A field of nine line up for Saturday’s $800,000 Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1). (Photo credit: Woodbine Racing).
Trainer David O’Meara ships in Lord Glitters for Saturday’s $800,000 Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1), looking to saddle his second winner in one of Canada’s most important turf races.
O’Meara won the 2015 edition of the race with Mondialiste and Lord Glitters has a good shot as the 4-1 third choice on the morning line. Jamie Spencer, who rode Euro invader Trade Storm to victory in the 2015 running has the call.
A field of nine will line up with the winner earning a fee expenses paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.
The James Jerkens trained Delta Prince is the 5-2 morning line favorite. The well-bred colt is out of the stakes winner Delta Princess ($740,918) and his half-sister was a pretty good runner, Royal Delta a winner of $4.8 million in her career.
Oscar Performance (7-2) figures to garner some attention in the betting despite getting pulled up and vanned off last out in the Arlington Million (G1). The colt came out of the race in fine fettle according to his connections.
Fourstardave third place finisher Divisidero (8-1) makes the trip while Play the King (G2) winner Mr Havercamp (6-1) and fifth La Sardane (15-1) return. The later is a filly trained by Neil Drysdale who is seeking a record fourth Woodbine Mile winner.
Completing the field are Euro shipper Stormy Antarctic (8-1), the Bill Mott trained Good Samaritan (10-1) and Play the King runner up Vanish (20-1).
There is a total of 10 Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In races coming up this weekend. In addition to the Woodbine Mile, the Natalma (G1) and Summer (G1) are carded at Woodbine on Sunday for juveniles, there are two at Churchill Downs as well as three at Leopardstown on Saturday and a pair at the Curragh on Sunday.
Let’s head out to Woodbine for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Woodbine Race 8 The Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1) Post time 4:48 ET
6 Lord Glitters 4-1
3 Delta Prince 5-2
7 Oscar Performance 7-2
9 Stormy Antarctic 8-1
Lord Glitters is one of two Euro shippers in here, the gelding coming in off a victory in the Strensall Stakes (G3) at York in his last outing. Two back he ran third in the Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood behind Lighting Spear, who was fifth in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) at Longchamp on Sept 9 in his next start and Expert Eye, who won the Sky Bet City of York Stakes (G3) in his next start at York and then was third in the Prix du Moulin. The David O’Meara trainee has landed in the exacta in 14 of his 17 career starts and was beaten just a half length at Royal Ascot back in June in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1). He looks like a good fit here and gets the call despite my arch nemesis Jamie Spencer coming over for the ride.
Delta Prince was a smart looking winner in the King Edward (G2) over the turf here two back off a 10-month layoff. He then just missed in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) where he came up just a neck short of getting to the loose on the lead gate to wire winner Voodoo Song over good ground. The Jerkens trainee earned a career top speed fig last out, but I still think he likes a bit firmer ground which it appears he gets here. The five-year-old appears to be sitting on a big one here in his third start off the bench here but his price may end up on the light side
Oscar Performance exits the Arlington Million (G1) at 1 ¼ miles where he tracked the early pace and was pulled up with the jock thinking he felt something amiss. He was vanned off but scoped out well and has posted three works since his last outing and Ortiz is back on board today. He was a smart looking winner of the Poker (G3) at Belmont Park two back coming off a 7 ½ month layoff. The colt won seven of his first dozen trips on turf including the ’16 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) and a pair of Grade 1 ‘s last year.
Wagering
WIN: Lord Glitters to win at 7-2 or better.
EXACTA: 3,6 / 3,6,7,9
TRIFECTA: 3,6 / 3,6,7,9 / 3,6,7,8,9
