Woodbine Mile win sends Rahy's Attorney to Breeders' Cup

By: SPORTS NETWORK

 

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Rahy's Attorney, ridden by Slade Callaghan, took the lead on the turn for home and went on to win Sunday's $1 million Woodbine Mile at Woodbine Racecourse. Odds-on favorite Kip Deville, 2007 Breeders' Cup Mile champ, faltered down the stretch to finish off the board.

Sent off as a 12-1 longshot, Rahy's Attorney earned himself a spot in this year's $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile with the victory. The race is one of the "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge events.

Rahy's Attorney, trained by Ian Black, raced near the lead in the one-mile turf race. He took the lead coming off the final turn with Kip Deville moving into second on the outside. Rahy's Attorney powered down the stretch as the 1-2 favorite, Kip Deville, could not keep up.

Callaghan guided his mount to a 1 1/4-length win over the filly Ventura in the eight-horse field. Just Rushing finished third followed by Ice Bear, Kip Deville, Mulmur, Palladio and Wollemi Pine.

"I was just off the pace going around the turn," explained Callaghan. "I knew my horse could last the distance. So I made an early move with him. To be honest, I wanted to be right on the fence. I had to swing him out a little bit to get by Just Rushing, then back to the rail. This horse loves the rail. This is a tremendous effort against Kip Deville. I thought he (Kip Deville) was heads and tails above the rest of the field in here. But my horse had home advantage."

The time for the 12th Woodbine Mile on a yielding turf course was 1:36.14.

"I think he must be (a miler). I was trying to make him something else," laughed Black. "Well, I was always happy where he was. He heeled up so much, he ran huge down the lane."

The victory was worth $660,000 for the owners Ellie Boje Farm and others. They supplemented the four-year-old gelding into the race for $180,000. Rahy's Attorney has won seven of 17 career starts, all at Woodbine, for $1.14 million.

The gelding captured the Connaught Cup in May, but was coming off a third- place finish to Seaside Retreat in the Nijinsky Stakes. Earlier this year he was second in the Singspiel to Mission Approved.

Rahy's Attorney returned $27.30, $8.70 and $9.30. Ventura paid $4.20 and $4.90, and Just Rushing paid $9.90 to show.

In the $750,000 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf Stakes, Champs Elysees rallied down the stretch to post a nose victory over Quijano. The time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:32.02 on a yielding E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

"This horse, coming from over in Europe, he'd been on something like this, so I knew it wouldn't bother him too much," jockey Garrett Gomez said about the soft turf. "It was just a matter of time, get a good trip with him and get him traveling well."

It is the second consecutive stakes win for the five-year-old with Gomez in the saddle. In January of this year the pair captured the San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Trained by Bobby Frankel, Champs Elysees was the beaten even-money favorite last time out in the United Nations Handicap at Monmouth Park. Owned by Juddmonte Farms, Champs Elysees adds $450,000 to his bankroll and has won four of 18 lifetime starts for more than $1.1 million.

Champs Elysees paid $9.20, $4.60 and $3.30. Quijano, the 2-1 favorite, returned $3.50 and $2.90, and Seaside Retreat paid $4.00 to show.