Avie’s Flatter Returns to Winner’s Circle In Nearctic Stakes At Woodbine

Avie's Flatter returned to the familiar confines of the winner's circle at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario with a victory in the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes.

In the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last out, the 5-year-old horse finished ninth behind upset winner Town Cruise, who was also part of the Nearctic field. At the break, Momos grabbed the lead, with Town Cruise and Turned Aside second and third early. Avie's Flatter and Luis Contreras were third entering the race's only turn, going wide into the Woodbine straight.

In the stretch, Avie's Flatter showed no trouble with the yielding turf, building up momentum on the outside of Town Cruise and taking the lead with a furlong to go to win by a half-length. Turned Aside came on late to take second. Olympic Runner passed Momos to take third. Town Cruise, Jolie Olimpica, White Flag, Reconfigure, Admiralty Pier, and Lucky Curlin rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the six-furlong Nearctic was 1:10.52. Find this race's chart here.

Avie's Flatter paid $16.50, $7.30, and $5.60. Turned Aside paid $17.50 and $10.40. Olympic Runner paid $5.20.

Bred in Ontario by Tall Oaks Farm, Avie's Flatter is by Flatter out of the Empire Maker mare Avie's Empire. Owned by Ivan Dalos, the 5-year-old horse is trained by Josie Carroll. With his win in the G2 Nearctic, Avie's Flatter has three wins in five starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of seven wins in 18 starts and career earnings of $932,937.

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Mark Casse Hoping His Trio Get Hot Pace Facing Town Cruise In Sunday’s Nearctic Stakes

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said his best chance to win Sunday's (October 17) Grade 2 $250,000 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine will come if there's a hot pace that falls apart late in the six-furlong race on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

“All three of my horses are come-from-behind horses,” Casse said of Olympic Runner (post 3, Rafael Hernandez, 6-1), Turned Aside (post 6, Kazushi Kimura, 20-1) and Lucky Curlin (post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 10-1).

Casse said “the old pro” Olympic Runner and “up-and-coming horse” Lucky Curlin, “need some pace and I think there's going to be some pace. There's some quick horses in there. If we get some pace and it falls apart, both of those horses will come running.”

The Nearctic has drawn 10 horses and will go as race 10 on Sunday, two races after the card's main event, the Grade 1 $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes.

Brandon Greer trainee Town Cruise (post 9, Daisuke Fukumoto, 2-1) is the morning line favorite, followed by Admiralty Pier (post 1, Antonio Gallardo, 7-2), White Flag (post 4, Emma-Jayne Wilson, 5-1) and then Olympic Runner.

Casse said 4-year-old Lucky Curlin has run well in his two starts this year – a victory on Aug. 22 at Woodbine in an Allowance Optional Claiming race and a second to Pink Lloyd on September 25 in the Grade 3 $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes, also at Woodbine. Lucky Curlin (Curlin-My Lady Luck by Hard Spun) has a record of 3-3-3 in 14 starts.

“Irad Ortiz is going to ride him for us,” Casse said. “He's coming in to ride in the E.P. Taylor, so he's going to ride him for us. (Lucky Curlin) belongs to Gary Barber… He won on the turf and then came back and was second in the stakes to Pink Lloyd. But he's actually pretty good on the grass. There's supposed to be some rain and I'm hoping there's a little cut in the ground and it maybe brings some of his speed back. He'll be running late.”

Casse said Olympic Runner “had kind of tough trip last time” in the Grade 1 $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile on September 18, finishing eighth in a race won by Town Cruise. Yet, it's been a productive year for Olympic Runner, a 5-year-old son of Gio Ponti-Nadadora by Carson City owned by Barber. Olympic Runner is 2-2-0 in eight starts in 2021. Olympic Runner won the Grade 2 $175,000 King Edward Stakes on August 15 at Woodbine, was second in the Grade 2 $175,000 Connaught Cup Stakes on July 18 at Woodbine and was second in the Grade 3 $125,000 Canadian Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park on February 27. Last year, he was fourth in the Nearctic won by Silent Poet.

As for Casse's 20-1 longshot, Turned Aside, the trainer said the 5-year-old son of American Pharoah-Sustained by War Front has been a disappointment.

