Lea, Obviously early favorites in Woodbine Mile

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The accomplished New York invader Lea has been made the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Sunday’s $1 million Woodbine Mile.

Lea drew post 10 and is trained by Bill Mott, who won the inaugural running of the Grade 1 turf event in 1997 with Geri. Joel Rosario will ride Lea, a Grade 1 winner on dirt who hasn’t raced on turf since 2013, when he placed in Grade 2 stakes company behind Wise Dan. Wise Dan, a two-time Horse of the Year, was being pointed for this race before he was retired on Monday due to a tendon injury.

The speedy California runner Obviously is the 3-1 second choice from post 1 under Joe Talamo. He has not started since a fading fifth-place finish in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Mile and will be the first local starter for trainer Phil D’Amato.

Grand Arch (6-1) drew well in post 2 with Luis Saez aboard. He won his last outing over a quality field at Saratoga in the Grade 2 Fourstardave and was fifth in last year’s Woodbine Mile.

There are two European invaders in the lineup, Mondialiste (9-2) and Mr. Owen (8-1).

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The first three finishers in the local prep, the Grade 2 Play the King, also are in the lineup. Reporting Star (15-1) edged out Tower of Texas (12-1) to win the seven-furlong sprint, with Kaigun (20-1) a belated third. Reporting Star is marooned in post 11. He’s competing for a new trainer, Jim Ensom, because his longtime trainer, Pat Parente, is serving a suspension.

“I worked him on Sunday, and he worked great,” said Ensom. “That was the first time I saw him. Everything seems to be good with him.”

Rounding out the 11-horse field are Platinum Glory (30-1), Turncoat (30-1), and Za Approval (20-1), who finished second to Wise Dan in the 2013 Woodbine Mile.