Thoroughbred racehorses from across the globe are preparing for the opportunity to become a champion in just seven weeks at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Although, some have already tasted that glory and are seeking it once again.
That is the case with Notable Speech (GB), a Godolphin homebred who in 2025 was victorious in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). He put his name back at the head of the class with a victory in the Woodbine Mile (G1), one of 10 races held Sept. 12-13 across three countries and four tracks that are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
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The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races, the winners of which receive automatic starting positions with fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, to be held at Keeneland Oct. 30-31.
The Woodbine Mile in Canada was the same race the 5-year-old son of Dubawi (IRE) used last year to catapult himself into a Breeders’ Cup win, and like last year he won a Challenge Series berth. Although, going back-to-back in the Woodbine Mile was going to be no easy task for the horse based in Newmarket, England with trainer Charlie Appleby.
Trainer Miguel Clement had sent America’s top turf runner, four-time Grade 1 winner Deterministic, across the border to compete and everything looked like it was going in his favor. A son of 2015 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Liam’s Map, Determinstic had the lead to himself through the early stages. However, the horse chasing him down the lane was no ordinary runner.
Jockey William Buick got Notable Speech in gear at the top of the lane and he began gobbling up ground. Deterministic held tough, but Notable Speech drew even with a 16th of a mile left, and moved away to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:33.86. Gas Me Up was third.
Notable Speech likely clinched himself the role of favorite for his FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile title defense attempt at Keeneland, especially having won the head-to-head matchup with Deterministic. They will likely have a rematch that day as Deterministic previously earned a Challenge Series victory in the Fourstardave Stakes (G1).
Team Godolphin Also Takes Summer with Al Hudaiba
Godolphin, Appleby, and Buick experienced more success with another homebred earlier in the Woodbine card as Al Hudaiba (GB), a Group 2 winner in the United Kingdom, was also successful in Canada while taking the Summer Stakes (G1). The victory earned the son of Dark Angel (IRE) a Challenge Series berth to the $1 million Brown Advisory Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
Like his older and more accomplished stablemate, Buick kept the colt settled toward the rear of the field in the early stages before rallying in the stretch. He took the lead much earlier, with about a furlong to run, as he passed by Clement-trained Oscar. Al Hudaiba kept the race within reach for his rivals as, despite being the field’s most experienced runner, he showed some immaturity while drifting out toward the middle of the course. Yet, he was still clearly the best as Buick kept him to task and hit the wire 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Oscar with Induction third. He completed 1 mile in 1:35.66.
Al Hudaiba has now proven his talent at the top level and shown the ability to take his game with him overseas, making him a formidable threat in the Brown Advisory Juvenile Turf.
Voyager Bests a Large Field of Fillies in Natalma
The 2-year-old fillies also had their opportunity to book a ticket through the Challenge Series to the $1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) in the Natalma Stakes (G1). Trainer Mark Casse, a Hall of Famer in both the United States and Canada, entered the race with quantity, five runners, and also proved he had the quality as Voyager took home the prize.
Bred in Kentucky by Stoneriggs Farm and raced by D. J. Stable, Voyager showed promise on dirt in her first two starts, but after a victory at Saratoga Race Course on the grass in August, the team was clear their sights were on the Natalma. They were right to have that faith.
Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano raced in mid-pack through the early stages and was on the attack already as the field entered the stretch. Several fillies were putting in solid runs, including runner-up De la Renta and third-place finisher Embouteillage, but Voyager never looked threatened as she hit the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front in a time faster than the boys: 1:35.06.
Casse was the last trainer to pull off the Natalma Juvenile Fillies Turf double with Catch a Glimpse in 2015.
South African-bred Gimme a Nother Wins E. P. Taylor
Woodbine’s day came to a close in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1), giving its entrants an opportunity to win their way into the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) through the Challenge Series. Team Godolphin was again well represented Diamond Rain (GB) and Venetian Lace (IRE), but instead it was Newstead Stables’ Gimme a Nother (SAF) who would get the job done.
A dual Group 1 winner in South Africa, where she was bred by Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein, the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) had carried that form to North America by winning or finishing second in six of her seven starts. However, Saturday proved to be extra monumental as she now tallied a Grade 1 in North America.
She did it with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the saddle for trainer Graham Motion, settling on the rail behind the pace from her inside post. Velazquez had to be patient for room to open at the top of the stretch, but once it did he punched through and took command inside the final furlong. See The Fire (GB) and Jancis (IRE) were making bold rallies in the center of the track, but Gimme a Nother had beaten them to the front and held on by a neck. She completed 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.71.
Gimme a Nother is among the first major South African runners to make the move to North America after a 23-year hiatus in importing horses from South Africa to the United States ended in 2022. Since then, several have competed in the Breeders’ Cup and Gimme a Nother looks like she could be a real threat to win and further deepen the event’s credentials as a World Championship.
