Woodbine Mile Looks Notable Speech’s Race To Lose

[Wandering Eyes]

Charlie Appleby and William Buick have teamed to take the GI Rogers Woodbine Mile–a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile–two out of the last three years, and in the form of Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) they appear well positioned to add to that total Saturday afternoon in suburban Toronto.

When Team Godolphin raid from Europe, you can rest assured that it isn't just for the Tim Horton's. They mean business and their record bears that out. Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) stole away with the 2022 Woodbine Mile by better than five lengths and though he returned to England for a start in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on British Champions Day, he jetted back across to take the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at just short of 7-5. Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returned 2-5 when scoring by 3 3/4 lengths here in 2023 and was just touched off in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile before getting up on the line to win the BC Mile at Santa Anita.

Notable Speech was a cracking third as the favorite in last year's Mile and, as Appleby told Bill Finley in Friday's TDN, he can make excuses for the colt's first three runs this term. The homebred would have backed up that opinion when last seen in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois, as he savaged the line hard against the outside rail to just miss.

Graham Motion elects to allow One Stripe (SAf) (One World {SAf}) to make his U.S. debut in an apparently ambitious spot, and that can be viewed as a confident move. Slashing winner of the G1 L'Ormarins King's Plate this past January, diving through between horses late, he can be excused his last in which he was creamed while trying to thread the needle at the rail, losing all chance.

Win for the Money (Mohaymen) returns to Woodbine for the first time since causing a 13-1 upset in last year's Mile and he enters in good form, having finished third in the GIII Kelso Stakes in July and in the GI Fourstardave Stakes Aug. 2.

Juvenile males and fillies compete for automatic Breeders' Cup berths in the GI Summer Stakes and GI Natalma Stakes, respectively. Appleby holds strong hands in both races, as he'll send out 'TDN Rising Star' Wild Desert (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), the morning-line selection in the Summer despite having just a Haydock conditions victory from three starts under his belt. His last appearance in the G2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket July 12 going a straight seven furlongs is probably better than it looks on paper, as he had a horse laying all over him in the final stages and was forced to settle for a close third.

Don't sleep on the 'other' Euro, Thesecretadversary (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), who's done very little wrong in four starts since mid-May. Part-owned by South African interests, the chestnut decisively accounted for an odds-on favorite from Ballydoyle in the Listed Churchill Stakes at Tipperary in Ireland last time and this slightly longer trip should suit. He's got a big, bald face, so it won't be hard to follow him.

'TDN Rising Star' Two Out Hero (War Front) looked very good running his record to two-from-two in the Soaring Free Stakes last time and it would be no shock to see him maintain that unbeaten record here.

Dance to the Music (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) represents Appleby in the Natalma, a race won by Godolphin in 2018 and 2021. A full-sister to Grade I Breeders' Cup Mile hero Space Blues (GB), Dance to the Music was green-lighted for this trip after staying on strongly to take out the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes over the straight seven furlongs at Newmarket. She's an obvious player with Buick at the controls.

Deep Learning (Cairo Prince) could scarcely have been more impressive when whooshing home (final 2 1/2 furlongs in :28.92) to graduate by open lengths and become a 'TDN Rising Star' at first asking. She just needs a trip from the high draw in gate 10 and a genuinely run contest would suit.

Hot Mash (Not This Time) raced right on top of a sizzling pace on Ellis Park turf sprint debut last month–to be fair, the track was very fast and hard–and she raced away to score by over seven lengths, good for an 80 Beyer Speed Figure. She's a threat, but she is liable to have some company on the engine.

Road To Derby, Oaks Begins at Churchill

Saturday's GIII Iroquois Stakes and GIII Pocahontas Stakes signify the beginning of the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively. Each is to be contested over the one-turn mile configuration at Churchill Downs.

A field of 10 heads to the post for the Iroquois, topped by the field's lone stakes winner, Comport (Collected). A debut winner over 5 1/2 furlongs here on June 1, the $135,000 Keeneland September purchase was runner-up in the June 29 Bashford Manor Stakes before bouncing back with a popular two-length tally over Spice Runner (Gun Runner) in the Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes Aug. 10. Nothing Personal (Violence) earned a lofty 76 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating by 8 3/4 lengths over the Colonial main track Aug. 9, earning 'TDN Rising Star' honors.

Dazzling Dame (Girvin) is the 2-1 choice on the morning line for the Pocahontas and is perfect from her two tries to date, a daylight defeat of fellow Maryland-breds at Laurel June 27 before wiring the field in the Aug. 17 Sorority Stakes going a two-turn mile at Monmouth Park. Nothing Personal's stablemate Embrace the Moment (Yaupon) owns the field's highest figure, a 69 Beyer earned for a front-running score at odds-on at Delaware Park Aug. 28. Despite being a two-start maiden, Miss Complicated (Complexity) will have her backers off a runner-up effort to Our Two Girls (Caravaggio) over the Ellis main track Aug. 2.

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