2023 Woodbine Mile Preview

The prep season for the most iconic event in American horse racing begins Saturday, September 16, at Churchill Downs with the Iroquois Stakes. The race, a traditional feature of the opening weekend of the Churchill Downs fall meet, covers a mile on the dirt track. Not only does it offer a $300,000 purse, but also 10-5-3-2-1 Road to the Kentucky Derby points for horses placed in the top five.

Nine juvenile colts, including seven trying a graded stakes race for the first time, have entered the Iroquois. In fact, though all nine are winners, none of the horses in the field has won in stakes company before. Thus, this race will be a showcase for new talent in the juvenile division, as well as an interesting and profitable betting opportunity.

Though it is not a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race, the winner of the Iroquois does earn partial entry fees for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile through the Dirt Dozen program. And, horses who run well in the race typically continue into that picture. Watch for the top few horses to return in further preps for both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as well as the Kentucky Derby.

2023 Iroquois Stakes Information

• Race Date: Saturday, September 16
• Track: Churchill Downs
• Post Time: 4:55 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
• Distance: one mile on the dirt
• Age/Sex: two-year-olds
• Where to Watch: TVG.com, FanDuel TV
• Where to Bet: TVG.com and FanDuel Racing

Iroquois Stakes Draw and Odds

These are the nine entrants for the 2023 Iroquois Stakes, including their post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds for each horse.

Woodbine Mile Prep Race Results

The six horses in the Woodbine Mile come out of only three different races, all of which are graded stakes. Two come out of Grade 1 company: Ice Chocolat and My Sea Cottage finished third and fourth behind Casa Creed in the Fourstardave at Saratoga Race Course.

The rest come out of Grade 2 events. Three of the six runners all come out of the King Edward (G2), the prep over the same course and distance as the Woodbine Mile. War Bomber won that race in stalk-and-pounce fashion, while Lucky Score and Shirl’s Speight chased home third and fourth. Master of the Seas, the lone overseas shipper, comes in off of a victory in the Summer Mile (G2) at Ascot.

Woodbine Mile Contenders

These six horses are entered in the 2023 Woodbine Mile:

1. Master of the Seas: This Godolphin homebred ships over for trainer Charlie Appleby, who has made a name for himself for being an adept shipper. Jockey William Buick, who has ridden many of his races overseas, makes the trip to accompany him as well. Laid off since a disappointing 13th-place finish in the Dubai Turf (G1) in March, he returned with a very good performance when he won the Summer Mile by four lengths at Ascot. His pace versatility is a positive in this spot, and he has hit the board in six of seven races at the mile.
2. War Bomber: Trained by local Norm McKnight, he won the local prep in stalk-and-pounce fashion. Though he was well beaten in last year’s Woodbine Mile, he comes into this race in sharper form, winning the local prep at the course and distance, as opposed to a softer spot on all-weather before trying it last year. In a short field with only one must-lead type (likely rabbit My Sea Cottage), War Bomber looks likely to get a good stalking spot and has a win chance at good value.
3. Shirl’s Speight: Trainer Roger Attfield has won this race twice, with Canadian Triple Crown winners Izvestia (1990) and Peteski (1993), and goes for his third this year. Shirl’s Speight is a Grade 1 winner at a mile on the grass after winning the Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland. Between that and a good second to Modern Games in the Breeders’ Cup Mile last year, he is a lovely horse at a two-turn turf mile, but he has been less impressive in the one-turn configuration at Woodbine.
4. Ice Chocolat: Trainer Mark Casse sends out a trio of entrants in this year's race, and this is the leader of the pack. He rallied from far out off the pace after a tough start to finish third behind Casa Creed; it was his second straight race in which he found early trouble. Perhaps a better start will get him closer to the pace early, though he may be intended to be a bit further back because My Sea Cottage shares ownership with him and may be intended as a rabbit. A win may be a lot, though there is a very good chance he hits the board.
5. My Sea Cottage: The second of the Casse trio, he was the pacesetter in the Fourstardave and looks to do the same thing in the Woodbine Mile. Though he still has to prove class against horses like this, he was not disgraced in the Fourstardave, and the switch to a one-turn configuration could help him show more this time around. A win would be a surprise, though he could carry the field most of the way and stay around for the trifecta or superfecta as the longest shot on the board.
6. Lucky Score: The last of the three runners from the barn of trainer Mark Casse, he is pretty well exposed at this point. He is in solid form, but the pace setup does not benefit him. His closing style means he will loll about near the back, hope My Sea Cottage sets up enough pace, and make a run. He probably won’t get all the way there, though he could run on well enough late for a piece underneath.

Woodbine Mile FAQ

Q: When is the Woodbine Mile?

A: The Woodbine Mile happens on Saturday, September 16, at 5:42 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Q: Where is the Woodbine Mile?

A: The Woodbine Mile happens at Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario. The race is the ninth of 12 on the card, which includes three other graded races. Those include the Natalma Stakes (a Grade 1 prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies), the Summer Stakes (a Grade 1 prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf), and the Vigil Stakes (G3).

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Woodbine Mile?

A: Neil Drysdale leads all trainers with four victories in the Woodbine Mile; his wins came between 1989 and 2006. Among the trainers entered in the 2023 edition, Roger Attfield and Mark Casse lead with two wins apiece. Attfield won with Izvestia (1990) and Peteski (1993), while Casse had Tepin (2016) and World Approval (2017).

Q: Who is the favorite for the Woodbine Mile?

A: The 1-1 morning-line favorite is Master of the Seas, off the strength of both a last-out Group 2 winner in England and trainer Charlie Appleby’s strong record spotting shippers in North American horse racing.

Q: Who is the best Woodbine Mile jockey?

A: John Velazquez leads all jockeys with five victories ranging between 2000 and 2017. He goes for his record-extending sixth victory this year with Shirl’s Speight.

Q: Who won the Woodbine Mile in 2022?

A: Trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick won this race with Modern Games in 2022, and they return with Master of the Seas this year.