Mark Casse runs the same two horses that targeted the $1,000,000 Grade I Woodbine Mile at the racetrack of the same name outside Toronto on the Turf Champions Day card on Saturday, September 13 from 12 months ago. While Win For The Money mounts a defense of his crown in a field of nine, barn buddy My Boy Prince needs improvement on sixth spot from last season.
Casse has landed this valuable Canadian race three times before, so one more victory ties the record set by Neil Drysdale. Win For The Money delivered 12 months ago, but the six-year-old Mohaymen gelding has found life tougher since. He flopped at the World Championships when trailing in last of 10 well behind re-opposing third Notable Speech.
Although Win For The Money then shipped coast-to-coast and showed in the Grade II Fort Lauderdale Stakes, his Florida winter proved ultimately unsuccessful as he finished seventh in the Pegasus World Cup Turf. Thirds at Saratoga in the Kelso Stakes and Fourstardave this summer are steps back in the right direction for him, but Win For The Money could be vulnerable in the Woodbine Mile to younger legs.
Barn buddy My Boy Prince is definitely Casse’s second string as he only managed sixth 12 months ago, so there are stamina doubts. Although a couple of years younger than Win For The Money, this four-year-old son of Cairo Prince looks more of a sprinter. My Boy Prince was an excellent second in the Grade I Jaipur Stakes at the Spa during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in June.
He confirmed that impression when again runner-up in the Highlander Stakes and beaten just a neck here. My Boy Prince again finished behind Win For The Money in the Fourstardave back at Saratoga last time, however.
Godolphin, Buick, Appleby Seek Third Woodbine Mile Win in Four Seasons
A British Classic winner in Notable Speech crosses the pond in a bid to thwart Casse’s ambitions. Charlie Appleby, a British trainer retained by global owner-breeders Godolphin, has also enjoyed plenty of recent success in this race. Modern Games made a successful transatlantic raid in 2022 for connections, followed by Master Of The Seas 12 months later.
In Notable Speech, Appleby has a four-year-old Dubawi colt who showed the benefit of race fitness in the spring of 2024 when landing the 2000 Guineas at local track Newmarket. He struck again at Group 1 level last summer, adding Glorious Goodwood’s premier mile race, the Sussex Stakes, to his resume.
As Notable Speech made the show on his US debut in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and was only beaten about a length, it’s fair to say he has unfinished business in North America. Appleby brings stable jockey William Buick over from England for the ride and in other Grade Is on the Turf Champions Day card.
After missing out on the show in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes and Queen Anne at Newbury and Royal Ascot, respectively, Notable Speech tried sprinting in the July Cup to no avail. It sharpened him up to run a big race in France, however, as he missed out on Prix Jacques Le Marois glory by a head.
That could prove a useful prep race for the Woodbine Mile, however. Notable Speech looks to have been trained by Appleby to peak this fall with this and another crack at the Breeders’ Cup Mile obvious end-of-season targets.
Gas Me Up Heads Four Woodbine Regulars in Big Race
A four-strong home team of horses campaigned in Canada have a tough assignment on home turf. Kevin Attard’s new recruit Gas Me Up might be the best of them following a career best win the Grade II King Edward Stakes over course and distance last time. This five-year-old Hard Spun gelding galloped up the middle of the track from off the pace, followed through by re-opposing second Wyoming Bill.
Gas Me Up demonstrated clear improvement en route to the Woodbine Mile as he only ran fifth here in June behind Hunt Master. David Borsk’s six-year-old son of Hunters Bay will thus fancy his chances of causing an upset. Wyoming Bill trainer Catherine Day Phillips books Frankie Dettori for the ride, so she too must believe her longshot can pull off a shock.
Niagara Stakes winner Stanley House completes the domestic quartet bidding for surprise success. With that Woodbine race being over a mile-and-a-quarter, however, chances are Michael De Paulo’s five-year-old by Army Mule will find things happening too quickly for him. Competition coming to Canada looks stronger, but the most difficult horses for handicappers and oddsmakers behind Belmont Stakes betting sites to assess is One Stripe.
Motion is no stranger to importing horses from overseas into his barn. In One Stripe, he has a four-year-old colt by One World that won the Grade I Cape Guineas and King’s Plate over the winter when trained in South Africa. As he concedes weight all-round to the field here, One Stripe has a tough task on his Northern Hemisphere debut.
Completing the line-up is Jose Magana longshot Naptown. This four-year-old Munnings gelding won on the All-Weather here as a juvenile, but only minor turf races around Laurel Park and Colonial Downs since.
Woodbine Mile 2025 Post Positions Draw & Morning Line Odds
- Stanley House (122lbs) – 10-1
- Notable Speech (124lbs) – 8-5 fav
- One Stripe (126lbs) – 5-2
- Hunt Master (122lbs) – 20-1
- Wyoming Bill (122lbs) – 15-1
- My Boy Prince (122lbs) – 10-1
- Naptown (122lbs) – 20-1
- Win For The Money (124lbs) – 8-1
- Gas Me Up (124lbs) – 5-1
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
With three-year-old Zulu Kingdom not figuring among final declarations, it leaves the way clear for Notable Speech to enhance Godolphin, Buick and Appleby’s fine recent record in the race. While Win For The Money could be vulnerable to younger horses, the defense of his crown is the time when Casse will surely have him at his best.
Given the penalty South African import One Stripe carries, his debut for Motion looks a tall order. Instead, it could pay to look at one of the home team for the show. Gas Me Up and Wyoming Bill look best of those, for all connections of Hunt Master will have hopes.
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