The Lead:
Trainer Mark Casse sends out half the six-pack for Saturday's Grade 1 $1 million Woodbine Mile, but it's international raider MASTER OF THE SEAS expected to garner the bulk of the attention. The Woodbine Mile is part of four graded stakes on a loaded, 12-race card that gets underway at 1:15 pm ET. The feature is Race 9 with a post of 5:42 pm ET.
Field Depth:
International Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed MASTER OF THE SEAS stands out on class. SHIRL'S SPEIGHT, a Grade 1 winner, and Grade 2 winner ICE CHOCOLAT have kept the best company lines among the North American charges.
Pace:
Longshot MY SEA COTTAGE should set the tone with WAR BOMBER in closer pursuit. The pace looks average for a quality turf mile and should not pose any big advantage or disadvantage.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
1-MASTER OF THE SEAS (Charlie Appleby / William Buick)
Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby send this 5-year-old Dubawi gelding from their Newmarket, England base as a follow-up to last year’s now-retired Woodbine Mile champ Modern Games. Four-length winner of Ascot’s Group 2 Summer Mile last out also won the Group 2 Zabeel Mile in Dubai this past winter. Nose runner-up from Classics glory in the 2021 Two Thousand Guineas. Likely to be a strong favorite on Saturday. Strictly the horse to beat.
2-WAR BOMBER (Norm McKnight / Rico Walcott)
Press-and-pounce victor of the Grade 2 King Edward over this same course and trip, running down a determined Treason in the shadow of the wire. Has improved his finish in each of his four previous stakes appearances at the 2023 Woodbine meet and looks to reverse his luck from last year when a fading ninth in the Woodbine Mile to Modern Games. Chance to outrun the locals at a fair number.
3-SHIRL'S SPEIGHT (Roger Attfield / John Velazquez)
$1.3 million earner makes a third Woodbine Mile appearance after finishing fourth a year ago and seventh in 2020. Has lost 8 straight since winning Keeneland’s April 2022 Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile. It’s been since Izvestia in 1990 that Hall of Fame trainer Attfield has won this race, named the Molson Million in those days. Likely underway with Velazquez in to ride and I'll need to see him prove it before accepting a form reversal.
4-ICE CHOCOLAT (Mark Casse / Joel Rosario)
Rallying third in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Fourstardave most recently, he was a two-time course winner at Woodbine in allowance company in 2022. Brazilian-bred could give trainer Casse a sweep of the track’s showcase races this year after Paramount Prince won last month’s King’s Plate. Solid second on the toteboard and his last is good enough to knockout his stablemates.
5-MY SEA COTTAGE (Mark Casse / Dylan Davis)
Former $35,000 claimer exits a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga, chasing 4-1/2 lengths behind Woodbine Mile rival and Casse stablemate Ice Chocolat in that one. Front-runner wired a Saratoga starter allowance on grass prior to that and can be expected to provide pace. Late supplement to the Woodbine Mile field on entry day likely to help fill the field after the defection of Treason.
6-LUCKY SCORE (Mark Casse / Sahin Civaci)
Son of Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky is a multiple local turf graded stakes winner, taking the Grade 2 Highlander over 6 furlongs in May. Rallied from far back to be third in his only mile attempt, his most recent start in the Grade 2 King Edward. Trainer Casse won the 2016 and 2017 Woodbine Mile editions with stars Tepin and World Approval. Not without a chance for the exotics, but prefer others.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
MASTER OF THE SEAS has the class edge that's hard to overlook.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
No big prices projected given the field size, but it's conceivable WAR BOMBER could be overlay odds even after a minor upset last out.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$80 exacta MASTER OF THE SEAS over ICE CHOCOLAT. $20 exacta MASTER OF THE SEAS over WAR BOMBER.
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