Woodbine Mile Weekend Preview

With all the pedigree postings that I've done lately, I thought now would be a good time to do a racing preview. This weekend marks the start of the final preps for the Breeders' Cup which will be held the first weekend in November at Santa Anita. It's all about the turf in Canada as Woodbine has the first of their 2 big turf weekends. Saturday will be the 2yo stakes the Summer and Natalma which are Win and You're Ins for the Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Fillies Turf respectively. They are both G2 races. Meanwhile Sunday will be the G1 Northern Dancer and G2 Canadian both of which are preps for the Canadian Invitational and E.P. Taylor respecitvely. They are the only non Win and You're in races as the races that they are preps for are. Finally the crown jewel of the weekend is the G1 Woodbine Mile.

Lets take a look a look at this year's fields.

First up the Natalma

6TH WO SEPTEMBER 15 1 MILE TURF FILLIES 2 YEAR OLDS NATALMA S. (G2) PURSE $250,000 FOR TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLIES. Pgm Horse Jockey/Trainer PP Wt Claim Med EQ Odds --- ---------------------- ------------------------- -- -- ----- --- -- ---- 1 SUMMER OF FUN,2,F R.MARAGH 1 119 L 10/1 G.WEAVER 2 INCREDIBLE JOURNEY,2,F J.M.CAMPBELL 2 119 L 20/1 W.CATALANO 3 SHENANDOAH LADY,2,F E.R.DA SILVA 3 119 20/1 S.ATTARD 4 RUTHERFORD RD,2,F J.V.BRIDGMOHAN 4 119 L 20/1 M.DOYLE 5 DANCING FOR GLORY,2,F E.WILSON 5 119 L 10/1 C.BROWN 6 NANCY O (IRE),2,F D.MORAN 6 119 l 15/1 C.COSTIGAN 7 SPRING VENTURE,2,F P.HUSBANDS 7 119 L 8/1 M.CASSE 8 SPRING IN THE AIR,2,F G.K.GOMEZ 8 119 L 6/1 M.CASSE 9 KITTEN'S DUMPLINGS,2,F R.NAPRAVNIK 9 119 L 8/1 M.MAKER 10 BWANA GO FAST,2,F E.RAMSAMMY 10 119 l 30/1 N.SQUIRES 11 COCONUT SHRIMP,2,F J.CASTELLANO 11 119 L 4/1 T.PLETCHER 12 TIZ RO,2,F L.CONTRERAS 12 119 L 3/1 G.DE GANNES 13 SURE WOULD,2,F J.STEIN 13 119 L 20/1 M.KEOGH 14 CARMEL BEAUTY,2,F A.O.SOLIS 14 119 L 30/1 B.MINSHALL 15 FEARLESS JACQ (IRE),2, R.MARAGH 15 119 10/1 D.SIMCOCK Owners: 1. Bona Venture Stables; 2. Mary & Gary West; 3. John A. Richter; 4. Windhaven Farms Inc.; 5. Michael J. Ryan; 6. Borders Racing Stable Ltd. and Robert J. Costigan; 7. Gary Barber and Stoneway Farm LLC; 8. John C. Oxley; 9. Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey; 10. Boomer Rowles; 11. Repole Stable; 12. Raroma Stable; 13. Gustav Schickedanz; 14. Bruce Lunsford; 15. Sovereign Stable

The Americans in this race, Coconut Shrimp, Summer of Fun and Incrediable Journey could be hard to beat. Don't count out though Nancy O or Tiz Ro for the hometeam. Nancy's dam is Arravale while Ro is a 1/2 sister to Jambalaya. Both are in the Canadian Hall of Fame and both have had success on this course. They are my 1-2 with Tiz Ro on top of Nancy O.

The Summer

ENTRIES 9TH WO SEPTEMBER 15
1 MILE TURF OPEN 2 YEAR OLDS
SUMMER S. (G2) PURSE $250,000

FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS.

Pgm Horse Jockey/Trainer PP Wt Claim Med EQ Odds
--- ---------------------- ------------------------- -- -- ----- --- -- ----
1 BEAR'S FURR,2,C E.WILSON 1 122 L O 15/1
R.BAKER

2 BEST PLAY,2,C J.CASTELLANO 2 122 L 6/1
M.FROSTAD

3 I'M BOUNDTOSCORE,2,C S.ROOK 3 122 L 9/2
T.RANKIN

4 ARCHER HILL,2,C A.O.SOLIS 4 122 L 5/2
L.LEWIS

5 ARE YOU KIDDING ME,2,C L.CONTRERAS 5 122 L 3/1
R.ATTFIELD

6 THE B'S AND E'S,2,G G.K.GOMEZ 6 122 L 8/1
W.WARD

7 MERCENARY,2,G O.MORENO 7 122 L 15/1
D.COTEY

8 INDIANO JONES,2,C P.HUSBANDS 8 122 L 4/1
M.CASSE

From all reports, Archer Hill could be something special. However with 2yo's you really don't know what you have until they get into stakes races. Are You Kidding Me is my pick for this race. He won an allowance race over Nancy O at 7 furlongs.

The Canadian

ENTRIES 5TH WO SEPTEMBER 16
1 1/8 MILES TURF FILLIES AND MARES 3 YEAR OLDS AND UP
CANADIAN S. (G2) PURSE $300,000
FOR FILLIES AND MARES, THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD.


