It's good to be Mark Casse heading into the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T) Sept. 18 at the suburban Toronto track.
The CA$1 million event is a "Win and You're In" race for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) Nov. 6 at Del Mar and, the way Casse figures it, he has three legitimate shots in the 10-horse field.
March to the Arch, a Live Oak Plantation homebred 6-year-old gelding by Arch, has a record of 4-3-1 from eight starts at Woodbine. He was second in last year's Woodbine Mile, behind Starship Jubilee, and might be looking for a second straight win on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course but for traffic issues that relegated him to third in the Aug. 15 King Edward Stakes (G2T).
Olympic Runner, a 5-year-old Gio Ponti gelding, lines up for the Mile after winning the King Edward, winning by 1 1/2 lengths after finding the daylight that eluded his stablemate in the stretch run. That was the first graded stakes win in a career that has seen Olympic Runner finish second seven times, including the Connaught Cup (G2T) over the course in July.
And if those chances aren't good enough, Casse also will saddle Ride a Comet, who is undefeated in four starts at Woodbine, including last year's Kennedy Road (G2) and exits a good third in the June 26 Wise Dan (G2T) at Churchill Downs. The 6-year-old Candy Ride entire races for John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm.
"Everybody is coming into the race in good order," Casse said. "I think each one has a legitimate chance to win the race."
He did sound a bit more partial to March to the Arch, despite his showing in the King Edward.
"March to the Arch prefers a little more time between his races," Casse said. "Plus, we brought him in off a mile and an eighth so he might not have been as sharp that day. But he's a great horse, very consistent, and he's doing very well ahead of the race."
The rest of the field in the Woodbine Mile look perfectly capable of pushing the Casse trio.
It's never wise to overlook trainer Chad Brown in rich turf events and this is no exception as he sends out Raging Bull. The 6-year-old son of Dark Angel was third in the 2019 edition of this race and his seven career wins include the 2020 Shoemaker Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park and this year's Maker's Mark Mile (G1T) at Keeneland.
Avie's Flatter, a 5-year-old by Flatter, enters off a fourth in the King Edward. Set Piece, a 5-year-old by Dansili, has notched five straight exacta finishes, including a win in the Wise Dan.
Local interest will center on Town Cruise, a 6-year-old son of Town Prize. Town Cruise has raced exclusively at Woodbine and jumped up in his last start to finish second in the King Edward, delighting the Toronto faithful.
"Town is coming in with very good energy and high confidence, something I see increasing with each of his races this year," said owner, trainer, and co-breeder Brandon Greer. It's quite a privilege having the opportunity to run with some of the best horses in Canada and internationally.
"I'm sure Town will give it his best shot, which could never be disappointing to us. We're happy to be here."
The Woodbine Mile will be shown as part of a broadcast on NBCSN from 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET.
Woodbine, Saturday, September 18, 2021, Race 10Entries: Ricoh Woodbine Mile S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Town Cruise (ON) Daisuke Fukumoto 122 Brandon Evan Greer 20/1 2 2Olympic Runner (KY) Rafael Manuel Hernandez 124 Mark E. Casse 10/1 3 3March to the Arch (FL) Patrick Husbands 123 Mark E. Casse 8/1 4 4Ride a Comet (KY) Antonio A. Gallardo 123 Mark E. Casse 5/1 5 5Set Piece (GB) Joel Rosario 124 Brad H. Cox 5/2 6 6Change of Control (KY) Colby J. Hernandez 120 Michelle Lovell 20/1 7 7Raging Bull (FR) Lanfranco Dettori 126 Chad C. Brown 2/1 8 8Avie's Flatter (ON) Luis Contreras 124 Josie Carroll 15/1 9 9Duke of Hazzard (FR) Kazushi Kimura 122 Paul F. Cole 15/1 10 10Space Traveller (GB) Daniel Alexander Tudhope 122 Brendan P. Walsh 12/1