“He was a really talented horse last year. We've got him this year and he's been very disappointing. He's training well. It's a tough spot, but I'm going to give it a try,” Casse said.

This year, Turned Aside's best finish is a fourth in the Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay in February. Turned Aside was ninth in the Grade 2 $200,000 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland on April 3 and eighth on August 22 in the Grade 1 $350,000 Highlander Stakes at Woodbine, a race won by Silent Poet.

In his career, Turned Aside has a 4-2-1 record in 12 starts for D.J. Stable LLC and West Point Thoroughbreds. Turned Aside won the Grade 3 $100,000 Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga in 2020.

FIELD FOR THE NEARCTIC

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 — Admiralty Pier — Antonio Gallardo — Barbara Minshall

2 — Reconfigure — Eswan Flores — Robert Tiller

3 — Olympic Runner — Rafael Hernandez — Mark Casse

4 — White Flag — Emma-Jayne Wilson — Roger Attfield

5 — Avie's Flatter — Luis Contreras — Josie Carroll

6 — Turned Aside — Kazushi Kimura — Mark Casse

7 — Lucky Curlin — Irad Ortiz, Jr. — Mark Casse

8 — Momos — Patrick Husbands — Michael Trombetta

9 — Town Cruise — Daisuke Fukumoto — Brandon Greer

10 — Jolie Olimpica — Joel Rosario — Josie Carroll

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Casse Trio Earns Top Billing In ‘Win And You’re In’ Woodbine Mile

Hall of Fame conditioner Mark Casse will send out the talented trio of March to the Arch, Olympic Runner and Ride a Comet, in the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile, part of a stellar Saturday stakes showcase that also includes the Grade 1 $600,000 Pattison Canadian International and Grade 2 $250,000 Canadian Stakes.

The 25th running of the Mile, worth $1 million and contested over the world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course, has attracted a strong field of 10 hopefuls. The Mile and International will be showcased on a live broadcast airing on TSN1 and TSN3 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET.

Under the terms of the Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' Challenge Series, the Woodbine Mile winner will be entitled to a fees-paid berth for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, to be run on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

The silver anniversary edition of the Mile features a gold-standard mix of local and international turf stars, as well as some of the top trainers and jockeys in the sport.

Casse, who won back-to-back runnings of the race, in 2016 with Tepin and 2017 with World Approval, will look for his third victory with three formidable runners.

A six-year-old son of Arch, March to the Arch, a Live Oak Plantation homebred, is no stranger to Woodbine or the Woodbine Mile.

The bay gelding sports a record of 4-3-1 from eight starts at the Toronto oval and an overall record of 8-4-4 from 28 races.

March to the Arch, who was second, a length behind Starship Jubilee in the 2020 Mile, was third in the Grade 3 Dominion Day on July 1 and then won the Niagara Stakes on July 25.

The Florida-bred heads into the Mile off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes on August 15 where he made a late surge after encountering traffic troubles down the long E.P. Taylor Turf Course stretch.

“March to the Arch prefers a little more time between his races, plus we brought him in off a mile-and-an-eighth, so he might not have been as sharp that day,” noted Casse. “But he's a great horse, very consistent, and he's doing very well ahead of the race.”

Olympic Runner, owned by Gary Barber, arrives at Saturday's $1 million classic off a sensational score in the King Edward.

With Rafael Hernandez in the irons, the five-year-old son of Gio Ponti found daylight down the lane and went on to notch a 1 ½-length victory.

Sporting a record of 3-5-2 from 13 Woodbine engagements, the gelding, bred by Eutrophia Farm LTD, just missed winning his previous start, the Grade 2 Connaught Cup, finishing a nose behind Avie's Flatter, who is also set to contest the Mile.

Olympic Runner has a 5-7-2 mark from 23 starts, including a 2-2-0 line from seven appearances this year.

“I thought Raffi [jockey, Hernandez] did a great job,” said Casse, of the King Edward. “The pace was moderate, I guess, so he was able to position him a little closer to the pace. That horse has been so close to having a breakout performance. I kept waiting and waiting for it, and it finally came in that race. It was an excellent effort.”

