Woodbine Mile Results and Analysis
by Patricia Woo | Sep 20 2010
With an automatic berth to the
Breeders' Cup Mile on the line, the
$1M Gr. 1 Woodbine Mile at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday, Sept. 19, was an important stepping stone for many big-name milers. Grand Adventure, Court Vision and The Usual Q.T. were among the 13 horses on hand for the 1-mile race.
Right out of the gate, Straight Story went to the lead, followed closely by Zifazaf and Grand Adventure. On the backstretch, Zifazaf, with Julien Leparoux aboard, gained a slight advantage but rivals Grand Adventure and Smokey Fire pressed the pace. The lead switched hands again on the turn as Grand Adventure stuck a head out in front. But The Usual Q.T., piloted by Victor Espinoza, was coming up hard on the outside after racing in eighth spot; he claimed the lead from a fatiguing Grand Adventure as the field entered the stretch.
Meanwhile, the duo of Court Vision and Robby Albarado were attempting to stay out of traffic troubles well back in 12th place with a half-mile left to run, enjoying a ground-saving trip. After checking briefly in the upper stretch, Court Vision found room to run on the outside now and advanced into fifth place. Despite a valiant effort by The Usual Q.T., who maintained his lead into the final sixteenth-mile, Court Vision powered past him in the final strides to win by 1 ¼ lengths.
With this victory, Court Vision has earned an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile at
Churchill Downs, a race in which he finished fourth in 2009; trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr., said Court Vision would move on to the
Breeders' Cup World Championships in November. Court Vision also collected $600,000, boosting his career earnings to $2,549,761 and his record to 24-8-4-4. The 5-year-old son of Gulch, sent off as a 7-2 shot, completed the 1-mile race in 1:34.62.
Four-year-old The Usual Q.T., who has had a mediocre 2010 compared with a stellar 2009 campaign (and six straight victories), bettered a fifth-place finish in the Gr. 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 28. The James Cassidy trainee's only graded stakes victory this year has come in the Gr. 1 Eddie Read Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 24.
Woodbourne, (a 52-1 longshot), rounded out the top three. Completing the order of finish were Crowded House, Zifazaf, Smokey Fire, Famous Name (sent off as the 5-2 favorite), Grand Adventure, Victor's Cry, Riviera Cocktail, Auteur, Signature Red and Straight Story.
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