEAL/READE BAKER/JESSE CAMPBELL

 

Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In event

Horse / Trainer / Jockey

APPEAL TO WIN/READE BAKER/TBA

BOURBON'S RAHFEE/KEN ALBU/STEVE BAHEN

CALLISTO/JENNIFER JOHNSON/RON ALLEN JR.

CONQUEST HARLANATE/MARK CASSE/PATRICK HUSBANDS

DIXIE TWIST/MARK CASSE/GARY BOULANGER

DON'T LEAVE ME/MALCOM PIERCE/TBA

ISABELLA SINGS/TODD PLETCHER/TBA

RESERVED/ASHLEE BRNJAS/TBA

ROAMING/GAIL COX/TBA

SKINNER BOX/RICK VIOLETTE JR./TBA

STARLESS NIGHT/NICK GONZALEZ/TBA

 

Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In event

Horse / Trainer / Jockey

CONQUEST TSUNAMI/MARK CASSE/PATRICK HUSBANDS

CROWN PRINCE/KELLY CALLAGHAN/GERRY OLGUIN

ETHICAL FUNDS/NATHAN SQUIRES/TBA

IMPERIAL DREAM/NICK GONZALEZ/EURICO ROSA DA SILVA

PASSION FOR ACTION/MIKE DEPAULO/LUIS CONTRERAS

SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN/MIKE DOYLE/TBA

SARATOGA DREAMER/CHRISTOPHE CLEMENT/EMMA-JAYNE WILSON

U S MARSHALL/IAN BLACK/TBA