Win for the Money lives up to his name in the Rogers Woodbine Mile (G1)

Date: 09/14/2024

The $1 million Rogers Woodbine Mile (G1) celebrated its 28th renewal on Saturday afternoon. Run at 1 mile around one turn of the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, it features some of the best turf milers in North America and Europe looking for an automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on November 2, under the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” promotion. Conditions were typical for “Woodbine Turf Champions Day” with sunny skies and a post time temperature of 24.0 C (75.2 F). The Taylor course was rated firm.

A field of 8 made final entry with Naval Power sent off as the 1-2 favorite off runner-up finishes in both the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland and the Old Forester Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs after winning the Singspiel Stakes (G2) in Dubai. In to challenge him included 6-1 second choice Big Rock, winless since the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) at Ascot in October and 5th in the Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1) last out, and 7-1 third choice Filo Di Arianna off wins in the Highlander (G2) and King Edward (G2) at Woodbine.

Win for the Money leads down the stretch

Jockey Kazushi Kimura sent Filo Di Arianna to the lead through fractions of 23.05, 45.44, and 1:08.80 while pressed by 75-1 longest shot Secret Reserve and stalked by Naval Power and 50-1 Niagara Skyline. Turning for home, Filo Di Arianna continued to lead through 7f in 1:20.32 but 13-1 Win for the Money, 6th early under Patrick Husbands after saving ground on the turn, came through on the rail at the 1/16 pole to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:32.11. It was a neck back to late-running Big Rock third, and another length back to favorite Naval Power fourth.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey         Win   Place   Show 
 6   Win for the Money        Husbands     29.30   11.80   8.00
 5   Filo Di Arianna          Kimura                6.70   4.60
 4   Big Rock                 Rispoli                      6.30

Winning Time:  1:32.11

$1 Exacta 6-5                79.45
$2 Trifecta 6-5-4           840.30
$2 Superfecta 6-5-4-2     1,744.50

Results Chart

Left: Win for the Money in the winner’s circle. Kathryn Sullivan, assistant to winning trainer Mark Casse said, “I did say earlier, I thought he might surprise some people, he’s been really training well. Live Oak and on the turf, they have such a great history of turf horses, and he’d been doing really well. So, we were pretty confident.”

Right: Win for the Money parades for the fans.

Left: Win for the Money in the paddock before the race. Winning jockey Patrick Husbands said, “I must say, I give out respect to Mark [Casse]. I had a perfect trip. I figured, from reading the Racing Form, if I come off the pace, it’s my best chance. So, when he breaks, and he breaks so relaxed, I was happy.”

Right: Win for the Money in the post parade. This is only Husbands’ second Woodbine Mile win, after Numerous Times in 2001.

Left: Win for the Money heads to the winner’s circle. Husbands added, “I was behind (jockey William) Buick, he has a nice horse (Naval Power), and I knew when it’s time for him to go, I just got to follow him. So, he followed him the whole way.”

Right: Win for the Money heads back to the barn in his winner’s blanket. Trainer Mark Casse said by text that he would go next in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Left: The trophy presentation for the Woodbine Mile.

Right: Jockey Patrick Husbands with the Win and You’re In banner.

Left: Second place finisher Filo Di Arianna returns after the race. The Mark Casse trainee improved his record to 9 wins, 4 seconds and 1 third in 18 starts, earning $762,514 for owners Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, and Peter Deutsch.

Right: Third place finisher Big Rock in the paddock before the race. The Maurizio Guarnieri trainee improved his record to 5 wins, 5 seconds and 1 third in 15 starts, earning $1,783,730 for owner-breeder Yeguada Centurion.

Fourth place finisher and beaten favorite Naval Power in the post parade. The Charlie Appleby trainee has a record of 6 wins, 2 seconds and 0 thirds in 10 starts, earning $631,221 for owner-breeder Godolphin.

Closing out the stakes action on Saturday, a field of 7 older horses contested the $150,000 Branded Cities Vigil Stakes (G3), a 6 furlong sprint on the Tapeta main track. Last year’s winner Patches O’Houlihan was sent off as the 4-5 favorite off wins in the Pink Lloyd and Bold Venture (G3). In to challenge him included 5-2 second choice I’m a Gambler, third in the Bold Venture, and 11-2 third choice War Bomber, second in both the Connaught Cup (G2) and King Edward Stakes (G2).

Jockey Sofia Vives sent Patches O’Houlihan to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 22.46 and 44.86 while pressed by 52-1 Rockcrest and stalked by War Bomber. Into the stretch Patches O’Houlihan opened up a 3 1/2 length lead through 5f in 56.56, and cruised to a 1 3/4 length win over late-running 17-2 Remuda in 1:08.88. It was a length back to War Bomber third.

Results Chart

Left: Patches O’Houlihan in the winner’s circle. Winning trainer Bob Tiller celebrating his sixth Vigil Stakes win said, “He’s amazing. He’s a freak of nature – I really believe he’s getting better. So, I’m very thrilled, and it’s just wonderful, he’s just amazing.”

Right: Patches O’Houlihan gets hosed off after the race. Winning jockey Sofia Vives said, “There were a couple options today, and we just had to play the break. Once the doors open, Plan A, B and C sometimes go out the window, and you got to go to your own plan. But Patches is a pro. He knows what to do if we think there’s speed, he hears us and he says, ‘I’m faster.’ And today, he did just that.”

Left: Second place finisher Remuda returns after the race. The Eoin Harty trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 2 seconds and 0 thirds in 11 starts, earning $146,614 for owner-breeder Godolphin.

Right: Third place finisher War Bomber in the post parade. The Norm McKnight trainee improved his record to 7 wins, 4 seconds and 3 third in 26 starts, earning $511,796 for owner Bruno Schickedanz.

E.P. Taylor and Ontario Matron Stakes and Summer and Natalma Stakes also on the card.

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