The Nomination Is In: The Grade 1 Northern Dancer and Woodbine Mile

Glenville Gardens

Welcome Friends to The Turk and the Little Turk.

Today the Little Turk is running in a cross country race, so this will be an abbreviated look at a fine Woodbine card.

I'm sensing from Twitter that others like myself are going through Kentucky Downs withdrawal this weekend.  I thoroughly loved those six races days as a race fan and as a bettor.  I thought the track played fairly, the fields were deep and interesting, and I love the quirkiness  of the product that is presented, at least through the Twinspires TV feed that I watch.  The track announcers and the rest of the on air commentary is good, not intrusive, and I somehow survived without Trakus or better camera angles.  Of course I'd like to see continued improvements, but a few more race dates would be at the top of my wish list.  Good luck with the politics team Kentucky Downs!

I'm focused on turf running over the past month.  I love the late turn of foot and the big fields that contest these contests.  It brings a bit of special to things when the Euros invade, even if its tier 2 Euro.  I'll be playing more vertically then horizontally today, mostly because of the circumstances of my day and my time constraints.  I do dig the NYRA/Woodbine mixed Pick 5 at the Woodbine entry level price of $0.20 and while you're reading about the bet, read Buffalo News Turf Writer Gene Keshner's take on the days events.   I was listening to HRN this morning and they seem to think these Woodbine turf races are chalky.  I'll get to it, but let's peel back the combatants and I think there may be some interesting value that pops, like Glenville Gardens pictured above.  The gelded 5 YO Street Cry was very game in the Grade 2 Play King, a race he won a year previously at Woodbine.  Let's not sleep on a Street Cry that has won 4 times at the distance and 6 times over this track, with local jock and trainer combo.

Let's Get after it!



I don't anyone beating Hawkbill in the Northern Dancer.  On Lasik, this 4 YO Kitten's Joy has won five of his last 12 and is 5 of 6 in the money at this marathon distance. Has the class and the tactical speed. I'm only tossing two and I could have made a case for multiple scenarios below Hawkbill but I think Noble Thought and Mesi (Ger) will compete for Place and Show with Pumpkin Rumble an interesting candidate for a minor prize. Noble Thought was 10-1 and ran a game Place in the Grade 2 1 1/2 Mile Sky Classic here at Woodbine in late August. 

I'm feeling contrarian in the Woodbine Mile.  I like World Approval but others to like as well and I'm not sure how much I like him on firm turf.  This would be Glenville Gardens biggest score but I think Trainer Attard has the 5 YO peaking.  Deauville is my tepid chalk and a case for 3 YO Lancaster Bomber can be made:This classy War Front was in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and has run a demanding campaign from the UAE to the UK.  Hope we see him at 4. My Show/Exotic Group and my Win/Place Groupings could easily flip flop which makes this field very interesting as a gambler and fan. Conquest Panthera and Tower of Texas could surprise and the classy Mondialiste has nothing to prove.

More on this one past race, I'm off to see Little Turk run.

Turk Out!