Live Oak Plantation’s Win for the Money rallied boldly up the inside to overhaul stablemate Filo di Arianna and upset Saturday’s C$1,008,000 Woodbine Mile (G1). Overlooked as the 13.65-1 sixth choice among eight runners, the five-year-old gelding earned a “Win & You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) taking the Challenge series event.
Runner-up in the Aug. 3 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Mile at Ellis Park, Win for the Money registered his first graded stakes success and provided Canadian and U.S. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse with his third Mile victory. Casse also won the other Breeders’ Cup Challenge series race on the stakes-packed program at Woodbine, the Natalma (G1) with And One More Time, who received an expenses-paid trip to the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) and led a 1-2-3 finish for Casse ahead of stablemates Vixen and Nitrogen.
Patrick Husbands, a Canadian Hall of Fame inductee this year, was up on the Win for the Money, who saved ground from off the pace while Filo di Arianna showed the way on a clear lead through fractions in :23.05, :45.44, and 1:08.80 at 6.95-1 odds. Win for the Money began to advance nearing the conclusion of the far turn and surged into the stretch, collaring the pacesetter inside the eighth pole.
“I did say earlier, I thought he might surprise some people, he’s been really training well,” assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan said. “Live Oak and on the turf, they have such a great history of turf horses, and he’d been doing really well. So, we were pretty confident.”
Win for the Money drew clear to score by 1 1/2 lengths, stopping the teletimer in 1:32.11.
“I must say, I give out respect to Mark (Casse),” said Husbands, who earned his second Mile win. “I had a perfect trip. I figured, from reading the Racing Form, if I come off the pace, it’s my best chance. So, when he breaks, and he breaks so relaxed, I was happy.”
English Group 1 winner Big Rock rallied from last to miss second by a neck in his North American debut, winding up a length better than odds-on favorite Naval Power in fourth. Next came Playmea Tune, My Boy Prince, Secret Reserve, and Niagara Skyline.
Bred in Kentucky by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Win for the Money is by Mohaymen and is the second stakes winner from the War Chant mare Mayakoba, a half-sister to Grade 2 turf winner Juniper Pass.
Win for the Money has been a late bloomer, recording his first stakes placings when second in the Autumn (G2) and third in Valedictory (G3) on Woodbine’s Tapeta last fall. He notched his first stakes win when opening 2024 on Gulfstream’s turf, romping in the Mr. Steele S. in late March.
The chestnut has now earned $794,997 from a 16-5-5-1 record.
