Mile visitors gathering

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ad Valorem, winner of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot this June, checked in late Wednesday morning for his engagement in Sunday's Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile.

A field of 13 was expected for the Woodbine Mile when the post positions were to be announced Thursday, and Ad Valorem is likely to be among the favorites.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Ad Valorem is coming into the Woodbine Mile off a fifth-place finish, beaten 4 1/4 lengths, in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at one mile on soft going at Deauville on Aug. 13.

Locally based jockey Patrick Husbands, who won the 2001 Woodbine Mile aboard Numerous Times, will ride Ad Valorem for the first time.

Other arrivals for the Mile included Captain Kurt, who arrived Tuesday night from California, and Therecomesatiger, who checked in Wednesday morning from Chicago.

Captain Kurt, trained by Melody Conlon, is coming off a second-place finish in a classified allowance/optional claiming race at Del Mar in his North American debut. Emma-Jayne Wilson has picked up the mount.

Therecomesthetiger, trained by Tom Proctor, won the Sea O'Erin at one mile on turf in his last start at Arlington on Aug. 5. Mark Guidry retains the mount.

Woodbine-based Le Cinquieme Essai, the runner-up in the Sea O'Erin, returned to win the Grade 2 Play the King at seven furlongs on turf here Aug. 26 but has since been sidelined by a minor suspensory problem.

In other Mile developments on Wednesday:

* Becrux and Vanderlin both recorded workouts over the main turf course, which was listed as soft and with the dogs up.

Exercise rider John McInerney was aboard Becrux, who was clocked in 47.80 seconds for four furlongs. Vanderlin, with exercise rider Leanne Masterton up, went six furlongs in 1:15.60.

Becrux, trained by Neil Drysdale, arrived here last month and was a closing second in the Aug. 26 Play the King. Vanderlin, last year's Play the King winner and fourth in the Woodbine Mile for trainer Andrew Balding, arrived from England early last Sunday.

* Jose Santos was named on Diamond Green, one of two horses in the race trained by Bobby Frankel along with Three Valleys.

* Trainer Sue Leslie said that Awesome Action, who had been on the fence for the Mile, will not start.