It would be a surprise if any horse other than Notable Speech or Deterministic wins the Sept. 12 Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T). Notable Speech is the reigning Eclipse Award-winning turf male who won the CA$1 million race in 2025 at Woodbine, and Deterministic is the leading North American contender for that honor in 2026, having won six consecutive graded stakes races including all three of his current-year starts, topped by the Manhattan Stakes (G1T) and Fourstardave Stakes (G1T)—races he also won in 2025.
For Exline-Border Racing, however, unanticipated grade 1 stakes glory from one of its horses is hardly foreign territory, and the owners have a stake in one of the six other Woodbine Mile entrants.
Ten years ago, the Ryan Exline and Justin Border-headed partnership teamed with Sharon Alesia, Robin Christensen, Ciaglia, D. Legan, and Gulliver Racing to own the 33-1 winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) in Champagne Room, who was subsequently voted that year's champion 2-year-old filly. Then, three years later, they registered an even larger Breeders' Cup upset when Storm the Court lit up the toteboard at 45-1 in prevailing in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) for Exline-Border Racing and co-owners David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson, and Dan Hudock. Another Peter Eurton trainee, he also earned an Eclipse Award.
On Saturday at Woodbine, they'll take their swing with three-time grade 2 winner Gas Me Up, a hard-charging 6-year-old Hard Spun gelding they campaign with Michael Jawl, Aaron Kennedy, and Tom Zwiesler.
"I don't know that it necessarily factors into our decision-making so much, but we try to take it horse by horse and race by race, but we've never been afraid to take a shot if we thought the horse had earned it," Border said. "And, in the case of those past Breeders' Cups and in this case and in others, the horse told us that he was ready and he'd earned the opportunity to accomplish something on an even bigger stage, so to speak."
Currently based at Woodbine with trainer Kevin Attard, he is considered perhaps the top local hope in the Woodbine Mile, which, as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, provides its victor with a paid, automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
But to call Gas Me Up a local might be a bit of a stretch. Recently, he's been more of an equine snowbird, racing at Woodbine when the weather's nice and turf racing is underway, and returning to Eurton's care in Southern California when it's not.
But that's more a product of circumstances and opportunities than the weather. As much as Exline and Border enjoy watching him race in their home state of California, additional purse incentives the gelding receives as an Ontario-bred help make for rewarding racing opportunities in Canada.
The arrangement also reflects the way Exline-Border approaches its horses. Decisions are made in the horse's and partnership's best interests.
Gas Me Up's talent has made the unusual two-circuit schedule worthwhile. So has the timing of his career. When Woodbine closes, and he remains in form, there is little reason to keep him idle when California offers consistent winter turf racing, a trainer in Eurton who the partnership trusts, and a downhill course at Santa Anita that has proved an ideal fit for his running style.
Gas Me Up came into the stable a little less than two years after Storm the Court's Breeders' Cup success, acquired for $140,000 from the consignment of famed Canadian breeder Sam-Son Farm at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
A year later at 2, he was winning races in Southern California, breaking his maiden in his third career start when stretched out to a mile. He finished fourth in the 2022 Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T) after encountering trouble early.
Injuries interrupted his progress, causing him to miss his entire 3-year-old season, and he started just once as a 4-year-old, winning in Canada under Attard's care.
During his layoffs, Gas Me Up spent time at WinStar Farm with the farm's rehabilitation and breaking manager, Terry Arnold, whose feedback on the gelding's talent reinforced the belief he was worth waiting for.
"He's had his share of bad-luck setbacks, and we always had a lot of confidence in him," Exline said.
That patience has been rewarded in 2025-26. He went 3-for-6 last year, taking an allowance optional claimer and the 1-mile King Edward Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine, plus the about 6 1/2-furlong Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T) late in the year over the hillside turf course at Santa Anita Park.
This year, he's 1-for-3—running second in the Feb. 7 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) and fourth in the March 7 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G2T), both at Santa Anita—then repeating in the Aug. 15 King Edward. He took the latter race by a nose in a three-horse photo under Fraser Aebly, who has a return mount in the Woodbine Mile.
"Photo finishes aren't good for the heart, that's for sure," Border said, meaning his own.
Gas Me Up proved he belonged in the Woodbine Mile last year, finishing third over the inner turf, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Notable Speech. Kept closer than usual early because of a slow pace, he ran well but couldn't quicken enough to keep pace with the winner or catch early leader and runner-up finisher My Boy Prince.
The race shape did not play to Gas Me Up's preferred style, but his connections were encouraged enough by the effort to take another shot at the Breeders' Cup. He reverted to his customary late-running style from post 12 in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar and split the field in finishing seventh, beaten only 4 1/4 lengths.
The Breeders' Cup experience reinforced the belief that he belonged among the better turf milers.
His connections again have reason for optimism heading into this year's Woodbine Mile. The King Edward victory was another close call, but Gas Me Up's determination carried him through a three-horse photo, giving Aebly his second victory in as many starts aboard the gelding.
Now he returns to Woodbine's outer E. P. Taylor turf course, which wasn't used for the Mile last year because of work being performed on the course.
The E. P. Taylor turf's wide circumference makes it a one-turn race, and its long stretch suits his closing style.
"I think we're best around one turn," Exline said. "He's done really well on the outer turf at Woodbine, so I'm glad that race is back on that new outside turf course this year."
Longtime friends
The friendship and partnership between Exline and Border has been 20 years in the making.
The two met in 2006 while working in senior-living management in Southern California. Neither had a traditional Thoroughbred racing background.
Exline, a 45-year-old Indiana native, discovered the sport after moving to Southern California and going to Del Mar with friends. Border grew up in Brentwood, Calif., around Quarter Horses and other horses his family kept, but racing was not initially his profession or primary pursuit.
Their first horse together more than a decade ago was Igotnosixes, a Northern California claimer. From there, they developed a business model built around partnerships, professional advice, and disciplined spending.
Sheza Smoke Show provided the first indication their partnership could succeed at a higher level, winning the 2014 Senorita Stakes (G3T), their first graded stakes triumph and a result that preceded what was to come from Champagne Room and Storm the Court.
The operation has since expanded beyond California and Canada, with horses also based in Kentucky.
Partners have supported that approach, trusting Exline and Border to determine where horses can best advance their careers. They work closely with their trainers and bloodstock agent Marette Farrell to identify opportunities rather than limiting themselves to one circuit.
Not that it has been all roses. Both Champagne Room and Storm the Court had lackluster campaigns as older horses after their success at 2.
Gas Me Up has shown more graded stakes-winning longevity, leaving Exline-Border Racing and their co-owners hopeful about what is still to come.
Family obligations will likely keep Exline and Border at home in California this weekend, though some of their Exline-Border Racing partners may attend. Border, 52, will be cheering on his son in his high school football game the prior evening Sept. 11, though he did not entirely rule out hopping on a "red-eye" flight to Toronto.
"Of course, winning 'home games' is really fun and special, especially Breeders' Cups and whatnot, but I promise you we are all celebrating just as hard when we win in Kentucky or anywhere else in the world," Border said.
And if the past is any guide, counting out an Exline-Border horse simply because the obvious choice appears obvious can be a dangerous exercise.
