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2016 Woodbine Mile and Northern Dancer Turf Entries


Honourary Drawmaster Olympic gold medalist Erica Wiebe

Date: 09/14/2016

Results are here!

One of the biggest races on the Woodbine racing calendar is the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1). Celebrating its 20th renewal in 2016, the Mile is run around one turn of the E.P. Taylor Turf Course for older horses under allowance weights. Past winners such as Wise Dan, Leroidesanimaux, Labeeb, Geri, and Shakespeare adding to the race's short but already colorful history. Again the Mile is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" program, with the winner earning an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Mile field at Santa Anita on November 5th.


Drawing the posts with racing secretary Stuart Slagle, drawmaster Erica Wiebe, and track announcer Robert Geller.
Final entries were taken and post positions were drawn in a special lunchtime ceremony at the trackside tent at Woodbine on Wednesday, with special guest Olympic gold medal wrestler Erica Wiebe serving as the honorary drawmaster. Wiebe won gold for Canada at Rio 2016 in the 75 kg freestyle class, defeating her idol Guzel Manyurova of Kazakhstan in the final. In an interview with master of ceremonies, track announcer Robert Geller, she saw a similarity between horse racing and Olympic wrestling, in that both utilize a random draw rather than "seeding", saying "I'm usually the one being drawn!". She had a very tough draw in Rio but welcomed the challenge and in the end, proved her superiority. She also saw a lot of similarities in the skillsets required in wrestling and in race riding by the jockeys. Asked how she got into wrestling, she said "I saw that sign outside the gymnasium door (about wrestling tryouts) and I was a Grade 9 girl and I thought 'Awesome, spandex and boys!'. I was always athletic, and as soon as I stepped on the mat I immediately felt I found my passion. It's a physical, intimate sport that spoke to me." Asked about the Rio experience she joked "Contrary to popular belief there isn't a lot of sex going on that athlete's village!"


Woodbine Mile favorite Tepin winning the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1)
A short field of just 8 older horses made final entry for the 20th Woodbine Mile, but the eyes oft he racing world will all be on 1-2 favorite Tepin who drew the far outside post. She comes to Woodbine for the first time for Mark Casse, off an 8 race win streak including the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland and the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot last out. Regular rider Julien Leparoux gets the call again.

The second choice on the morning line is 7-2 Mutakayyef making his first North American start, winner of the Summer Mile (G3) at Ascot in July before finishing third in the Juddmonte International (G2) at York. Dane O'Neill, who rode Mutakayyef to victory Ascot, gets the call for trainer William Haggas out of post 2

The three locally-trained horses are all at 20-1 morning line. Glenville Gardens (post 4) is here off a 3 race winning streak including the Play the King (G2) last out. Regular rider Gary Boulanger gets the call for Sid Attard. Mike DePaulo sends out Highlander (G2) winner Passion for Action out of post 6 with regular jockey Luis Contreras aboard, while the always powerful Roger Attfield stable has Tower of Texas breaking from the rail, second in his last 2 starts including the King Edward (G2) and Play the King (G2). Regular rider Eurico da Silva gets the call.


Last year's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) winner Big Blue Kitten will be in the Northern Dancer Turf
The undercard feature is the $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf Presented by HPIBet (G1) for older horses going 1 1/2 miles on the turf, carded as race 10 with a post time of 5:31pm ET, the major local prep for the Canadian International (G1) to be run on October 16. Trainer Chad Brown ships in the powerful duo of Big Blue Kitten and Wake Forest, while 2015 Arlington Million winner The Pizza Man represents Chicago for trainer Roger Brueggermann in the field of 8.

Kicking off the stakes action on Mile day is the $150,000 Ontario Derby (G3) at 1 1/8 miles on the Tapeta all-weather course, carded as race 4 at 2:24pm. Prince of Wales Stakes winner Amis Gizmo leads the field of 8 three-year-olds.

The first turf race on Saturday afternoon is the $300,000 Canadian Stakes (G2) with 7 older fillies and mares going about 1 1/8 miles around one turn of the turf, carded as race 8 at 4:30pm Eastern, as the major local prep for the E.P. Taylor Stakes also on October 16. This is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualifier in the Filly and Mare Turf. Chad Brown sends two in this contest, Dacita (post 2, Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard) and Rainha de Bateria (post 5, Julien Leparoux) to take on Graham Motion's Faufiler (poat 2, Edgar Prado) and Roger Attfield's Goodyearforroses (post 7, Alan Garcia).

The Woodbine Mile will be on Saturday September 17 at Woodbine, with the first race going to post at 1pm and the Woodbine Mile going off as race 12 at 6:39pm ET. The full card will be available via simulcast across North America, as well as on HPI-TV in Canada and TVG Network in the USA. In addition, the big race will be shown on TSN2 network in Canada from 6:00-7:00pm Eastern.

Here are the entries with post positions and morning line odds for the Woodbine Mile. Full entries for the day are available from Equibase. Past performances are also available from BRISnet for the Woodbine Mile, just search for "Passion for Action." For the Northern Dancer, and Canadian Stakes, search for Danish Dynaformer and Goodyearforroses respectively. For the Ontario Derby search for Tale of the Nile or Thatlookonyerface.

The Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1) $1,000,000
PostHorseTrainerJockeyOdds
3ArodPeter Chapple-HyamOisin Murphy10-1
5Full MastBill MottJoel Rosario12-1
4Glenville GardensSid AttardGary Boulanger20-1
7Mr. OwenFrancois RohautJamie Spencer15-1
2MutakayyefWilliam J. HaggasDane O'Neill7-2
6Passion for ActionMike DePauloLuis Contreras20-1
8TepinMark CasseJulien Leparoux1-2
1Tower of TexasRoger AttfieldEurico Rosa da Silva20-1

Woodbine Mile info online:

Honourary drawmaster Erica Wiebe poses with jockeys Gary Boulanger, Eurico Rosa da Silva, and Luis Contreras after the post position draw.

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