Woodbine’s flagship race, the $1 million Woodbine Mile, happens Saturday, September 16. The race covers a mile on the sweeping outer E. P. Taylor turf course, and every year it draws a field of the most important turf horses in North America and often even abroad. In addition to the seven-figure purse, the race also offers its winner an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
The Woodbine Mile is perennially one of the most important prep races for the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Over just the last twelve decades, there have been five years when the Woodbine Mile went on to win the championship race: Court Vision (2011), Wise Dan (2012, 2013), World Approval (2017), and Modern Games (2022) all did it. Tepin, who won the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Mile, won at Woodbine the next year before finishing second in her defense attempt.
Who will join this excellent list this year? Keep on reading to find out, and to see the best places to bet the Woodbine Mile online.
The Woodbine Mile is an excellent race that belongs on any horse racing fan’s bucket list, but we can’t all make it out there. The good news is, you can enjoy an excellent experience from anywhere by betting the race online from your phone, tablet, or computer! Top online sportsbooks give you real market-leading odds and trusted payouts from anywhere.
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This is the official field for the 2023 Woodbine Mile including post positions, trainers, and jockeys:
Keep in mind that morning-line odds are just the track’s best estimate for the prices on the horses in the Woodbine Mile. You cannot guarantee your odds if you bet at the track; they shift until post time. Your best bet is to play the Woodbine Mile online. By betting at an online sportsbook, you can lock in the best price on major races the moment you bet!
 |  |  |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Master of the Seas | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Ice Chocolat | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Shirl's Speight | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| War Bomber | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Lucky Score | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| My Sea Cottage | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Now that you have your online sportsbook account set up, it is time to find out who to bet in the Woodbine Mile. Here are the major contenders, as well as horses who can boost your exotic payouts!
It isn’t always, in a field of just six, where there is an excellent price horse to bet on top. However, here, we have War Bomber. He comes into the race in good form, winning the King Edward (G2) in stalk-and-pounce fashion last out. That style will suit this race well, especially since he stalked a quick pace and made a winning run; he stands to have to stalk a quick pace set by rabbit My Sea Cottage here.
He will also be a good price given his connections. Instead of being trained by a famous international name, he is in the barn of Woodbine local Norm McKnight, a trainer who has done well at Woodbine but has not had as many major stakes horses. This all adds up to the right trip at the right price.
Charlie Appleby has made the Woodbine Mile one of his regular destinations and this year he sends Master of the Seas across the Atlantic. He will likely be the favorite, and has a good case. He is pace-versatile (though he does likely get outjumped by the likes of My Sea Cottage and War Bomber in the early stages), and he has the class to fit well in this spot.
Among the three-strong Mark Casse brigate, Ice Chocolat is the best. He comes into this race off a third-place outing behind Casa Creed in the Fourstardave (G1). The issue is, he got a pace from stablemate My Sea Cottage that day and it wasn’t enough. It probably won’t be enough here, either, but he can get a share.
For one more exotic horse, the real value is in betting pace-advantaged My Sea Cottage hangs on for a piece after setting the pace. He finished an okay fourth in the Fourstardave last out, in a race that was a much tougher assignment than he’d ever seen. On the other hand, Shirl’s Speight is better off going two turns than one, while Lucky Score needs more early gas.
You have your betting accounts set up, and you have met the most important players in the field. There’s just one thing left to do: place your bets for the Woodbine Mile! These are the expert-recommended bets for the race:
About the Author
For a decade, Rowan Ward has been making horse race predictions and wagers in Chicago, and has been writing about horse racing for nearly just as long. Understanding the various factors that influence a race's outcome, they often find that the age-old saying "the pace makes the race" can uncover worthwhile betting opportunities. When it comes to handicapping, their favorite races are those held locally in Chicago, major stake races across the country, and two-year-old maiden races with intriguing bloodlines.
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