Multiple graded stakes winner Ride a Comet will seek to keep his perfect record at Woodbine intact.

A six-year-old son of Candy Ride co-owned by John Oxley and breeder My Meadowview LLC, Ride a Comet is undefeated in his four Woodbine starts.

The Kentucky-bred bay's most recent triumph at the Toronto oval came in the 2020 Grade 2 Kennedy Road.

Ride a Comet, 8-1-2 from 17 starts, comes into the Mile off a third-place effort in the Grade 2 Wise Dan at Churchill Downs on June 26.

“We felt he wasn't training that well, so we gave him a bit of a break. And that seems to have really helped. He's training much better coming into this race. He'll be ready. He's a nice horse and he obviously like running at Woodbine.”

Casse is grateful to have three shots at winning the Mile.

“I am. Everybody is coming into the race in good order. I think each one has a legitimate chance to win the race.”

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Ian Dalos' consistent graded stakes-winning homebred Avie's Flatter will chase his seventh win in what will be his 17th career start.

The five-year-old son of Flatter has two wins from three races this year, and goes into the Mile off a fourth in the King Edward.

Trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Josie Carroll, Avie's Flatter contested all three jewels of the 2019 Canadian Triple Crown, finishing second in both the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales, and third in the Breeders' Stakes.

Change of Control, trained by Michelle Lovell for Perry Harrison, finished third in her first start at Woodbine, the Grade 2 Royal North Stakes, on August 1.

The five-year-old daughter of Fed Biz, who has compiled a 7-6-6 mark from 28 lifetime starts, will be testing out the Grade 1 ranks for the first time.

She notched her first graded title with a win in the Grade 3 Intercontinental Stakes at Belmont this June.

A bay son of Lope de Vega (IRE), the Mile will represent the Canadian debut for Duke of Hazzard (FR).

Trained by Paul Cole for Mrs. F. Hay, the five-year-old hasn't made a trip to the winner's circle since 2019 when he notched a natural hat trick with two victories at Goodwood and another at Newmarket.

Raging Bull (FR) will get his second shot at Mile glory after finishing fourth, placed third, in the 2019 running.

A multiple graded stakes winner trained by Chad Brown for Peter Brant, the son of Dark Angel is 7-4-3 from 20 starts, his victories including last year's Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile and this year's Grade 1 Makers Mark Mile.

The six-year-old bay, bred by Dayton Investments Limited, was recently sixth as the even-money choice in the Grade 1 Fourstardave on August 14 at Saratoga.

Bred and owned by Juddmonte Farms, Set Piece (GB) has been the model of consistency over 17 career races, sporting a 9-2-1 stat line.

The five-year-old son of Dansili has three wins and a pair of seconds in his last five appearances, including a victory in the Grade 2 Wise Dan.

Trained by Brad Cox, the dark bay was off a step slowly in the Grade 1 Fourstardave, but regrouped to finish second.

Space Traveller (GB), a five-time winner from 20 starts, will look to get back to the form that saw the son of Bated Breath (GB) triumph at York this June.

Owned by Clipper Logistics, the Brendan Walsh trainee has competed twice in the U.S., the first assignment coming in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Mile (10th). The five-year-old dark bay was recently fourth in the Grade 1 Mr. D. Stakes at Arlington on August 14.

The Mile will be his first start in Canada.

Trained, owned and co-bred (along with his father Terrance) by Brandon Greer, popular local entrant Town Cruise will make his 14th career start – all at Woodbine – this Saturday.

A six-year-old son of Town Prize, the chestnut, with a 5-2-1 record from 13 starts, finished a gutsy second to Olympic Runner in the King Edward.

The Mile will be the gelding's foray into Grade 1 waters.

“Town is coming in with very good energy and high confidence, something I see increasing with each of his races this year,” said Brandon Greer. It's quite a privilege having the opportunity to run with some of the best horses in Canada and internationally. I'm sure Town will give it his best shot, which could never be disappointing to us. We're happy to be here.”

The outstanding Ricoh Woodbine Mile program will also feature the Grade 2 $250,000 Canadian Stakes, part of the Ladies of the Lawn series in support of Rethink Breast Cancer.

