Rahy’s Attorney pulled off a shocker in the $1-million Woodbine Mile (Can-IT) (VIDEO) Sept. 7, taking over in mid-turn and then powering to a 1 1/4-length victory under Slade Callaghan while 1-2 favorite Kip Deville faded to fifth.
Sent off at odds of 12-1 in a field of eight turfers, Rahy’s Attorney stalked the early pace set by Just Rushing, made his bid shortly after a half-mile and opened up a 1 1/2-length advantage at the top of the lane before holding off Ventura, who was trying to become the first filly to capture the Woodbine Mile.
IEAH Stables’ Kip Deville, who came in with a three-race win streak and is widely considered the top turf miler in
Trained by Ian Black, Rahy’s Attorney captured his first grade I race, but the victory did not come as a total surprise. The 4-year-old Crown Attorney gelding entered the event a perfect 3-for-3 at the mile distance and had won six of nine career starts on the Woodbine grass. Earlier in the year he won the Connaught Cup (Can-IIIT) under Callaghan.
A Canadian homebred of Ellie-Boje Farm, Rahy’s Attorney’s victory catapulted him over $1 million in career earnings. He is now
James McAleney guided Just Rushing to the early lead while clicking off reasonable fractions of :24.47 and :48.25. With Cornelio Velasquez aboard, Kip Deville pressed the pace, with Rahy’s Attorney saving ground in third. Not long after hitting the half-mile pole, Callaghan moved Rahy’s Attorney into the two-path and they made their assault on the lead.
"I was just off the pace going around the turn," explained Callaghan. "I knew my horse could last the distance. So I made an early move with him. To be honest, I wanted to be right on the fence. I had to swing him out a little bit to get by Just Rushing, then back to the rail. This horse loves the rail.
"This is a tremendous effort against Kip Deville. I thought (Kip Deville) was heads and tails above the rest of the field in here. But my horse had home advantage."
Rahy’s Attorney, who is out of the Rahy mare Rahy’s Hope, paid $27.30, $8.70 and $9.30. The exacta (2-8) returned $107.60, with the trifecta (
Of Kip Deville's fifth-place finish, trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said: "It was disappointing. Maybe he didn't like it (the soft turf). I'm not going to cry and complain about it. He's usually run good on soft courses. We can't explain anything why he didn't fire. He had everything go his way. He just broke so good and let the other horses come up on the inside of him. I'll try to figure out what his excuse is. I'm sure he's got one."
Mulmur was sixth, followed by Palladio and Wollemi Pine.