Win for the Money and jockey Patrick Husbands combined to earn trainer Mark Casse his third $1-million Rogers Woodbine Mile crown Saturday.
Husbands had the American-based five-year-old ride the rail to the upset win, Win for the Money’s first graded stakes victory, in 1:32.11. Husbands, who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame this year, was elated with his second Mile victory (first was in 2001 with Numerous Times).
“I must say, I give out respect to Mark,” Husbands said. “I had a perfect trip.
“I figured, from reading the Racing Form, if I come off the pace, it’s my best chance. So, when he breaks, and he breaks so relaxed, I was happy.”
Win for the Money paid $29.30 in the Grade 1 turf race.
Casse, 16 times Canada’s top trainer, is a Hall of Famer both here and in the U.S. His previous Mile wins were with filly Tepin (2016) and World Approval (2017).
Casse also earned a 1-2-3 finish in the Grade 1 $500,000 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes (two-year-old fillies) with And One More Time, Vixen and Nitrogen. Both the Mile and Natalma Stakes winners earned automatic entries into the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in November.
New Century won the $500,000 bet365 Summer Stakes (two-year-olds) to also secure an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup.
Full Count Felicia captured the $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (fillies and mares).
The win was Win for the Money’s fifth in 16 career starts. The horse has also finished second five times and third once.
“I did say earlier, I thought he might surprise some people, he’s been really training well,” assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan said of Win for the Money, a 13-1 pick. “He had been training really well so we were pretty confident.”
Filo Di Arianna (Brazil), another Casse-trained horse, finished second. Big Rock was third ahead of Naval Power, the 2-5 favourite.
As for a run in the Breeders’ Cup, Sullivan said the connections will consider it.
“It’s a possibility, I would think,” Sullivan said.