Notable Speech, Deterministic clash in Woodbine Mile

Notable Speech and Deterministic won’t be waiting until Breeders’ Cup Day to take off the gloves. The England-based reigning turf male champion and America’s leading older grass specialist will get in a pre-Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) sparring match in the C$1 million Woodbine Mile (G1), one of four Breeders’ Cup Challenge preps at the Toronto course on Saturday.

Coinciding with the recent reopening of the E.P. Taylor turf course after a refurbishment, Notable Speech will be in title defense mode in the Mile, having won over the inner course a year ago en route to success in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Del Mar. His form this term has been uneven, but he won well in the Lockinge (G1) and City of York (G1) while getting a bad trip in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) and showing a continuing dislike of Ascot in the Queen Anne (G1).

Deterministic comes in on a six-race win streak, encompassing the last two editions each of the Fourstardave (G1), Manhattan (G1), and Fort Marcy (G3). The son of Liam’s Map has won eight of his last nine stakes attempts on grass, though the trip across the border will be a rare one for him outside his New York base.

The other six in the Mile field have class questions to answer, some more heavily than others. The more plausible alternatives include Gas Me Up, winner of the last two editions of the King Edward (G2) and very much a one-turn specialist. Archivist invades from England, where he turned in a breakout performance winning the Strensall (G3) at York by more than seven lengths.

Silius was last seen winning the Prix Messidor (G3) at Chantilly on July 19. Third that day was the three-year-old Erdenali, who turned around and beat Gstaad and others in the Prix du Moulin (G1) last weekend.

Diamond Rain, who just missed against champion She Feels Pretty in the C$750,000 E.P. Taylor (G1) last year, will look to go one place better in Saturday’s renewal over 1 1/4 miles. The Godolphin homebred placed in her first two starts this term before taking the Lyric S. at York in July.

See the Fire beat Diamond Rain in the Middleton (G2) at York in May and has been Group 1-placed several times against both fillies and males. However, she’s shown a particular affinity for the York course which has rarely been replicated elsewhere. Another Euro to watch is Jancis, who landed the Dahlia (G2) at Newmarket in May before faltering against the top miler Blue Bolt in her last two.

The North American contingent is led by Gimme a Nother, Achieve, and Somethinabouther, who were separated by a half-length at the end of the Beverly D. (G2) at Colonial Downs last month.

The E.P. Taylor winner receives an expense-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Keeneland.

The C$500,000 Summer (G1) for two-year-olds has as its likely favorite the Godolphin homebred Al Hudaiba, a nose winner of the Superlative (G2) at Newmarket two back and a narrowly beaten third in the Vintage (G2) at Goodwood last time.

The winner of the one-mile Summer will earn an expense-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

The C$500,000 Natalma (G1) for two-year-old fillies at one mile on the turf includes the Kevin Attard-trained De la Renta, who exits a narrow victory in the Soaring Free S. against males.

The Natalma winner earns an expense-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).