Win & You're In Comes to Woodbine: Focus on the Woodbine Mile

Fall has arrived at Woodbine and with it comes all the best turf races of the season. Horses are shipping in from across North America and beyond for three Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Stakes events to be held this coming weekend. In total there will be five turf stakes races for purses totalling some $2.5M. Today's post will deal with the potential entrants in Sunday's Woodbine Mile.

Ventura returns to Woodbine for the Woodbine Mile


Here is the schedule for the upcoming weekend:

$150,000 NATALMA STAKES -Saturday, September 19 (Gr. 3, Turf)WAYI

$300,000 SUMMER STAKES - Saturday, September 19 (Gr. 3, Turf) WAYI

$300,000 CANADIAN STAKES - Sunday, September 20 (Gr. 2, Turf)

$750,000 NORTHERN DANCER TURF, presented by VTECH - Sunday, September 20 (Gr. 1, Turf)

$1,000,000 WOODBINE MILE - Sunday, September 20 (Gr. 1, Turf) WAYI

Ventura has shipped in from the West Coast to work under the care of trainer Brian Lynch. The five-year-old mare sizzled through five furlongs this morning in 59.60 on the main track. Ventura finished second in the 2008 edition of the Woodbine Mile and will be looking to exact a little revenge on defending champ Rahy's Attorney.

Ventura heads out to the poly for a workout under rider Brian Lynch


Brian Lynch is also the conditioner of record for Champs Elysees who is training up a storm in advance of the Northern Dancer. Jockey Garrett Gomez is expected to be in town to ride both Champs Elysees and Ventura.

Rahy's Attorney won the 2008 edition of the Woodbine Mile


Ian Black will be involved in two events this weekend. Rahy's Attorney being the most prominent entrant looking to defend his crown in the Woodbine Mile. Black will also be sending out Stormy Lord in the Summer Stakes. Last out, Rahy's Attorney set the pace in the mile and three-eighths Sky Classic Stakes at Woodbine before flattening out in the stretch to finish sixth behind eventual winner Marchfield and runner-up Champs Elysees. The five-year-old gelding now cuts back to his favoured one mile distance and will be tough to catch under the guidance of jockey Slade Callaghan.

Grand Adventure steps up to take on older horses in the Woodbine Mile


Other possible ship-in contenders in the Woodbine Mile include Bribon who won impressively at Saratoga last month on the turf; Ferneley, champion of the G2 Del Mar Mile; and Barbadian invader Daylight Express.
Bribon won the 2009 Met Mile at Belmont


Ferneley was impressive capturing the Del Mar Mile


Sam-Son Farms will be sending Grand Adventure to the Woodbine Mile. The big three year-old colt returned from nearly a year off to win at the allowance level heading into this event. A tough ask for the youngster but perhaps his roomie Eye of the Leopard, whose stall backs onto Grand Adventure's backstretch home, will have a few words of advice.

Can Queen's Plate winner Eye of the Leopard dispense winning advice to Grand Adventure?


Trainer Malcolm Pierce will send out Sterwins to continue his rivalry with Rahy's Attorney. The six-year-old gelding has had quite the battle with Rahy's Attorney in 2009 having nipped the latter in the Connaught Cup back in May. Next time out in the King Edward Handicap, Rahy's Attorney turned the table on Sterwins leaving the Woodbine Mile as a potential rubber match. The versatile Sterwins won the mile and an eighth With Approval Stakes last out on the polytrack and has been working well. On Saturday, Sterwins breezed five furlongs in 59.20, the second best run of the day. Other local entrants include Roger Attfield's Sand Cove and the Sid Attard trained Jungle Wave

Trainer Malcolm Pierce has been successful conditioning turf runner this meet


Throughout the week I will try and run down the entrants and contenders for the main events this weekend. Keep checking back each day for more photos and news. Tomorrow's post will try to pick through the Summer Stakes contenders starting with prep winner Stormy Lord. You can check out the photo below of the chihuahua markings of young Stormy Lord.

Ian Black's Stormy Lord won the Summer Stakes Prep


The 2008 Woodbine Mile won by Rahy's Attorney


Here is the fill list of all 23 nominees for the Woodbine Mile
Woodbine Mile Nominations