Numerous Times victorious in Atto Mile

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Unbeaten local runner Numerous Times prevailed in a three-way win photo with favored Affirmed Success and Quiet Resolve while setting a course record in the Grade 1, $1 million Atto Mile at Woodbine on Sunday.

With Patrick Husbands riding, Numerous Times won the one-mile turf event by a nose over Affirmed Success and Jerry Bailey. Quiet Resolve, who won the '99 Mile by disqualification, was another nose back under Todd Kabel, who unsuccessfully claimed foul on the winner for interference early in the stretch.

Sid Attard trains Numerous Times, who earned $600,000 in his sixth consecutive victory for the Committee Stable.

Wake At Noon set fractions of :23.15 and :45.72 while being stalked by Affirmed Success, Numerous Times and Hard Currency, who broke through the gate before the race. Numerous Times dropped back to three lengths off the lead late in the turn, before he was angled wide for the drive. Quiet Resolve also came wide at the top of the stretch after checking heading into the turn.

Affirmed Success hit the front through three-quarters in 1:09.49, and had a half-length lead at the eighth pole. Numerous Times and Quiet Resolve both came charging at Affirmed Success in the final sixteenth to provide the thrilling finish.

Irish Prize, who went off at 4-1, closed from far back to finish three-quarters of a length behind Quiet Resolve in fourth. Slew Valley was fifth, while second choice Brahms ended up sixth in the 14-horse field.

The final time of 1:32.79 was marginally faster than the previous course record of 1:32.80, which was set by Lost Soldier in 1996.

"He broke pretty sharp," said Husbands. "I got him to rate off of Wake At Noon, and then we got in tight quarters just before we turned for home. I bided my time, and when (Quiet Resolve) came on the outside of him, he fought his way to the wire."

Said Bailey: "(Affirmed Success) ran a tremendous race. He sat off the pace setter, which I thought he would do. He gave me a good kick when we were in the middle of the stretch, and just got beat."

Numerous Times was favored when the betting opened, but he ended up paying $15.40 as the fifth choice. The exactor returned $98.90, and the triactor was worth $657.80. The $1 superfecta paid $1,820.75.

The total handle on the race was $1,822,723.