Pgm Horse Jockey/Trainer PP Wt Claim Med EQ Odds
--- ---------------------- ------------------------- -- -- ----- --- -- ----
1 MOMENT OF MAJESTY,5,M G.OLGUIN 1 115 L 12/1
S.LESLIE

2 LAUGHING (IRE),4,F L.CONTRERAS 2 119 L 3/1
A.GOLDBERG

3 STARS TO SHINE,5,M A.O.SOLIS 3 119 L 6/1
M.FROSTAD

4 BAREFOOT LADY (IRE),4, J.P.SPENCER 4 113 8/1
R.FAHEY

5 ALL STAR HEART,5,M B.BLANC 5 119 L 7/2
R.MCANALLY

6 SHIMMERING MOMENT,5,M S.RUSSELL 6 113 L 12/1
F.ABBOTT, III

7 SMART STING,4,F J.R.VELAZQUEZ 7 117 12/1
R.ATTFIELD

8 INDIAN POND,4,F E.R.DA SILVA 8 115 L 15/1
M.CASSE

9 KAPITALE (GER),4,F M.DEMURO 9 117 L 5/2
A.WOEHLER

I would love to see Moment of Majesty get this win for Cujo (Curtis Joseph the former goalie and one of her co-owners/breeders).

The Northern Dancer

ENTRIES 8TH WO SEPTEMBER 16
1 1/2 MILES TURF OPEN 3 YEAR OLDS AND UP
NORTHERN DANCER TURF S. (G1) PURSE $500,000
FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD.


Pgm Horse Jockey/Trainer PP Wt Claim Med EQ Odds
--- ---------------------- ------------------------- -- -- ----- --- -- ----
1 CELTIC CONVICTION,4,G J.M.CAMPBELL 1 119 L 20/1
M.DOYLE

2 OJIBWAY SIGNAL,4,G L.CONTRERAS 2 119 L 20/1
D.BELL

3 AL KHALI,6,R G.K.GOMEZ 3 119 L 3/1
W.MOTT

4 SCALO (GB),5,H U.RISPOLI 4 121 L 2/1
A.WOEHLER

5 FORTE DEI MARMI (GB),6 A.O.SOLIS 5 123 L 8/1
R.ATTFIELD

6 MUSKETIER (GER),10,H J.R.VELAZQUEZ 6 121 L 5/2
R.ATTFIELD

7 WIGMORE HALL (IRE),5,G J.P.SPENCER 7 123 L 6/1
M.BELL

8 IRISH MISSION,3,F J.STEIN 8 109 L 10/1
M.FROSTAD

Al Khali finally ran well in a G1 race in the Sword Dancer in his last. Musktetier at the age of 10 tries to get that elusive G1 win to his name. Wigmore Hall is the defending champ, but he's not coming into the race as strong as he was last year. Scalo was 3rd in his NA debut, Forte Dei Marmi won that race the Sky Classic. Keep an eye on Irish Mission, she won the Breeders' Stakes on this course in her last to go along with her Woodbine Oaks win and Queen's Plate runner up on the poly.

Finally the Woodbine Mile

ENTRIES 10TH WO SEPTEMBER 16
1 MILE TURF OPEN 3 YEAR OLDS AND UP
RICOH WOODBINE MILE S. (G1) PURSE $1,000,000
FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD.

Pgm Horse Jockey/Trainer PP Wt Claim Med EQ Odds
--- ---------------------- ------------------------- -- -- ----- --- -- ----
1 RIDING THE RIVER,5,G P.HUSBANDS 1 121 L 10/1
D.COTEY

2 DANCE AND DANCE (IRE), G.K.GOMEZ 2 117 l 12/1
E.VAUGHAN

3 WISE DAN,5,G J.R.VELAZQUEZ 3 121 L 6/5
C.LOPRESTI

4 ARTIC FERN,5,G J.STEIN 4 117 L 20/1
M.KEOGH

5 BIG BAND SOUND,5,H T.PIZARRO 5 121 L 6/1
D.VELLA

6 HUNTERS BAY,5,H E.WILSON 6 119 L 15/1
R.BAKER

7 CITYSCAPE (GB),6,H J.DOYLE 7 124 5/2
R.CHARLTON

8 HOLLINGER,5,G A.O.SOLIS 8 117 L 20/1
R.ATTFIELD

9 WORTHADD (IRE),5,H L.CONTRERAS 9 119 l 8/1
S.PRESCOTT

Wise Dan is one of the most versatle horses around. Dirt, Turf, Poly, it really doesn't matter where he runs he'll win. Hunter's Bay is undefeated at Woodbine, but all those races where on the poly. He was 7th in the Whitney in his last race. Worthhadd was 2nd in a German G2 in his last, but he had the unfortance of facing Frankel at Royal Ascot before that and well it wasn't pretty as he finished last in the race. Riding the River might be the dark horse in this race, he was second in the Play the King which is the local prep adn he's taken home two graded stakes on this course. He was fifth in last year's edition to Dan's stablemate Turallure. The best of the Europeans is Cityscape. Although his record this year isn't fantastic, he did win in Dubai and was second to Excelebration in his last (in turn the former went to France to avoid another throttling to latter's ownershipmate). I'm going with Wise Dan in this, he has possibly the best US based jockey currently riding and has the defending trainer. Cityscape for 2nd and Riding the River forthird.

So that's the Woodbine weekend preview! Also tomorrow morning (afternoon in the UK), Camelot will try to become the first horse since Nijinsky to win the British Triple Crown in the St. Ledger at Doncaster. It's going to be a tough race especially since Thought Worthy, a full brother to a St. Ledger winner is in the race. He is my pick to upset Camelot and Joseph O'Brien. Also there is the Garden City at Belmont, but no Centre Court or Stephenie's Kitten. Unfortnally due to time constraints I'm not going to be able to do Book 3 for Keeneland, however I'm okay with that since I did quite a bit of work on it. I will be doing the preview and recap FT Mid-Atlantic sale which is in a few weeks.