By Alan Carasso
After watching 'TDN Rising Star' Wild Desert (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Dance to the Music (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) defeated as the favorites in the GI Summer Stakes and GI Natalma Stakes earlier on the Turf Champions Day program, respectively, Team Godolphin got a measure of revenge when long odds-on 'TDN Rising Star' Notable Speech (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) came storming down the center of the inner turf course and stamped his authority on Saturday's GI Rogers Woodbine Mile. The victory secures the homebred a berth in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
It was a bit of deja vu all over again at the start of the Mile, as Notable Speech, the 2-5 mortal, was off to a hesitant beginning from gate two, as were his two younger stable companions in their heats. However slight, both juveniles were cost valuable early position and ultimately left them with an uphill battle. Magnifying the problem for Notable Speech was that he was subsequently pinched back and had to be bustled along Buick, but he managed to work his way up into a centerfield position as My Boy Prince (Cairo Prince) took them along through decent fractions.
Traveling strongly into the final three-eighths of a mile while continuing to save ground, Notable Speech found daylight and was steered out four abreast at the quarter pole. He accelerated sharply and stormed home full of run while racing on his incorrect lead to score by 1 3/4 lengths over the pacesetter with a similar margin back to the positively ridden Gas Me Up (Hard Spun) in third. South Africa's One Stripe (SAf) (One World {SAf}) finished with interest from well back to split the field, while defending champion Win for the Money (Mohaymen) was a non-threatening sixth.
It was a third win in the race for Godolphin, who took it with Modern Games (GB) in 2022 and Master of the Seas (Ire) the following year, each sons of the legendary Dubawi and each of whom went on to success at the Breeders' Cup.
Ongoing renovations to the expansive E.P. Taylor Turf Course dictated the move of Saturday's features–typically contested around just one-turn–to the inner turf course, and Buick felt that played a role in the performances of the Godolphin trio.
“Obviously, we're on the inside track for these races,” said Buick. “So, it changed the dynamics a lot, and I think our horses find it challenging. So, I was not going to give up my position on Notable Speech. And he's an experienced horse, so I knew I could [hustle him into the race]. And he had to be brave for a little bit there, but he was, and once he got into that position, he relaxed beautifully, and he got into nice rhythm. And he was, for me, winning from a long way out.”
Upset winner of the G1 English 2000 Guineas last season, Notable Speech defeated older milers in the G1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood ahead of a fifth in the G1 Prix du Moulin held in soft ground he may not have enjoyed. As Charlie Appleby told Bill Finley earlier this week, there were viable excuses for Notable Speech's first three runs this term, but he much more resembled himself when switching to the stands' rail and just failing to get up in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois when last seen at Deauville on Aug. 17.
Pedigree Notes:
Notable Speech is the only runner to date for his dam, herself runner-up in the G3 UAE Oaks in 2019 and a half-sister to G3 Burj Nahaar winner Desert Wisdom (GB) (Dubawi) and Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}), victorious in the 2021 Natalma Stakes and winner on her 3-year-old debut of the G3 Fred Darling Stakes. She was represented by her second foal this season, a filly by Dubawi.
Swift Rose is also represented by the unraced 2-year-old filly Moonlit Rose (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}) and a yearling full-sister to Notable Speech.
Saturday, Woodbine
ROGERS WOODBINE MILE S.-GI, C$1,064,500, Woodbine, 9-13, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:35.33, fm.
1–NOTABLE SPEECH (GB), 124, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Swift Rose (Ire) (GSP-UAE, $135,326), by
Invincible Spirit (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tulips (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Hint of Spring (GB), by Seeking the Gold
'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby; J-William Buick.
C$600,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eur & Eng at 7-9 1/2f,
MG1SW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, 13-6-1-1, $2,150,342. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–My Boy Prince, 122, g, 4, Cairo Prince–Hopping Not Hoping,
by Silent Name (Jpn). (C$115,000 Ylg '22 CANSEP). O-Gary
Barber; B-Murray Graham Smith (ON); T-Mark E. Casse.
C$240,000.
3–Gas Me Up, 124, g, 5, Hard Spun–Chic Thrill, by Smart Strike.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($140,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
O-Exline-Border Racing LLC, Jawl, Michael, Kennedy, Aaron
and Zwiesler, Tom; B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-Kevin Attard.
C$120,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 0.40, 9.60, 7.45.
Also Ran: Naptown, One Stripe (Saf), Win for the Money, Stanley House, Wyoming Bill, Hunt Master. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
NOTABLE SPEECH ($2.80) and @WilliamBuickX left no room for debate in the $1 million Woodbine Mile (G1) at @WoodbineTB. The 4YO colt by @DarleyEurope's Dubawi (Ire) punches his ticket to the @BreedersCup Mile for trainer Charlie Appleby & owner @godolphin with this #WAYI. pic.twitter.com/jaCDvuYuAm
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 13, 2025
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
