Quills Picks Winners – Saturday 9/12 – Woodbine Races 9 & 10
We continue the Woodbine “Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In” theme here with two more races on the turf today. We will begin with the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile where eight horses are entered. Then we will go a mile and a quarter in the E.P. Taylor Stakes which also has eight horses entered.
Let’s look at these two races and see who we think will get their invite for the Breeders’ Cup.
Woodbine Race 9 – Woodbine Mile (Grade 1)
Favored in the Woodbine Mile is the 3 Notable Speech (1/1 morning line). He comes in from the UK where he closed well to win at York in the UK. He won last year’s Woodbine Mile, albeit it was on the inner turf, before winning the Breeders’ Cup Mile. He does have a strong closing kick that will benefit from Woodbine’s long turf stretch run.
The 1 Deterministic (2/1 ML) has won six races in a row after winning the Fourstardave at Saratoga last month. He had a change of tactics as he stalked the speed and took over late for the win. He could be on the lead here in this race trying to play catch me if you can.
The 4 Archivist (6/1 ML) won two races in a row over large fields in the UK before coming to North America for the first time. He has a strong closing kick and drew off to a runaway win at York in the UK last month. He’s another horse that can benefit from the long turf stretch at Woodbine.
The 2 Gas Me Up (12/1 ML) won the Grade 2 King Edward here at Woodbine last month in his first race after a five-month layoff. He is another horse that can close and should be looking at a big race in his Secord race off of the layoff. The problem is that some of the top milers in the world are here today.
Joe’s Woodbine Mile Pick
Deterministic is the American hope and has not lost in more than a year. He will get the lead and should have the lead here. There are a bunch of closers here and I think that Archivist is the strongest of the closers here. He pulled off two upsets in the UK and will look to do that again here this afternoon.
I’m calling this race 4-3-1-2 and my play is $20 to win on the 4.
Woodbine Race 10 – E.P. Taylor Stakes (Grade 1)
Our finale is the E.P. Taylor Stakes, and unlike the other three races this afternoon, this turf race will go a mile and a quarter on the turf course. Winner of this race will gain entry into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Favored in the E.P. Taylor is Diamond Rain (7/5 ML). She sat behind the pace in the short field and won in York in the UK at the end of July. She just missed in last year’s race and ran well in last year’s Filly & Mare Turf. This mare will be tough to beat when they turn for home this afternoon.
The 1 Gimma a Nother (5/2 ML) closed well to win the Grade 2 Beverly D at Colonial Downs last month. She has won three in a row and is two for two this year. There is some versatility with his mare as she almost won on the lead last year at Woodbine in the Grade 2 Canadian and won while stalking in the Eatontown in her 2026 debut at Monmouth Park.
The 8 See The Fire (7/2 ML) ran well in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in the UK but was not getting to the top two that day. She did win two in a row to start the year but has appears to regress some. This mare does have a strong closing kick.
The 2 Achieve (10/1 ML0 tried to gate to wire in the Beverly D at Colonial Downs and was caught late by Gimme a Nother in the final strides. She could have some company on the front end, but if she is alone on the lead, she could go gate to wire here.
Joe’s E.P. Taylor Stakes Pick
The key to this race is how the race is run down the backstretch today. If Achieve is on the lead, she can go gate to wire. But I think she will have some company on the front end which should pressure her and tire her out.
I think Gimme a Nother’s versatility is key. She can be close to the pace or further back here. But I think Diamond Rain will show her strong closing kick and win as the favorite here today.
I’m calling this race 4-1-2-8. First wager is a $20 win wager on the 4. Second we will have a $20 double starting with race 9 of 4 (Archivist) with 4 (Diamond Rain). Then we will have a $1 superfecta key of the 4 over the 1, 2 and 8. The final wager costs $6. In the event of a scratch in the double or superfecta, that selection will just be null and void.
Best of luck everyone and I’ll see you in the winner’s circle!
