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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.

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.

• Woodbine main page
• Woodbine Stable Notes - lots of info is here
• Woodbine Mile official site
• Woodbine Daily Sheet - free from Jim Mazur and Jim Bannon
• Current weather - currently we expect it to be mid 70's, cloudy, and a 30% chance of rain on raceday
• Past Runnings:
  • 2015 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Mondialiste
  • 2014 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Trade Storm
  • 2013 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Wise Dan
  • 2012 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Wise Dan
  • 2011 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Turallure
  • 2010 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Court Vision
  • 2009 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Ventura
  • 2008 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Rahy's Attorney
  • 2007 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Shakespeare
  • 2006 Woodbine Mile coverage - won by Becrux
  • 2005 Atto Mile coverage - won by Leroidesanimaux
  • 2004 Atto Mile coverage - won by Soaring Free
  • 2003 Atto Mile coverage - won by Touch of the Blues
  • 2002 Atto Mile coverage - won by Good Journey
  • 2001 Atto Mile coverage - won by Numerous Times
  • 2000 Atto Mile coverage - won by Riviera
  • 1999 Atto Mile coverage - won by Quiet Resolve after Hawksley Hill was disqualified
  • 1998 Woodbine Mile winner - Labeeb, passed away in 2006
  • 1997 Woodbine Mile winner - Geri, now standing stud at Brookside Farm
  • 2015 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Interpol
  • 2014 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Sheikhzayedroad
  • 2013 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Forte Dei Marmi
  • 2012 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Wigmore Hall
  • 2011 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Wigmore Hall
  • 2010 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Redwood
  • 2009 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Just as Well
  • 2008 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Champs Elysees
  • 2007 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Sky Conqueror
  • 2006 Northern Dancer Turf - won by Sky Conqueror (inaugural running)
• Canadian racing news coverage:
  • TSN Horse Racing - more Canadian racing news
  • Google News Search - articles from the various online news sources
  • SLAM! Horse Racing - Canadian horse racing news

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