Racing action north of the border highlights this weekend with 4 of the 6 ‘win and you’re in’ races carded at Woodbine in Canada. The winner of Saturday’s Canadian Stakes will punch her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
The winner of the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on turf the same day will be heading to the Breeders’ Cup Mile next out. On Sunday, juveniles are spotlighted, as the winner of the Natama Stakes will be awarded a berth in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Summer Stakes Sunday will also be a stepping stone to the Juvenile Turf.
The $300,000 Canadian Stakes goes at 9 furlongs on grass and a full field of hopefuls is in prospect. The Natalma Stakes puts a purse of $250,000 on the line in the mile grass run and the $200,000 Summer Stakes will go at the same distance.
Steip Amach looms a serious player in the Canadian. Racing action north of the border is new to her and she has not been a win machine, but she is talented. She was a Group 3 winner early in the year and was recently third beaten less than 2 lengths in the Group 1 Jean Romanet at Deauville. She has a right to mature with class as she is a sibling to Grade 3 winner and near $250,000 earner Ceisteach.
This is not the first time racing action north of the border has been important. In 2012, Wise Dan won the Woodbine Mile and parlayed to a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and he did the very same thing in 2013. Last year, the Woodbine Mile winner Mondialiste was troubled in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and had to settle for second.
Racing action north of the border Saturday in the Woodbine will be headed by Tepin, who won the Breeders’ Cup Mile last year in game fashion. This very classy filly could be facing local products Glenville Gardens, Passion for Action, and Tower of Texas.
Mondialiste will likely face Tepin again. Trainer Bill Mott is looking at this race for Full Mast and Mr. Owen could represent those from France.
Mr. Owen is an interesting commodity. The colt is 3 for 10 in his career and he may not have adored the yielding grass course when he tried the Woodbine Mile last year. So racing action north of the border is not a new thing for Mr. Owen and that can only help. He loves the mile distance, was Group 1 placed last year, and he has a nice turn of late foot.
The Summer Stakes will feature some up-and-coming runners. Roger Attfield, who has been around for decades, is high on his student Tiz a Slam. Bred to run all day long being by two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Tiznow, Tiz a Slam broke onto the racing scene winning his debut on the synthetic at Woodbine and proved it was no fluke by making it 2 for 2 beating allowance winners next out.
Tiz a Slam is a big horse that will need pace to run his best but the pedigree is solid. His dam won twice but more importantly his dam is a sibling to Grade 2 winner and over $450,000 earner Essential Edge. Go deep in the pedigree and bettors will see over $550,000 earner Salsabil.
An interesting runner in the Natalma Stakes who rates a long shot look is Enstone. The filly recently worked with the superstar Tepin and she was not intimidated. In the recent work Enstone began the breeze two lengths in front of Tepin and it wasn’t until inside the last sixteenth that Tepin accelerated past Enstone.
Enstone also has the blood to be a superstar. She is a sibling to an over $140,000 earner and her non-winning dam is a sibling to Grade 1 winner and over $600,000 earner Forest Secrets. Go one step farther regarding Enstone and researchers will find champion, Grade 1 winner and over $3 million earner Silverbulletday.
Bettors need to watch the racing action north of the border this weekend intently because on Breeders’ Cup Day the value should be there.
