Tepin likely to face seven in Woodbine Mile

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile headlines a terrific weekend of turf racing, with five graded stakes on the grass and four fees-paid berths to the Breeders’ Cup up for grabs.

The probable field for the Woodbine Mile includes 2015 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Tepin, who would be making her first start since she captured the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting in June.

Tepin has been preparing for the Woodbine Mile with trainer Mark Casse’s string at Saratoga and recorded her final work for the race Monday, covering four furlongs in 49.71 seconds on Saratoga’s turf training track.

“She’s doing super, just super,” Casse said. “She’s training as good as she ever has, if not better.”

Seven others appear likely for the Woodbine Mile, including three local horses: Glenville Gardens, Passion for Action, and Tower of Texas.

Glenville Gardens owns a three-race winning streak that includes the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, the local prep for the Woodbine Mile. Glenville Gardens defeated both Tower of Texas and Passion for Action in the Play the King.

Three European shippers are part of the probable field for the Woodbine Mile, including last year’s sixth-place finisher, Mr. Owen. Mutakayyef has won two of his three starts this year in England and most recently was third in the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York on Aug. 17. Arod also ships in off a third-place finish in the Group 2 Doom Bar Celebration Mile at Goodwood on Aug. 27.

Rounding out the probable field is Full Mast, who ran fourth as the favorite in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes here in July.

The post-position draw for the Woodbine Mile is scheduled for noon Eastern on Wednesday and will be streamed live on Woodbine’s website.