Turallure Closes Strong To Win Ricoh Woodbine Mile

Turallure caught Courageous Cat right before the wire to secure victory in the Grade I Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Photo: WEG / Michael Burns Photography

Turallure closed the best along the long stretch of the E.P. Taylor turf course to win the $1 million Grade I Ricoh Woodbine Mile on Sunday afternoon. With the victory, Turallure has secured a berth in the 2011 TVG Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs in November.



As expected, 14-1 local longshot Kara's Orientation broke the best and went straight to the front in the early going, followed by a group that included Woodbourne, Courageous Cat, Riding the River and Side Glance.

After setting an opening quarter of 23.83, Kara's Orientation was joined on the lead by the favoured Courageous Cat as they guided the field into the turn. The half-mile was run in 47.11. Woodbourne and Side Glance continued to track the frontrunners through the turn and into the frantic stretch run.

Courageous Cat took the lead at the top of the stretch and continued strong as several runners began to line-up across the track behind him. As Courageous Cat continued to hold a slim lead over Riding the River at the eighth-pole, Turallure swung out from the two-path into the eight-path and began to make his drive to the finish. Courageous Cat was still leading at the sixteenth-pole, but he was joined by Right One along the rail. Courageous Cat, Right One and Turallure dueled in the final strides but it was Turallure who got up just in time to secure his spot in the Breeders' Cup.

Trainer Charles Lopresti, who had never run a horse at Woodbine before, was concerned with the wall of horses in front of Turallure in the stretch.

"I was asking myself 'where are we going to go'," said Lopresti, who now has two good candidates for the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile with Turallure and Wise Dan. "There was no where to go but with the long stretch, we knew if he could get out we would have a chance."

Jockey Julien Leparoux, who won the Grade II Canadian Stakes earlier in the day with Never Retreat, didn't have any problems with his trip.

"It was good. We left from the outside, so I just took him back and saved all the ground around the turn," said Leparoux. "There was a lot of traffic, but I was able to get out and he ran great. He was big today."

The four-year-old Turallure is now the first Grade I winner for Canadian Triple Crown winner and sire Wando.

"It's pretty neat to be able to come up to Canada and win with [Turallure]," Lopresti remarked. "Wando's a hero here and everyone was telling us about him."

Turallure returned $14.90, $5.90 and $4.10, combining with Courageous Cat ($3.10, $2.90) for a $42.30 exactor. Right One finished third ($4.90) and completed a triactor worth $212.30. A $1 superfecta with the fourth place finisher Side Glance, paid $572.15.

Posted in: Woodbine