WO Mile (Grade 1) (BC)- $1,000.000 Purse
WO- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
September 19, 2020
The highlight of racing this weekend will happen north of the border, as the 15th running of the Grade 1 WO Mile goes to post. In addition to its appealing $1,000.000 purse, the race features an automatic spot for the BC Mile, the third “win and you’re in” race for that BC race which is now just six weeks away. The first time that this race was run, it was won by the great Alpha Ultimo, and as time went on we have seen more of the best in the game win the race. A memorable moment for the race came in 2016 and 2017, when Compress won the race each time for Cherrytree Hill Farm. Last year, the race won by Decision In Five for Nakamura Stables, and while he is still running well, he will not be here to try and duplicate the feat of Compress. It should come as no surprise that the starting gate is full for the race, so let us take a look at our runners.
#1- Sunlander (Estero Farms, ridden by R M Hernandez)- This gelding does not have recent race lines that are going to jump out at you, with just one of his last six races seeing hit the board. The one time he did, he was second in the Grade 2 Kilroe Mile. That is also the only time that he has run exactly a mile since the beginning of March. These finishes have not stopped him from being entered in top races, and he is never badly beaten. Don’t look past him, but he’s not one of my picks.
#2- Night Creature (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- This will be his debut with D J C Racing Stables after spending 17 days with Two Hearts One Love. He raced just once for that trainer, who sold him off for $300.000 after spending $350.000 on him. Night Creature is most known for his time with Aer Stables, and running for him in the PRK, though finishing near the back. He does not have that one win to be really excited about yet, but D J C will be hoping to be the one to lead them to that.
#3- Hammerfest (Smokey Stover, ridden by R Bejarano)- Here is one of those horses that has been successful, but still seems on the verge of doing much more in his career. Overall, his clip of winning five races in eleven starts is impressive, but he still has not won a graded stake. He has been close on several occasions, and has finished in the money in each of the Grade 2 PEN Mile, and two grade 1’s: the BEL Derby and the Secretariat Stakes. The last two have been on soft turf, something that should not happen this time.
#4- Lunar Blaze (John Henry, ridden by S R Bahen)- If I were keeping track of this, I imagine that I have covered Lunar Blaze more than I have covered any other as an individual horse. Lunar Blaze will now make his 46th career start, and the seven year old has put together eleven wins. The last time he won was the Kilroe Mile back in March, a race that he has won two consecutive years. Recent races have seen him fail to hit the board, and whenever they are this old you have to wonder if they are just in a slump or if age is starting to catch up to them.
#5- Atomic Eclipse (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by A Cintron)- The gelding comes off a second place finish in the DMR Mile in his last start. That race was a move forward for him, although he did win a CA-bred stake right before it which helped the decision to go graded. One of the horses he beat in that race was last year’s winner, Decision In Five. It is a positive race for him to build on, and I like the progress that I am in seeing in his SRF numbers.
#6- Kimura (Mb Stables, ridden by M Tunon)- When Kimura shows up in a race, he is going to grab a lot of attention. He’s been almost flawless for his career, winning seven of his nine starts, and that includes the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint last year. He has simply built on that as a three year old, and while we know he will be a BC bound no matter what, here he can solidify himself as the one to beat in the Mile. His last race was two months ago, winning the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing at SAR, so he is well rested and ready to roll. Hard to bet against him, so I won’t.
#7- Red Cup (John Henry, ridden by D E Centeno)- Since being acquired from Our Athletes a few days after last year’s BC was run for $200.000, Red Cup has not really lived up to the hopes of the trainer. However, it has not been all bad, as he did manage a win in the Grade 1 Highlander Stakes right here at the end of June. That is a six furlong race. The problem is that there has not been enough of that, and he has been eating up nomination fees with just two races in the money out of six starts. John Henry is clearly confident though to give him this start.
#8- Sweet Sweat (Mb Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Although the trainer has the horse to beat in this race, why not throw out another strong contender if you have it? That is what Sweet Sweat hopes to be, but you have to say that his one win out of seven starts, and no other finishes in the money has been a disappointment, especially in a barn where the standards are higher. He was so promising as a two year old as well, and it seems like we have been waiting for him to do something exciting this year. If it happens here, it will be a reversal of recent form.
#9- Iron Nation (Nakamura Stables, ridden by S Ryan)- The trainer will be looking for his second straight win in the race, and Iron Nation will be the horse that he pins those hopes on. He has had a strong year, and comes off a sharp win in the $750.000 SAR Derby at the Spa last month. That is one of this three races as a three year old. He also has in the money finishes in both the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge and Grade 2 American Turf, where he was second and third respectively. One of the top choices in here, and certainly capable of knocking off Kimura.
#10- Duke Or Earl (Gdp Inc, ridden by F Geroux)- Quietly, this horse has gone on to have a very good career, but he is still looking for his first win of his six year old season. The trainer is hoping that will come here in his 40th start, and he has still been picking up good results. He has three second place finishes this season, with most noteworthy one being the Grade 1 Fourstardave at SAR in his last start. That was the first time he had run on the grass in eleven months, but six of his wins were on the turf, so it was a long time coming, perhaps.
#11- Hefner (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- The third of the three entries in here from Mb Stables, and a horse that has a reputation more for hitting the board then he does for winning. In his 24 starts, he has managed to find the winners circle just twice, and it has now been about fifteen months since his last win. However, he does finish well, and even without that win this year, he has hit the board five times. Most recently, he was third in the Fourstardave. You could see him getting in the money again, but beating his stablemate, among others, is tougher.
#12- Serengeti Sands (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by P Lopez)- There has not been much excitement for this horse in his last three starts. In them, he has been 10th of 12, 11th of 11, and 10th of 14, but he will get another chance here. Those were top flight races, including the Metropolitan Handicap and the Whitney, and we have seen the trainer just continue to stick with his horses at the top levels and hope to get them right against the best rather than drop them down in class. Last won in June 2019, so hard to pick here.
#13- Hollywood Estrella- Scratched
#14- Crafty Shenanigans (Eastern Equine, ridden by A Beschizza)- The autogen has had a successful career, known mostly when running in the silks of Mb Stables. However, the trainer passed him off in a $32.000 claimer this year, and he was picked up there by Eastern Equine in February. This will be the third start with his new trainer, and the biggest assignment that he has been given since then. He’s won once, coming in an open allowance turf sprint, so Kimura and company are not going to be intimidated by that. Last ran in a Grade 1 back in October of last year, and that was right here for the Pattison, where he was fourth. It is a tough task here to see if he still has it.
#15- Sneaky Little Stover (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by J R Velazquez)- The scratch of Hollywood Estrella allowed this five year old gelding to draw into the field. It will be his 27th career start. Team 7 Illusions is to be commended for turning this horse around, from a regular in overnights (though he did once try the Summer Stakes here, on this same weekend in 2017). He was picked up for a $25.000 claim, and Team 7 Illusions got him running long, and earned a win, here, in the Grade 2 King Edward BC Stakes. This will be the first time that he runs in a Grade 1.
Prediction: 6-10-9-5
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
