2014 Woodbine Mile

Las Vegas, NV – The main event on Woodbine’s summer schedule – the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile comes our way from none other than Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario this Sunday, September 14. A nice purse of $1 million and an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to go one mile on Woodbine’s turf track.

A field of 11 will line up in the Woodbine Mile – Canada’s richest race is race 11 on Woodbine’s busy Sunday card. Post time is 6:10 PM. Here is a brief glance into the credentials of all 11 entries for this lucrative Grade 1 stakes

Kaigun 5-2 – Mark Casse trained gelding looked good at the end of 2013 – a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream, a good third in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs November 16 and an Allowance score at Woodbine in August. He has seven starts in 2014 – the best of which came last time out – a win in the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes here August 10. He also had an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream February 22 and a fourth in a similar race on that same track January 17 to start his year. Other results include a fifth in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth July 6 after a good second in the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes June 7 at Belmont Park, a fourth in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic May 3 and a good second in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile behind the great Wise Dan at Keeneland in April. Kaigun has been in there with some top competition and has fared well. He will be looking for his second straight stakes win with Patrick Husbands in the saddle of the morning line favorite from gate 5 – and he gets to do with without Wise Dan on the scene.

Jack Milton 7-2 – Todd Pletcher trained colt enters on the heels of an OK third to Seek Again and Grand Arch in the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga August 9 after a disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita June 14 and a two race win streak – the Grade 3 Poker Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths in June at Belmont Park and an Allowance Optional Claiming May 1. Before that was four straight third place finishes including the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap in October, the Grade 1 Secretariat in August and the Grade 2 Virginia Derby in July. He has placed in 10 of 12 career starts (four wins, a second and five third place finishes), has two wins on turf and will be regain his early summer form. Javier Castellano gets the call aboard the second choice from gate 9.

Grand Arch 4-1 finished third in the Grade 2 Sky Classic at Woodbine last August 18 after another third in the Grade 2 Nijinsky on that same track in July. He has continued to look good in his last six starts – a second in the minor Labeeb Stakes in October, a third in the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs in November, a terrific win in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes at Woodbine June 22 and a good second last time out in the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga August 9 included. Grand Arch has placed in all 15 career starts with four wins, five seconds and six thirds and is expected to be competitive again Sunday. David Moran rides the third choice from the outside post Sunday.

Trade Storm 6-1 – British bred entry has three second place finishes in six starts this year – five wins, five seconds and three third place finishes in 33 career starts. He makes his North American debut this week on the heels of two straight runner up finishes – the last being a stakes at York August 23 and in Dubai – against some quality fields. He was third in this race last year in his only start on North American soil. He hopes to better that this week with Jamie Spencer aboard from post 2.

Lockout 10-1 – Mark Casse pupil is coming off a good second behind Kaigun in the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes here August 10 after an OK third in the Grade 3 Highlander Stakes here July 6, a fifth in an Allowance in June and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track in May. He now has seven graded stakes starts with a pair of seconds and a third being his best results. Lockout has placed in just three of his last seven starts overall but has shown improvement lately. Gary Boulanger will be in the saddle from post7.

Woodbine Mile betting online at Woodbine Racetrack with OffTrackBetting.com

Bobby’s Kitten 15-1 – Chad Brown trained colt has four wins, a second and two third place finishes in nine career starts and is coming off a good second in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga August 8 which followed an ugly eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational July 5. He also had a brutal performance four back – a twelfth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in April. In between those results are a win in the minor Penn Mile Stakes May 31 and an Allowance score in March. Bobby’s Kitten did finish a respectable third as favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf so we know he can run with the best – he also won the Grade 3 Pilgrim at Belmont by 6 ¼ lengths before the Breeders’ Cup try. Joel Rosario will be in the saddle Sunday from post 8.

Dorsett 15-1 – Brian Lynch trained colt made his 2014 debut July 19 and finished fourth in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes at Woodbine and followed that with another fourth – last time out in the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga August 9. He ended his 2013 campaign with a sixth in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes in November after a fourth in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby in October and a sixth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in September. Before that was a career best result – a win in the minor Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park in August. He has 14 career starts with three wins, a second and a third place finish but has failed to place in his last six starts overall. Luis Contreras gets the mount from gate 6.

His Race to Win 15-1 – has won five of his last nine starts and four of his last seven including last time out in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes here August 3, an Allowance four back and the Grade 3 Ontario Derby by 2 1/4 lengths last September. His other three results over that span were fifth place finishes including the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes June 1 and the minor Woodchopper Stakes in November at Fair Grounds in November and an OK third in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes July 1 on this track. His Race to Win has had some good results here and will be looking to build on a terrific performance last time out. Eurico Rosa Da Silva has the mount from gate 10.

River Seven 20-1 – multiple stakes winning Ontario bred gelding entered the 2014 Donn Handicap on an impressive three race win streak – the minor Harlan’s Holiday Stakes over the terrific Csaba at Gulfstream in record setting form December 22, the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs November 16 and the minor Labeeb Stakes at Woodbine in October but finished a disappointing tenth in the Donn in February. He hasn’t been a whole lot better since – a fourth last time out in the Grade 2 Sky Classic on this track August 18 followed an OK third in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes, a fourth in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes here June 22 and a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup on this track May 31. River Seven has hit the board in 11 of 18 career starts but hasn’t done so in four of his last five starts overall. Jesse Campbell has been tabbed to ride from the rail Sunday.

Silver Freak 20-1 – Brian Lynch trained gelding has just eight career starts with three wins, two seconds and two third place finishes. He races in stakes company for the first time Sunday off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Saratoga August 6, and a pair of thirds in similar races – one coming at Woodbine in May. He has been on the board every time out but will have a difficult time duplicating that feat against this quality field. John Velazquez will be in the saddle from post 4.

Ancil 30-1 – is coming off a fourteenth place finish in a stakes race at Ascot after an eighth in the Grade 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint in May and a twelfth in the Grade 3 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland in April. His only decent effort in the last 10 months came in March – a win in the minor Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs but has not been great since. He leaves from post with Justin Stein in the saddle of the longest shot in the field.

Race 11 on Woodbine Racetrack’s Sunday card with a Post Time of 6:13 PM.