Master of the Mile
Get your
passports ready folks, we are crossing into Canada for our ThoroFan race of the
week, the 27th running of the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile.
Contested over
the world-renowned E.P. Taylor turf course, the $1 million event is part of the
Breeders'
Cup ‘Win and You're In' Challenge Series. Under the terms of the
series, the winner is entitled to a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup
Mile, to be run on November 4 at Santa Anita.
The small field of six horses that make up this year’s edition
of the Woodbine Mile includes five locally based runners, three of them from
the barn of Hall-of-Fame trainer Mark Casse, and a lone international entrant. The
strong duo of trainer Charles Appleby, who conditioned last year’s winner,
Modern Games, and jockey, William Buick, who was aboard for the winning ride, return
in 2023 with the Godolphin-owned Master of the Seas. The five-year-old gelding
is a multiple Group 2 winner across the Atlantic.
The race will be televised on the NBC network beginning
at 5pm E.T. with post time slated for 5:42.
Let’s have a brief look at the field from the rail out.
PP – HORSE – Jockey/Trainer – M.L. Odds
1 - MASTER OF THE SEAS – William Buick/Charles
Appleby – 1-1: Is a two-time Group 2 winner this year and was also second in
the Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas last season at Newmarket. Has not raced in
over two months but has run extremely well and has won after long layoffs. His
overall record at this one-mile distance in combination with his class, form
and high-profile connections makes him a formidable opponent and certainly the
one to beat as the probable favorite.
2 - WAR BOMBER – Rico Walcott/Norm McKnight – 6-1:
Was well beaten in ninth place a year ago in the Woodbine Mile. Has shown
improvement after moving back to the grass in his last two outings, finishing
second and first in a pair of Grade 2 stakes, the last one being at this one-mile
distance. Has been quite successful on this E.P. Taylor turf course, so there
is reason to be optimistic if you like his chances.
3 - SHIRL’S SPEIGHT – John Velazquez/Roger
Attfield – 5-2: After returning from Dubai following a fourth-place finish in
the Group 1 World Cup Turf, he was given a five-month break before returning to
finish fourth in the Group 2 King Edward Stakes. He does have a Grade 1 win on
his resume and showed he can compete against top company when he was runner-up
to Modern Games in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last Fall. Must be respected.
4 - ICE CHOCOLAT – Joel Rosario/Mark Casse – 9-2: Brazilian-bred
seeks his first stakes win. He is a two-time winner on the Woodbine turf in sprints but has
been blanked going further. Most recently, he was a troubled third beaten in
the Grade 1 Fourstardave Stakes at Saratoga. Deep closer will be a big price on
Saturday, but if he catches a fast pace, he may be able to land a share.
5 – MY SEA COTTAGE – Dylan Davis/Mark Casse – 15-1:
Irish-bred horse has done all his racing in North America and although he hails
from the Casse barn, only three of his 16 lifetime starts have come at Woodbine
and two of those three races were turf starts. Has done most of his racing on
the Gulfstream lawn but has made stops at Belmont and Saratoga. The expected
pace setter will try to lead as far as he can as he tries for his first stakes
win.
6 - LUCKY SCORE – Sahin Civaci/Mark Casse – 15-1: Has
been in very good form the last two years, finishing in the top three spots in
8 of 10 races. Three starts back, he became a Grade 2 winner and then followed
that up with back-to-back third place finishes in the Connaught Cup and the
King Edward Stakes, both Grade 2 events. His effort last out where he rallied
for the show spot was his first try beyond seven furlongs and he acquitted
himself nicely. A repeat of that could land him a small slice of the pie.
ANALYSIS: Obviously, this
race goes through Master of the Seas. Appleby has an astonishing 54%-win
rate when he ships over to North America, and I expect his horse to positively
add to that category. Master of the Seas should be well placed behind the
leader and then it’s just a matter of when Buick wants to let him loose and go
on to become ‘Master of the Mile’.
The fourth-place finish for Shirl’s Speight in the
King Edward came off a five-month layoff and he certainly needed the race, so
he is eligible to improve here. He recorded a bullet work in his preparation
and now gets the riding services of John Velazquez. He’s won a Grade 1 at this
distance and his memorable run in the BC Mile still sticks in my head. He
showed his class that day and then again in Dubai where he was beaten less than
three lengths against some of the world’s best grass horses.
Ice Chocolat had
trouble plenty in the Fourstardave and managed to get third. He’s been
primarily sprinting but has finished in the top three spots at this distance,
including a win, so he should be in his comfort zone going eight furlongs. He
has the best closing fraction number from last race and rider Joel Rosario stays
aboard.
WAGER: With our mythical ThoroFan
dollars, we’ll make the following wagers.
$30 Exactas Master of the Seas over Shirl’s Speight and
Ice Chocolat – 1/3,4 - Total $60
$5 Trifecta Wheel – Master of the Seas in the win spot with
Shirl’s Speight and Ice Chocolat in the second and third positions, adding in
War Bomber and Lucky Score to the third slot. – 1/3,4/2,3,4,6 Total $30
.50 cent Superfecta Key – 1/2,3,4,6 - Total $12
Good luck and as always, enjoy the race!!
