Racing Dudes Three Stars of the Week: Turf Stars Take Center Stage

It was all about the turf this weekend, as many horses made what could have been their final starts ahead of the Breeders’ Cup. Several races had major Breeders’ Cup implications as our neighbors to the north at Woodbine took center stage with four stakes races, including the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. Let’s see how things turned out with this week’s Three Stars of the Week:

1. World Approval

His romp in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile was a statement win for a horse that has found his perfect distance. There’s no questioning that he is at his best when running a mile, as he now has back-to-back Grade 1 victories going this distance. The Breeders’ Cup is squarely in his sights now, where he could be the favorite in the Turf Mile. Trainer Mark Casse won the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 2015 with Tepin and finished second with Tepin in the race last year. World Approval would give him a nice three-year run if he were to perform well this fall.

2. Quidura

It’s really nice to get away from Lady Eli! A couple of weeks ago, Harmonize was able to pick up a victory after running behind Lady Eli, and on Saturday, Quidura was able to do the same when she captured the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine. She was able to stalk the pace in a nice position, gradually passing the leaders to win by a length. For her victory, she earned a 100 Beyer speed figure, which has been consistent with how she has been performing all year. This is becoming a very classy filly.

3. Uni

After two solid starts in the United States, she was due to pick up a win, and she did just that last Saturday when she was able to grind past La Coronel to win the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes. She was able to get a better early position compared to her previous two starts, sitting mid-pack, and that could have made the difference, as she was able to just get past La Coronel at the last jump to win by a neck. With trainer Chad Brown on her side, there will likely be many races similar to this on her radar, and she’ll have a big chance to win anywhere she runs.