With the most experience and wins coming into the Sept. 12 Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine, Al Hudaiba didn't disappoint as the 3-5 favorite.
Godolphin's strikingly handsome homebred son of Dark Angel was a 1 3/4-length winner over Oscar in the 1-mile grass race. The colt did show some immaturity in the stretch run by ducking to the outside once he had the lead. But he and jockey William Buick were already wide and clear of other horses that it didn't matter.
Al Hudaiba was making his North American debut Saturday after winning three races in five starts in his native England, including the Superlative Stakes (G2) at Newmarket Racecourse in July.
Buick said in a postrace interview on the simulcast show that this was not the first time that Al Hudaiba showed quirky behavior.
"He's done it when winning races and he's done when not winning races," Buick remarked. "He was straightforward today until inside the last furlong, really. He's a very talented colt and to still win like he did doing that, you have to have a fair level of ability."
Racing as the 3-5 favorite in the 8-horse field of 2-year-olds, Al Hudaiba returned $3.30. He completed the distance over firm ground in 1:35.66, which was a tad slower than Voyager's 1:35.06 in the Natalma Stakes (G1T) earlier on the card.
Following Oscar under the wire was Induction in third. Big Money Man rounded out the top four.
Al Hudaiba's trainer, Charlie Appleby, won the Summer for a third time, as did Godolphin. It was Buick's second victory
The Summer is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In and offers an automatic berth to the Oct. 30 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Keeneland, a race won by Saturday's winning connections on two occasions, with Modern Games in 2021 and Line of Duty in 2018. Godolphin and Appleby also won in 2013 with Outstrip. None of those horses competed in the Summer.
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Voyager Steps Forward in Natalma
It was easy traveling for Voyager en route to her 1 1/4-length victory in the Sept. 12 Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.
Ridden by Javier Castellano, the 2-year-old daughter of Justify received a patient ride from the Hall of Famer in the 1-mile turf race. Racing off the pace, D. J. Stable's Voyager began making up ground with 3 furlongs remaining and thundered down the center of the turf course. She held off runs from De la Renta, the runner-up, and third-place finisher Embouteillage, who secured the photo finish over Bounce Back.
The final time over a course rated as firm was 1:35.06. The winner returned $9.50.
Lamirada, the 5-2 favorite in the 11-horse field of 2-year-old fillies, tired and finished seventh after setting a pressured pace through fractions of :23.09, :46.13, and 1:10.20.
In an interview with Woodbine's simulcast show, Castellano said, "Mark told me to ride with a lot of confidence. ... She finished really well. Very professional horse."
This is Voyager's second win from four career starts. She broke her maiden in her third start, her turf debut, Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course.
The $363,679 Natalma is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In and offers an automatic berth to the Oct. 30 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Keeneland.
Bred by Stoneriggs Farm in Kentucky, the winner is trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse. The Casse-trained Catch a Glimpse won this race in 2015 en route to a victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland.
D. J. Stable acquired Voyager for $300,000 from the 2025 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. She is out of the Lea mare Chart.
Justify stood the 2026 breeding season at Ashford in Kentucky for $200,000.
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