by
The Woodbine Mile is coming up on Saturday, September 17. Woodbine’s signature grass race is one of the most important in the turf mile division: it not only offers a purse of $1 million, but also an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile. As such, it attracts the leading turf milers not only in North America, but often across the world, and it is a highlight for anyone who enjoys betting on horse races.
Woodbine Mile winners are live in the Breeders’ Cup year in and year out. Just in the last twelve years, horses who have swept both races in the same year include Court Vision (2011), Wise Dan (2012, 2013), World Approval (2017), and Modern Games (2022). Even Tepin, who won the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 2015, won the Woodbine Mile the next year before finishing second in her title defense.
Read on to see who has the best chance to win the 2023 edition of the Woodbine Mile, and to see where to bet the Woodbine Mile online.
Where to Bet the Woodbine Mile
Before you think about who to get in the Woodbine Mile, you can maximize your profits for this race and others in the future by choosing the right place to bet horse racing online. There are many options out there, but our online wagering experts can help make a confident decision easy. Visit our reviews of top sportsbooks, which are designed to help you maximize your bankroll.
All of our recommended sportsbooks have the basics: market-leading odds, great user interfaces, and trusted payouts and deposits. Furthermore, each one offers sportsbook sign-up bonuses that you’ll never find at the racetrack like rebates, signup bonuses, and deposit incentives. Read our reviews and let our experts help you see which one will make you the most profit!
Woodbine Mile Horses and Odds
This is the official field for the 2023 Woodbine Mile including draw numbers, trainers, and jockeys:
- Master of the Seas (Charlie Appleby / William Buick)
- War Bomber (Norman McKnight / Rico Walcott)
- Shirl’s Speight (Roger Attfield / John Velazquez)
- Ice Chocolat (Mark Casse / Joel Rosario)
- My Sea Cottage (Mark Casse / Dylan Davis)
- Lucky Score (Mark Casse / Sahin Civaci)
Keep in mind that the morning-line odds are just the track’s best estimate of what the odds will be on each horse in the race. They are not a guarantee of a price on race day. Instead, your best bet is to bet the race at an online sportsbook. Since top online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds wagering on major races, you can lock in the best price as soon as you find an overlay.
These are the odds on the market leaders for the Woodbine Mile:
 |  |  |
|
| Master of the Seas | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Ice Chocolat | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Shirl's Speight | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| War Bomber | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Lucky Score | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| My Sea Cottage | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Free Woodbine Mile Picks
Now that you have your wagering account set up, these are the horses to focus on in your wagers. These include runners with the best chances to win, as well as the horses who can help make your exactas, trifectas, and superfectas pay off big.
Woodbine Mile Best Bet
War Bomber is the best bet in the Woodbine Mile. With only six horses in the race, including only one (My Sea Cottage) who really needs to go to the front, a horse with tactical speed can shine. Not only does War Bomber have that, but he won last time while stalking a fast pace: something he may have to do again with a rabbit like My Sea Cottage in the field. Finally, he is from a less-known local barn, meaning the price will be right.
Underneath Contenders in the Woodbine Mile
Master of the Seas is the likely favorite, and he should make good account. A win in the Summer Mile (G2) at Ascot shows he is in good form after a jaunt in Dubai, and trainer Charlie Appleby is sharp as a tack when deciding which horses to ship out to North America. He has had a lot of success with jockey William Buick, as well, and Buick hops the plane.
Ice Chocolat is the class of the three-strong Mark Casse brigade. He rallied for third behind Saratoga-loving Casa Creed in the Fourstardave (G1), and his record of five money finishes in six starts on the Woodbine grass means he should be right at home over the sweeping course. He may not get enough pace to win but should hit the trifecta or superfecta.
Among the rest, the value is in betting that rabbit My Sea Cottage hangs on for a piece after setting the pace. Shirl’s Speight is better at a two-turn mile as opposed to the sweeping one-turn mile at Woodbine, and Lucky Score is a deeper closer who gets an unlucky pace scenario this time around.
Though My Sea Cottage was running against inferior company before last out, he wasn’t a bad fourth in the Fourstardave last out and jockey Dylan Davis gets on the plane to ride him again. In a field of only six horses, betting he can leverage that pace advantage into a money finish makes sense.
Woodbine Mile Free Picks
With your betting account all set up and the field introduced, there is only one thing left to do: put down your wagers! These are the expert best bets on the 2023 Woodbine Mile:
- $20 to win: #2 War Bomber
- $1 exacta: #2 War Bomber over #1 Master of the Seas
- $0.50 trifecta: #2 War Bomber over #1 Master of the Seas, #4 Ice Chocolat and #5 My Sea Cottage
