The Grade 2 $200,000 King Edward Stakes is a one-mile, Grade 2 turf function at Woodbine for 3-year-olds and older that has lengthy attracted one of the best horses within the division racing in Canada. It comes as no shock that this yr’s version drew an excellent 11-horse discipline.

1. Pao Alto (6-1 morning-line odds): Group 2 winner at this one-mile distance in 2022 has but to search out related success in six North American begins up to now and remains to be on the lookout for his first win since coming to the barn of Graham Movement final yr. Has saved good firm in most of the current begins when dropping towards higher horses and ran velocity figures that stack up favorably towards a lot of this discipline. Returned from practically a six-month layoff final time to simply miss by a nostril of successful the $100,000 Prince George’s County Stakes at Laurel Park. Seems to be prepared for a breakthrough. It’s obvious that one mile is his favourite distance and when you can forgive the current losses as longer distance experiments gone dangerous, then Pao Alto begins to seem like a horse with numerous upside if he’s allowed to pay attention at a mile.

JOCKEY: Rafael Manuel Hernandez; TRAINER: Graham Movement

2. City Cruise (8-1): Exits a Woodbine allowance-optional claiming win by a head in his final begin, lastly getting again to the winner’s circle for the primary time since September 2021 when this horse was a Grade 1 winner of the celebrated Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Completed fifth on this race final yr after which couldn’t replicate his success within the 2022 Woodbine Mile when fifth. Toss out a pair of artificial floor losses, and the turf win final day out represents a very good harbinger that this horse could also be prepared for a return to greatest type. Harmful, so don’t overlook.

JOCKEY: Keveh Nicholls; TRAINER: Brandon Evan Greer

3. The Minkster (20-1): Received his profession debut going six furlongs on the turf and has not been again on the grass since. Has some respectable artificial observe efforts exhibiting prior to now performances and received a six-furlong prep race beneath his belt final day out in return from an eight-month layoff. Appears to be sitting on an improved effort, however this may not be the proper of spot for him to strut his greatest stuff.

JOCKEY: Luis Contreras; TRAINER: Katerina Vasselleva

4. Dancin In Da’nile (30-1): Woodbine turf runner is sweet for a pleasant effort and a win each every now and then when going through way more modest competitors however loses to softer firm as a rule and has not proven a sign that he can deal with this sort of class hike with any diploma of success.

JOCKEY: Declan Carroll; TRAINER: Gail Cox

5. Battle Bomber (8-1): Six-time winner in his profession owns three artificial wins and three turf victories and exits a stable second-place end final time in an identical sort of spot going shorter within the seven-furlong, Grade 2 Connaught Cup Stakes Introduced by Bulleit Bourbon right here at Woodbine on July 23. Has proven the flexibility to win at quite a lot of center distances and is a graded stakes winner earlier in his profession, so he has the gap and sophistication to have the ability to compete on this spot based mostly on his greatest efforts.

JOCKEY: Rico Walcott; TRAINER: Norm McKnight

6. Shirl’s Speight (3-1): At his greatest, Shirl’s Speight is a high-quality turf runner that may compete on the highest ranges, corresponding to his win within the April 2022 Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland and his runner-up end within the 2022 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Introduced by PDJF, which was additionally at Keeneland final yr. The draw back is that he doesn’t at all times present up with that sort of an “A” efficiency and he flopped in two graded stakes tries on the Woodbine turf final yr when he ran off the board in each the Grade 2 Connaught Cup and within the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. Since his massive second-place end in final fall’s Breeders’ Cup, he’s been around the globe and again after Group 1 losses in Japan and Dubai. Whereas there’s no disgrace in dropping these sorts of races to world-class horses, he’s again from globetrotting after practically a five-month layoff on a course the place he actually didn’t do his greatest operating final yr. His odds shall be low, and right now may very well be a very good alternative to wager towards the favourite.

JOCKEY: Emma-Jayne Wilson; TRAINER: Roger Attfield

7. Treason (7-2): Has been in largely good type on artificial surfaces relationship again to final fall with two wins and a second in his 4 most up-to-date races, with the runner-up end coming final day out within the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes wherein he misplaced by simply 1 ½ lengths to the red-hot Tyson at 1 1/8 miles. The query right now is whether or not or not he’s pretty much as good on the turf as he’s on the Woodbine most important observe, and whereas that’s doable, he’s going to must step up his recreation above what he was in a position to do on the grass earlier in his profession. Woodbine’s main rider Kazushi Kimura retains the mount.

JOCKEY: Kazushi Kimura; TRAINER: Josie Carroll

8. Conglomerate (15-1): The primary of two entrants skilled by Mark Casse, who has received this race the final three years with three completely different horses. Has been largely an artificial observe performer all through his profession and owns an 0-for-6 document on the turf. Exits a good turf effort for second, but it surely was towards far weaker competitors, and he doesn’t look as much as the duty at competing at this stage. Javier Castellano is called aboard for the mount, nevertheless, and the high-profile connections needs to be sufficient to make sure this horse will get wager down from its 15-1 morning-line odds.

JOCKEY: Javier Castellano; TRAINER: Mark Casse

9. Fortunate Rating (4-1): Mark Casse has received this race three consecutive years. Fortunate Rating appears way more like a sprinter than a miler and he might need a troublesome time excelling at this distance. On the plus aspect, Fortunate Rating has, in truth, been in glorious type in his current races, which included a win within the Grade 2 Highlander Stakes at six furlongs at Woodbine two races in the past and a third-place end final day out at seven furlongs within the Grade 2 Connaught Cup the place he was stuffed with run within the stretch. May a profitable stretch-out be within the making? It’s actually doable, however he’s going to wish to point out a very new dimension and the percentages on the tote board in all probability is not going to provide any worth.

JOCKEY: Sahin Civaci; TRAINER: Mark Casse

10. Bode’s Tipsy (30-1): Most up-to-date win got here in 2021. Winless within the 4 more moderen outings, which all got here at decrease class ranges. This looks as if a troublesome task.

JOCKEY: Justin Stein; TRAINER: Santino DiPaola

11. Haddassah (20-1): Tried this race final yr and completed a decent third. Greatest profession end was a win within the Prince of Wales Stakes within the second leg of the 2022 Canadian Triple Crown, however that race was on the filth. Efficient on quite a lot of racing surfaces however has been dropping to lesser horses within the current races and might want to present numerous enchancment to have the ability to hit the board vs. these.

JOCKEY: Gary Boulanger; TRAINER: Kevin Attard

THE PICK: Pao Alto

LIVE LONGSHOT: City Cruise

SUPERFECTA: 1-2-9-6