Naval Power favored to give Godolphin, Appleby, Buick third straight Woodbine Mile

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Godolphin and Charlie Appleby have a remarkable record together at Woodbine, having won with nine of 13 starters, all in Grade 1 company. Following Modern Games and Master of The Seas, the powerful owner-trainer tandem will try to win Saturday’s $1 million Woodbine Mile for the third year in a row with Naval Power.

The blockbuster 12-race card includes three other Grade 1 turf stakes – the E.P. Taylor, Summer, and Natalma. Like the Woodbine Mile, the Summer and Natalma are Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In qualifiers.

Naval Power won four of five starts at 2 in England, including the 2022 Pat Eddery Stakes, before reportedly bleeding when sixth in the Group 1 Dewhurst. Returning from a 13-month layoff Feb. 23 in Dubai, the first-time gelding won the Group 2 Singspiel. In his next start, he finished second to Master of The Seas in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland.

Naval Power has been idle since a head loss to Program Trading in the Grade 1 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 4. The son of Teofilo has been working regularly over the turf training course at Saratoga and will be ridden by William Buick, who’s also aiming for his third consecutive Woodbine Mile victory.

With blinkers on, the accomplished French miler Big Rock gets superb Southern California turf rider Umberto Rispoli on Saturday. Big Rock took five of nine starts last year at 3 for former trainer Christopher Head, most notably the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II by six lengths at Ascot. This year, his best finish in three races, all for current trainer Maurizio Guarnieri, is a fifth in a Group 1 at Deauville on Aug. 11.

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Trainer Mark Casse sends out the Canadian champions Filo Di Arianna and My Boy Prince, along with Win for the Money.

A two-time champion in 2022, the Brazilian import Filo Di Arianna has been rejuvenated this year after a brief 2023 campaign. The veteran closed for second to the continent’s top turf sprinter, Cogburn, in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint in May at Churchill, after which he ran seventh to Cogburn in the Grade 1 Jaipur at Saratoga.

Filo Di Arianna returned to Woodbine to land the Grade 2 Highlander going six furlongs June 29. When moving out to a mile in the prep for the Woodbine Mile, the Grade 2 King Edward, he set a quick pace after breaking awkwardly and then turned back a bid from War Bomber in the stretch to prevail by a nose under Sahin Civaci.

“We missed a little time with him,” Casse said. “I felt like going in, he was 85 or 90 percent. As they went into the gate, Civaci’s iron hit the side of the gate and his foot went way into the iron. It was jammed in so much that he had to take his hand down to try to fix it, and as he was fixing it, they broke.

“The horse had a stutter start because Sahin wasn’t ready. For him to stay on was an accomplishment in itself, but for Filo to come back after [War Bomber passed] him, that was a great performance.”

My Boy Prince is trying to become the second 3-year-old to win the Woodbine Mile, after Modern Games. The reigning Canadian champion 2-year-old male tracked a fast pace last out in the 1 1/4-mile King’s Plate before hitting the front on the far turn. He was overhauled late by Caitlinhergrtness and finished second as the favorite.

Last year, My Boy Prince won the Cup and Saucer Stakes over this course after running second in the Grade 1 Summer. He capped his season by finishing a valiant third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita.

“I think a mile on the turf is probably his best game,” Casse said. “Obviously, this is a big jump up, but [owner] Gary Barber likes to think out of the box – he’s not afraid to fire. The horse is training very well.”

Win for the Money failed to duplicate his blowout score in the May 25 Mr. Steele Stakes at Gulfstream Park in two subsequent stakes outings.

“That Gulfstream race had a fast pace and he came flying,” Casse pointed out. “In his last two races, there was no pace. We know there’s going to be pace here with Filo, and My Boy Prince will probably be close.”

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The others in the eight-horse field are Playmea Tune, Niagara Skyline, and Secret Reserve.

Playmea Tune is making his turf debut off three consecutive strong showings in Tapeta sprints, including a neck loss to champion Patches O’Houlihan in the Grade 3 Bold Venture. John Velazquez, who picks up the mount on the Chiefswood Stables runner, has won the Woodbine Mile a record five times.

“He worked good on the training turf one day when it was soft,” said Chiefswood general manager Robert Landry.

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