Woodbine Picks & Predictions — September 12, 2026

Chinook checks in with a 58.33 rating and is trained by Kevin Attard, one of Woodbine's most dependable conditioners. Pietro Moran gets the mount, a pairing that shows up on the board regularly at this track. At 2/1 on the morning line, the crowd sees Chinook as a major player, and his 53 average speed figure puts him in the competitive tier.

C C Kitkat draws post one with a 56.67 rating and gets Austin Adams in the irons for trainer Michael Mattine. No speed figures are on file for this horse, which adds some mystery but also means the morning-line 3/1 price may be generous if she's been working well behind the scenes. In a field where most of the top contenders are closely matched, C C Kitkat offers a sensible hedge in the exotics.

Tap My Desire is right behind at 83.81 with Keveh Nicholls up for trainer Philip Hall, and her 3/1 morning line suggests the market isn't far behind our model in terms of respect. A 7% career win rate is modest, but her average speed figure of 54 is among the best in the field. She profiles as a horse that runs big in defeat and could easily be the one to chase Lady Izzy to the wire.

Mikelle sits third in our ratings at 74.91 and draws Pietro Moran for trainer Katerina Vassilieva, posting an 11% career win rate that's the best among the middle tier. The 7/2 morning line represents solid value if she can find cover early and make a sustained run on the turf. She's the kind of horse who rewards exotic players willing to go three deep.

Lamirada is the 5/2 morning-line second choice under Fraser Aebly for trainer Josie Carroll, and she carries a perfect win record from her prior starts. The 57.50 rating doesn't jump off the page in this company, but an undefeated record and a market that clearly respects her suggest she's held form between races. Carroll's runners at Woodbine are always prepared, and Lamirada has the look of a horse that can run a big second even if she can't quite match the winner.

Embouteillage brings a perfect career record and goes with Hall of Famer John R. Velazquez for trainer H. Graham Motion, a combination that rarely shows up without a live chance. The 5/1 morning line is fair for a stakes horse with this kind of accomplished connections package, and a 57 average speed figure is competitive. Motion typically has his grass horses pointed and ready, making Embouteillage a credible exotics inclusion.

Heavy Pour is our place selection at a generous 10/1 morning line, posting a 76.88 TrackWiz rating that's the second best in the field — a significant disconnect with that price. A 28% career win rate shows this horse competes and gets his share of winners' circles, and Gaddiel A. Martinez gets the ride for Tim Girten. If you're looking for the best value play on the board in Race 6, Heavy Pour's rating-to-odds gap is the most glaring overlay of the bunch.

Souped Up rounds out our selection with a 74.55 rating and a 34% career win rate — strong numbers for a horse sitting at 5/1. Emma-Jayne Wilson is one of Woodbine's most respected riders, and trainer Ronald H. Sadler clearly knows how to win with this type. If Notorious Gangster gets caught up in a speed duel with the favorite, Souped Up and Heavy Pour are ideally positioned to sweep the exotics.

Al Hudaiba is the 2/1 morning-line choice with William Buick in the irons for trainer Charles Appleby — a globally elite barn that routinely ships horses primed for big efforts on turf. No domestic speed figures are available, which adds mystery, but Appleby's runners at major international stops are always prepped. The market obviously likes this one, and Buick's hands are worth paying for in any turf race.

Big Money Man draws post one at 4/1 with P J McDonald up for trainer Christopher Head, another respected international outfit. No speed figures are on file, but 4/1 on a horse from a sharp European barn in a turf stakes is price worth keeping in the exotics. Head's horses tend to be fit when they travel, and the rail draw in a 12-horse field can be an advantage if the pace unfolds cleanly.

Lupa is the 2/1 second choice with Fraser Aebly for trainer Josie Carroll, and she brings the field's highest career win rate at 37% — a genuine stakes-quality profile. Her 81.24 rating is a clear second-best in the field, and Carroll has shown all meet long that she delivers horses sharp. If Fantastical gets into a pace battle early, Lupa's Aebly-piloted stalking trip could produce a big finishing kick.

Serendipity rounds out our ticket at 7/2 with John R. Velazquez — arguably the greatest jockey in the sport — sitting on a horse rated 55.34 for Josie Carroll. The 40% career win rate stands out immediately, the best in the entire field by several lengths. Carroll doubles up in this race and Velazquez rarely takes a mount without a reason to believe. Serendipity is the logical hedge for exotics players who want to cover the scenario where both top choices underperform.

Notable Speech (GB) comes in at even money — the lowest morning-line price in the entire field — which speaks to the respect the international market has for this Charles Appleby-trained runner. William Buick is one of the best turf pilots on the planet, and a 50% career win rate from the GB side is world-class form. His 73.54 rating trails Deterministic but leads everyone else, setting up a compelling exacta matchup between these two.

Gas Me Up is our longshot-value inclusion at 12/1, carrying a 61.34 rating and a 42% career win rate that is frankly surprising for a horse at this price. Fraser Aebly rides for Kevin Attard, a Woodbine trainer who fires live runners and manages his horses' conditions expertly. A 57 average speed figure — highest in the field — combined with a 12/1 morning line suggests Gas Me Up is being underestimated, and a pace meltdown between the top two could spring him into the exotics.

Achieve checks in with a 65.08 rating and a 33% career win rate for trainer Mark E. Casse, with Javier Castellano making his third turf appearance on the card. At 10/1, this is a horse the market is clearly undervaluing relative to his credentials. Castellano on a Casse turf horse going long at Woodbine is a combination that should never be dismissed, and the place price here could be substantial.

Gimme a Nother draws the morning-line second choice role at 5/2 with John R. Velazquez for trainer H. Graham Motion — an accomplished duo in any turf stakes. His 62.04 rating and 42% career win rate suggest a horse who is competitive and consistent, even if our model doesn't have him on top today. At five furlongs beyond the typical route distance, Motion's horses tend to handle the extra ground well, making Gimme a Nother a logical exotics anchor.

Grandson is the morning-line favorite at 2/1 with a 70.54 rating and Rafael Manuel Hernandez in the saddle for trainer Katerina Vassilieva. A 13% career win rate is lower than you'd like for a public choice, but the market clearly respects his recent form, and Hernandez has the tactical savvy to engineer a trip in a route race. He should track the pace comfortably and offer a sustained challenge in the stretch.

Proud Ronin is our show selection at 8/1, posting a 59.79 TrackWiz rating and a 10% career win rate for trainer Frank Huarte with Fraser Aebly up. His average speed figure of 51 is the lowest among the top contenders, but at 8/1, you're getting a horse with legitimate connections at a price that more than compensates for the form deficit. In an exotics race anchored by two heavily wagered horses, Proud Ronin is exactly the kind of price that makes trifectas pay.

Turbo Charged is the most glaring value on the board in Race 12 — a 79.79 TrackWiz rating that trails only War Legend, yet sitting at 8/1 on the morning line. Leo Salles gets the mount for trainer Devon Gittens, and a 14% career win rate suggests a horse that competes regularly. The model sees a massive overlap between his talent level and the price being offered, making him a strong exotics play and a legitimate place contender.

Joe West draws the 9/5 morning-line role — second lowest price in the field — for trainer James Bentley Begg with Keveh Nicholls up. A 65.53 rating puts him third in our model, and despite a modest 4% career win rate, the market is clearly pricing in something it likes about his current form. Joe West profiles as the steady inclusion for players who want a reliable board finisher to anchor their show parlay.