First race post time on Saturday is set for 1:10 p.m. For more information, visit Woodbine.com.

$1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Town Cruise – Daisuke Fukumoto – Brandon Greer

2 – Olympic Runner – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

3 – March to the Arch – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

4 – Ride a Comet – Antonio Gallardo – Mark Casse

5 – Set Piece (GB) – Joel Rosario – Brad Cox

6 – Change of Control – Colby Hernandez – Michelle Lovell

7 – Raging Bull (FR) – Frankie Dettori – Chad Brown

8 – Avie's Flatter – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

9 – Duke of Hazzard (GB) – Kazushi Kimura – Paul Cole

10 – Space Traveller (GB) – Daniel Tudhope – Brendan Walsh

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Twenty-Three Nominated To ‘Win And You’re In’ Woodbine Mile

Woodbine Entertainment today released the list of nominated horses for the upcoming Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile, Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International, Grade 1 Natalma and Grade 1 Summer Stakes, all to be contested over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course between Saturday, Sept. 18 and Sunday, Sept. 19.

The Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1), Natalma (Grade 1) and Summer Stakes (Grade 1) are all part of the Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Series.

A total of 23 horses have been nominated to the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1).

Chad Brown leads all trainers with four horses nominated to the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1), including multiple Grade 1 winner Raging Bull (FR) and graded stakes winner Blowout (GB), both for owner Peter Brant.

Mark Casse and Michael Maker each have three trainees nominated to the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1).

Gary Barber's Olympic Runner captured the Grade 2 King Edward on Aug. 15 at Woodbine in dazzling fashion for trainer Casse. Live Oak Plantation's March to the Arch, who was second in last year's Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1), and multiple graded stakes winner Ride a Comet for owners John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm complete Casse's trio.

Maker's trio includes last year's Ontario Derby (Grade 3) winner Field Pass for Three Diamonds Farm and multiple graded stakes winner Somelikeithotbrown for Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable.

Stronach Stables Silent Poet, the recent winner of the Grade 1 Highlander at Woodbine on Aug. 22, is nominated again to the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1). The multiple graded stakes winner could deliver more magic for trainer Nick Gonzalez.

This season's Connaught Cup (Grade 2) winner Avie's Flatter for owner Ivan Dalos and trainer Josie Carroll is nominated. Carroll also has Nassau Stakes (Grade 2) winner Jolie Olimpica nominated for Fox Hill Farms.

The Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1) will be contested for a purse of $1 million on Saturday, Sept. 18.

After a year hiatus, the Pattison Canadian International (Grade 1) returns in 2021.

A total of 13 horses have been nominated to the legendary mile and a half turf contest. Michael Maker is the only trainer with multiple horses nominated (Dynadrive, Glynn County) out of the group of 13.

Queen's Plate runner-up Riptide Rock is notably nominated to the Pattison Canadian International (Grade 1) for Stronach Stables. The Sid Attard trainee rallied from well back to narrowly miss in the $1 million Queen's Plate on Aug. 22 and is the lone 3-year-old nominated to the International.

Josie Carroll trainee Belichick, who won last year's Breeders' Stakes winner at a mile and a half over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, is nominated for NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods.

Recent Singspiel Stakes (Grade 3) winner Corelli for Augustin Stable and trainer Jonathan Thomas is among the group of 13.

The $600,000 Pattison Canadian International (Grade 1) will also be contested on Saturday, Sept. 18.

The Grade 1 stakes action will continue Sunday, Sept. 19 with the $400,000 Summer Stakes (Grade 1) for 2-year-olds and the $400,000 Natalma (Grade 1) for 2-year-old fillies. Both races, part of the Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Series, will be contested a mile on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course

The Summer Stakes (Grade 1) received 21 nominations, while the Natalma (Grade 1) received 23 nominations.

To full list of nominated horses for the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1), Pattison Canadian International (Grade 1), Summer Stakes (Grade 1) and Natalma (Grade 1) can be viewed at the links below:

Ricoh Woodbine Mile
Pattison Canadian International
Summer Stakes
Natalma Stakes
To view the full list of nominated horses to all Woodbine stakes races, visit www.Woodbine.com/Horsepeople/.

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