Casse to send out top two choices in Woodbine Mile

ETOBIOKE, Ontario – War of Will, the handsome 2019 Preakness winner, drew post 8 and was pegged as the 2-1 favorite for the 24th running of Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, a Breeder’s Cup Win and You’re In qualifier.

War of Will began his career on the Woodbine turf in 2018, finishing third in a maiden sprint and second in the Grade 1 Summer. He had an eventful Triple Crown run last year that included a troubled trip in the Kentucky Derby.

War of Will has run twice on the grass this year. He hasn’t started since taking the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile July 10 at Keeneland under a well-timed ride from Tyler Gaffalione. With no American riders participating due to the pandemic, Rafael Hernandez has the mount on Saturday.

“He’s training very, very well,” trainer Mark Casse said. “He’s at the top of his game. I like the post position.”

Casse is also sending out the 5-2 second choice March to the Arch, who was an impressive come-from-behind winner of the local prep, the Grade 2 King Edward. Patrick Husbands inherits the mount from Hernandez on the durable 5-year-old.

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Starship Jubilee (4-1), last year’s Canadian Horse of the Year, is seeking to become the third female to win the $1 million event. Her four-race win streak was snapped last time out when she was fourth in the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga.

“I don’t think she was disgraced in the Diana,” trainer Kevin Attard said. “She was only beaten four lengths. She looked a little hot on post parade, and that’s not typical for her. Maybe something rattled her up.”

Justin Stein, Woodbine’s leading jockey, will ride Starship Jubilee for the first time.

Saratoga shipper Value Proposition is the 6-1 fourth choice under Luis Contreras. Trained by Chad Brown, the lightly raced 4-year-old has been idle since a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Poker at Belmont July 4.

The unbeaten Grade 3 winner Shirl’s Speight (8-1) will try to become the first 3-year-old to win the Woodbine Mile. He missed the Kentucky Derby due to a cough and has since worked twice on the Tapeta for trainer Roger Attfield, who has given the call to Kazushi Kimura.

Rounding out the field are the Barbara Minshall-trained duo of Admiralty Pier (10-1) and Armistice Day (20-1), and the Casse-trained Olympic Runner (15-1).

Post time for the Woodbine Mile is 5:39 p.m. Eastern. It will be broadcast from 5-6 p.m. on TSN in Canada and on NBCSN in the United States.