North America’s Grade 1 stakes action moves north of the border Saturday, when Woodbine in suburban Toronto will stage three “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge races, all on turf.
There are a pair of mile races for 2-year-olds, the Natalma Stakes for fillies and the Summer Stakes for both sexes. Capping a terrific card worth $3.63 million is the Woodbine Mile for 3-year-olds and up. Automatic berths in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Juvenile Turf and the Mile go to the winners of the Natalma, Summer and Woodbine Mile, respectively.
Mountain Breeze. Woodbine Photo.
Saturday’s Woodbine card is packed with Breeders’ Cup Challenge events
All three stakes will be run around one turn on a wide course with a long, testing stretch.
Mark Casse’s endless list of achievements put him in the American and Canadian Halls of Fame. He’s been Canada’s leading trainer 15 times, been dominant at Woodbine forever and won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. He’s taken the Natalma seven times and the Summer Stakes three times, and he’s got both races surrounded this year.
Casse entered eight of the 13 juveniles in the Natalma and nine, including two also-eligibles, in the Summer. And you thought Chad Brown was the only one who could overpopulate megabucks grass races. Egad, Mark outdid Chad! Casse actually won’t be able to run 17 horses, because five of his Natalma fillies are cross-entered in the Summer. You can’t tell his runners without a color-coordinated scorecard.
He also has the Mile’s likely post-time favorite, Filo Di Arianna, along with five-time stakes winner My Boy Prince, second last out in the $1 million King’s Plate.
But it won’t be easy for Casse to sweep the stakes, because talented Europeans crossed the Atlantic to oppose his legions. Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby will try to win a third Natalma with Mountain Breeze and a third Summer Stakes with Al Qudra.
For those who like to bet on horse racing, here are some handicapping tips. Good luck.
$500,000 Natalma Stakes (race 5, post time 3:25 p.m. ET)
Mountain Breeze has faced good company in England, finishing second twice and fourth in three graded stakes without winning one. He could make that breakthrough here, where his main threat looks like Casse’s promising Vixen, unless she takes on the boys in the Summer.
The picks: 1. Mountain Breeze 2. Vixen 3. Ready for Candy
$500,000 Summer Stakes (race 9, post 5:41 p.m.)
Brits Al Qudra and New Century renew a budding rivalry after running 1-2 in July in a listed 7-furlong stakes at Ascot. Al Qudra cruised in their first meeting but hasn’t run since. New Century prepped for the rematch by leading throughout a listed mile race. Cairo Caper and Casse’s Dream On look like the best of the locals.
The picks: 1 Al Qudra 2 New Century 3 Cairo Caper
$1 million Woodbine Mile (race 10, post 6:16 p.m.)
Casse’s 8-year-old gelding Filo Di Arianna is 5-for-5 on Woodbine’s grass and 3-for-5 with one second at a mile. Appleby’s Naval Power (6-for-9 turf) looks like the main danger off seconds in the Makers Mark Mile and Turf Classic, both Grade 1s. France-based Big Rock, one of Europe’s stars last year, adds blinkers after finishing far back in his three races this year.