Rogers Woodbine Mile highlight exceptional stakes-laden Saturday card
At 8h54, on September 12, 2025 • By Chris Lomon, Woodbine
Automatic Breeders’ Cup berths are on the line as exceptional editions of the Rogers Woodbine Mile, bet365 Summer Stakes, and Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes – all Grade 1 events – headline Saturday’s Turf Champions Day card of racing at Woodbine.
The 29th running of the Mile, worth $1 million and contested over the inner turf, has attracted nine hopefuls. The Mile and the Natalma will be showcased on a live broadcast airing on Sportsnet One from 4:30-6:00 p.m. ET.
As part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series, the winners of the Woodbine Mile, $500,000 bet365 Summer Stakes and $500,000 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes will be entitled to automatic entry into their respective Breeders’ Cup races, to be contested at Del Mar on October 31 and November 1.
The nominated winners of each race will also be entitled to have pre-entry and entry fees waived for their 2025 Breeders’ Cup race or will receive a credit equal to the pre-entry and entry fee amount towards any other 2025 Breeders’ Cup Championship race. All horses will be entitled to receive a travel stipend if traveling from a base located outside the state of California.
This year’s renewals of the Mile, Natalma and Summer offer a blend of distinguished turf stars, local and international, as well as a plenitude of prominent owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys.
Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby will be looking to replicate their multiple Woodbine successes including when they hit the Canadian International (Walton Street (GB)), bet365 Summer (Albahr (GB)) and Johnnie Walker Natalma (Wild Beauty (GB)) trifecta in 2021.
In 2022, Godolphin and Appleby sent out multiple Group 1 winner Modern Games (IRE) to Woodbine Mile glory, which was followed by a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T). Mysterious Night (IRE) added to the day’s success with a win in the bet365 Summer.
One year later, Master of The Seas (IRE) gave Godolphin and Appleby their second straight Mile success.
This time, they are represented by Notable Speech (GB), produced by the Godolphin mare Swift Rose (IRE), a daughter of Invincible Spirit (IRE). The latter was a Group 1-winning sprinter who stands at the Irish National Stud.
The son of Dubawi (IRE) contested the first 10 races of his career at the one-mile distance, winning the 2000 Guineas (G1T) and the Sussex Stakes (G1T) at that distance in 2024 during his 3-year-old season, before closing out his campaign with a third-place finish, beaten just three-quarters of a length, in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) on November 2 at Del Mar.
“As is typical of his sire, from a physical aspect, he looks much stronger this year,” said Appleby. “I think this horse always puts his best foot forward but needs things to fall right for him on the day.”
In his 4-year-old debut, Notable Speech (GB) was fourth in the Lockinge Stakes (G1T) on May 17 at Newbury. Staying at the one-mile distance, he then headed to Royal Ascot for the Queen Anne Stakes (G1T) and finished fourth.
The chestnut then cut back to six furlongs for the July Cup (G1T) on July 12 at Newmarket, where he was fifth.
Back at one mile on August 17 at Deauville in the Prix Jacques le Marois (G1T), Notable Speech (GB) rallied with vigor from the back of the 11-horse field to finish a head shy of Diego Velázquez (IRE) for all the spoils.
“We were delighted with his run here and it was good to see he still retains his enthusiasm for racing,” said Appleby. “Firstly, we hope he has travelled over okay and settles into his new routine.
“In his races, he prefers there to be decent pace as we saw when he won the Guineas and the Sussex Stakes.”
William Buick, aboard for the previous Godolphin and Appleby triumphs in the Mile, will make the trip to ride on Saturday.
