Monster Weekend Of Racing At Woodbine

Woodbine Racetrack will be the focus of the horse racing community in North America as the Canadian track plays host to five graded stakes races in two days, beginning on Saturday. The feature race is the $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sunday, a Breeder's Cup "Win and You're In" race. Let's meet the fields for each of the five races.



Grade III Natalma Stakes

PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer, M/L
1. Roxy Gap,   P.Husbands,   M.Casse,   7-5
2. Street Chimes,   D.Cohen,   T.Pletcher,   15-1
3. Dos Lunas,   R.Maragh,   J.Glenney,   10-1
4. Sheba's Secret,   C.Sutherland,   R.Attfield,   9-2
5. New Normal,   J.Castellano,   M.Frostad,   8-1
6. Pulling for Dixie,   R.Dos Ramos,   B.Lynch,   20-1
7. More Than Real,   G.Gomez,   T.Pletcher,   2-1
8. The Platinum Angel,    J.Stein,   M.Doyle,   30-1
9. Molinaro Social,   S.Bahen,   R.Armata,   30-1

The stakes program kicks off in the sixth race on Saturday with the Grade III Natalma Stakes. The race will be one mile on turf for two year old fillies. The morning line certainly shows that it could play out to be a two horse race between Roxy Gap and More Than Real. The unbeaten Roxy Gap will most likely be the favourite when the race goes to post and she could very well win the race. She's familiar with the course so I will give the early advantage to Roxy Gap, but don't be suprised if an American shipper steals it from the local favourite.

Grade III Summer Stakes

PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer, M/L
1. Rockin Heat,   E.Da Silva,   R.Baker,   15-1
2. Silverleo,   E.Ramsammy,   G.De Gannes,   6-1
3. Midway Train,   V.Espinoza,   G.De Gannes,   12-1
4. Pluck,   G.Gomez,   T. Pletcher,   2-1
5. Stormy Rush,   J.Jones,   R.Attfield,   5-2
6. Breaking Ball,   P.Husbands,   M.Casse,   20-1
7. Ronin Dax,   P.Valenzuela,   R.Troeger,   10-1
8. Forum,   J.Castellano,   G.Weaver,   3-1

The ninth race on Saturday's program will feature the Grade III Summer Stakes for two year olds and will go one mile on the turf course. The morning line favourite is the Todd Pletcher trained Pluck, but without looking at the past performances, I like Silverleo at a little bit of a price. I saw Silverleo in person when he broke his maiden and he looked very, very good in doing so. Silverleo won a seven furlong sprint on turf and won it quite handly at a good 8-1 price. Silverleo likes to get out on the lead early, so if the course is favouring speed (and you'll have lots of time to see if that's the case), the two horse might be a key contender.

Grade II Canadian Stakes

PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer, M/L
1. Lemon Twirl,   J.McAleney,   J.Mattine,   20-1
2. Points of Grace,   P.Husbands,   M.Pierce,   9-5
3. Miss Keller,   J.Castellano,   R.Attfield,   3-2
4. Jenny's So Great,   R.Maragh,   G.De Gannes,   12-1
5. Magic Broomstick,   C.Sutherland,   M.Frostad,   4-1
6. Latin Love,   G.Gomez,   D.Wachman,   6-1

The fourth race of Sunday's program is the Grade II Canadian Stakes and will go one mile and one eighth on the turf course for fillies and mares three years old and upward. Points of Grace appears to be in top form for this race but will most likely be hard pressed by Miss Keller. One angle you might want to consider, however, is Latin Love. Latin Love is shipping in from Curragh, coming off of a stakes win there and is using Lasix for the first time. Europeans coming over to North America and using Lasix for the first time usually have a good record and you may get a decent price on this horse.

Grade I Northern Dancer Turf Stakes presented by Vtech

PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer, M/L
1. Marsh Side,   E.Prado,   N.Drysdale,   5-2
2. Windward Islands,   C.Sutherland,   M.Frostad,   8-1
3. Expansion,   G.Gomez,   S.Asmussen,   3-1
4. Memorial Maniac,   J.Graham,   L.Demeritte,   10-1
5. Redwood,   M.Hills,   B.Hills,   7-2
6. Fifty Proof,   J.Stein,   I.Black,   20-1
7. Perfect Shower,   J.Castellano,   R.Attfield,   15-1
8. Spice Route,   M.Smith,   R.Attfield,   9-2
9. Guipago,   J.Rosairo,   A.Delmas,   30-1

The eighth race on Sunday will be the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, going one and one half miles on the E.P. Taylor turf course for three year olds and up. When looking at the field, I'm drawn to another horse in the race that I've seen live and has won. Spice Route raced on Queen's Plate day in the Singspiel Stakes and won by three lengths. Spice Route sat off the pace most of the race but turned it on in the end to win. It was a slow pace that day too, so I'm worried that if the pace is quicker, Spice Route may give up too much ground early in the race to catch up. We will see how it plays out.

Grade I Woodbine Mile Stakes

PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer, M/L
1. Crowded House,   J.Rosairo,   B.Cecil,   12-1
2. Victor's Cry,   C.Nakatani,   E.Harty,   4-1
3. Zifzaf,   J.Leparoux,   J.Toner,   30-1
4. Court Vision,   R.Albarado,   R.Dutrow Jr.,   7-2
5. Straight Story,   R.Maragh,   A.Goldberg,   12-1
6. Smokey Fire,   J.Jones,   S.Attard,   15-1
7. Signature Red,   E.Da Silva,   S.Attard,   20-1
8. Auteur,   M.Smith,   B.Minshall,   50-1
9. Riviera Cocktail,   E.Prado,   N.Drysdale,   20-1
10. Woodbourne,   C.Sutherland,   R.Tiller,   30-1
11. The Usual Q.T.,   V.Espinoza,   J.Cassidy,   3-1
12. Famous Name,   P.Smullen,   D.Weld,   6-1
13. Grand Adventure,   P.Husbands,   M.Frostad,   8-1

The biggest race of the weekend is the tenth race on Sunday. The $1 million Woodbine Mile will go on the turf and is a prep race for the Breeder's Cup Mile in Kentucky in November. The favourite is California shipper The Usual Q.T. who ran in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on polytrack and finished fifth. Victor's Cry is also coming in from California and horses from there have done well in the Woodbine Mile in the past. With these horses, the weather may play a huge factor as both are used to firm California courses. With rain in the Toronto area on Thursday and the chance of rain tomorrow, the softer course may cause them problems. Grand Adventure is the top local horse, but he will have to overcome a tough post position to be a factor. It's a great betting race and with a chance to breakdown the field using the past performances, At The Post will provide better selections for Sunday's races.

At The Post will be live from Woodbine on Sunday through Twitter. Follow me at twitter.com/atthepostblog for live updates and my selections as the day goes along. I will also be attending a handicapping seminar in the morning, hosted by Woodbine race analyst Jim Bannon, which will definitely provide me with more angles for the Woodbine Mile. Who do you like in the mile? Leave your comments below.

Posted in: Woodbine