Best Horse Racing Bets Today | Woodbine, September 14

Turf Champions Day at Woodbine will feature four Grade 1 races on the grass all of which should have an impact on Breeders’ Cup events seven weeks later. Leading the way on Saturday will be the $1 million Woodbine Mile. A challenge series “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, the field of eight is led by the Charlie Appleby-trained globetrotter Naval Power. 

The female turf runners will take their shot in the $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes. The Canadian champion Moira leads the way, but will be tested by the likes of Blue Rose Cen, Cinderella’s Dream, and Fev Rover. The other Grade 1 races on the card are for 2-year-olds and are also both “Win and You’re In” events. The Summer Stakes, for the colts, attracted a field of 14, while the Natalma Stakes, for the fillies, has a field of 13. Without further ado, let's proceed to my top picks and plays from this great day of grass racing at Woodbine.

Race #5 Natalma Stakes (Grade 1) $500,000 1-Mile Turf - 3:25pm EST

Young turf fillies will look to prove they belong in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf when they battle it out in a big field of 13 set for the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday.

Fresh off a sharp gate to wire score on the Saratoga turf in her debut, Annascaul will take some beating as she breaks from the rail in this one-mile turf test. A daughter of American Pharoah, she ran fast and easily handled fellow New York-breds on Aug. 14. Trained by Christophe Clement, she should be the one they all have to catch under Frankie Dettori. 

Chief among his competition in this “Win and You’re In” qualifying event for the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, is Mountain Breeze. The Charlie Appleby-trainee won 2-for-5 in England and comes in off two straight second-place finishes in Group 2 stakes races at Newmarket. She will break from the far outside post under rider William Buick.

Trainer Mark Casse has eight of the 13 entrants in the Natalma, and the one that I like the best of the bunch is Vixen. A daughter of Vekoma, she found all kinds of trouble in her debut when she rallied for a good third. With a much better trip stretched out to a mile for her second start, she won for fun. Both races were on the turf at Ellis Park. She will be the top pick in a wide-open race.

My Play

• $20 Win & Place - Vixen = $40

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Race #7 E.P. Taylor Stakes (Grade 1) $750,000 1 1/4-Miles Turf - 4:33pm EST

The 2022 and 2023 Canadian Horses of the Year will renew their rivalry when Moira and Fev Rover meet once again in a compact but talented field of six entered in Saturday’s Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes for female turf runners.

Moira is the morning line favorite after having defeated her rival in their last two meetings. Their most recent clash came just five weeks ago when Moira edged by Fev Rover late in the Grade 2 Beverly D. at Colonial Downs. The daughter of Ghostzapper appears in top form as she looks to win the E.P. Taylor for the first time in three tries. Fev Rover is the defending champion of the race, however, and clearly cannot be discounted.

Another who should receive strong betting support here is the 3-year-old filly Cinderella’s Dream. From the powerful team of Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, the daughter of Shamardal has won 6-of-7 lifetime, including a pair of graded stakes in New York earlier this summer. This will be her first try against older mares.

At 8/1 on the morning line, I believe Blue Rose Cen offers great value here. A champion in France last year, she is winless in four starts so far this year, but has kept top company over in Europe. Rounding into better form, I believe the classy daughter of Churchill will run her race at Woodbine. The top three favorites are tough, but I am going with Blue Rose Cen as my top pick to pull off the upset in the E.P. Taylor.

My Play

• $20 Win & Place - Blue Rose Cen = $40

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Race #9 Summer Stakes (Grade 1) $500,000 1-Mile Turf - 5:41pm EST

In an overflow field of 14 juvenile males, the Charlie Appleby-trained Al Qudra appears a deserving favorite in Saturday’s $500,000 Summer Stakes, a “Win and You’re In” event for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Although he has only won 2-of-5 career races, the son of No Nay Never has proved his class with a pair of solid efforts in stakes competition at Ascot. Two starts back, he was only beaten a length in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, before easily winning the Pat Eddery Stakes in his most recent start. Like the other Appleby runners on the card, Al Qudra will be ridden by William Buick on Saturday.

Second in the Pat Eddery at Ascot behind Al Qudra was New Century. A winner of two of his last three starts, the son of Kameko came back with a nice win last time at Salisbury and looks like a major threat here. The 4/1 second choice in the Summer is First Resort, who will need to prove he likes the turf after two good efforts on the main track at Ellis Park and Saratoga.

Cairo Caper also looks good as the 8/1 fourth choice on the morning line. After running a good third in his debut on the all weather surface at Woodbine, he has come back with two impressive wins over the local turf course. Last out, he won the Soar Free Stakes while going 6 1/2-furlongs. It is Al Qudra they will all have to beat. He is the top pick in this one.

My Play 

• $10 Exacta Box - Al Qudra, Cairo Caper, and New Century  = $60

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Race #10 Woodbine Mile (Grade 1) $1,000,000 1-Mile Turf - 6:16pm EST

Trainer Charlie Appleby will be in search of a third consecutive victory in the $1 million Woodbine Mile when he sends out Naval Power as the morning line favorite against seven other male turf runners in Saturday’s Grade 1 feature at Woodbine. 

Although he is 0-for-2 since arriving in North America, the pair of narrow losses in Grade 1 company in Kentucky have done little to tarnish the reputation of the Godolphin homebred. A winner of 6-of-7 in Europe and Dubai, the 4-year-old appears to be strictly the one to beat here off runner up finishes in the Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland and the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. Neither a firm turf course, nor a strong early pace will hurt his chances either. 

Chief among his competition in the one-mile affair is the veteran from Brazil, Filo di Arianna. The 8-year-old gelding has won just over half his lifetime starts, and even more impressive, he is a perfect 5-for-5 over the Woodbine turf course. Most recently, the speedy son of Drosselmyer showed himself to be in fine form with a game victory in the Grade 2 King Edward at the one mile distance.

Other dangerous contenders here include Big Rock, who was a top miler in Europe last year but has yet to get going this year, the lightly raced and talented sprinter Playmea Tune, and the recent runner-up in the prestigious King’s Plate, My Boy Prince. Naval Power is the one to beat, though, and he will be my top pick in the Woodbine Mile.

My Plays

• $5 Trifecta Key - Naval Power over Filo di Arianna, Big Rock and Playmea Tune = $30

• $5 Trifecta Key - Naval Power over Filo di Arianna, Big Rock and Win for the Money = $30

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