Turf Champions Day Betting Preview & Woodbine Picks (Sep 12)
- When: Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 1:00 PM ET
- Where: Woodbine, Toronto, Canada
- How to Watch: FanDuel TV
A crucial weekend on the road to the 2026 Breeders’ Cup is set for this weekend at Woodbine Racetrack, as six graded stakes races make up Turf Champions Day. The feature comes in the form of the G1 Woodbine Mile, as current favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at the best horse racing betting sites, Notable Speech, is in action. You can find our Woodbine horse racing picks for all races on Turf Champions Day here.
Turf Champions Day Betting Preview
G1 Natalma Stakes (Post Time – 3:05 PM ET)
The first of the Grade Ones on the card this weekend comes in the form of the G1 Natalma Stakes, which is run over a mile by fillies aged two. With no European raiders involved, it could be a perfect opportunity for a North American-trained runner to stamp their authority on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf division.
Mark Casse’s excellent record at Woodbine ensures he could be a trainer worth following, and his likely main chance comes in the form of Voyager. The two-year-old by Justify is yet to finish outside of the first two in three career starts, and she was excellent when posting an Equibase rating of 81 when winning a strong enough Maiden Special Weight at Saratoga at the start of August.
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G1 Summer Stakes (Post Time – 4:12 PM ET)
The next of the Grade Ones on Saturday comes in the form of the G1 Summer Stakes, as a field of two-year-old runners compete over a mile for the right to secure a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Charlie Appleby has used this race as a springboard for the likes of Mysterious Night and Albahr in recent years, and his raider Al Hudaiba looks like a red-hot contender.
The Dark Angel colt has won twice from his last three starts, boasting a win over the talented Abraham Lincoln after winning the G2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket. The key form line could be his runner-up finish behind the extremely talented Dr Rascal, who goes for Group One glory in Ireland on Sunday.
You can hear more about Irish Champions Weekend and our experts’ picks for key races in the UK and Ireland below.
G1 Woodbine Mile (Post Time – 5:20 PM ET)
The feature at Woodbine on Saturday comes in the form of the G1 Woodbine Mile, which has produced three winners of the Breeders’ Cup Mile in the last four years. Charlie Appleby typically sends his best miler to this Canadian Grade One, ensuring that Notable Speech is expected to retain his title after winning impressively 12 months ago.
The five-year-old was sensational on his last appearance, streaking clear of the field to win the G1 City of York Stakes by nearly three lengths. He has looked better than ever this year. And a return to North American turf will see him improve further. Incredibly hard to overlook.
Woodbine Horse Racing Picks for September 12
| Race | Pick |
|---|---|
| R1 – Maiden Special Weight | Live Each Day |
| R2 – Claiming | Napa Spirit |
| R3 – Maiden Optional Claiming | I Will Follow |
| R4 – Optional Claiming | Tap My Desire |
| R5 – G1 Natalma Stakes | SEE ABOVE |
| R6 – G3 Vigil Stakes | Mansetti |
| R7 – G1 Summer Stakes | SEE ABOVE |
| R8 – G3 Matron Stakes | Lupa |
| R9 – G1 Woodbine Mile | SEE ABOVE |
| R10 – G1 E.P. Taylor Stakes | Venetian Lace |
| R11 – Allowance Optional Claiming | Wembley Avenue |
| R12 – Claiming | Aryeh |
