Racing will treat fans to a showdown Sept. 12 when reigning champion Turf Male Notable Speech attempts to defend his title in the CA$1 million Woodbine Mile (G1T) where he will face this year's leading North American turf miler, Deterministic.
After failing to win a race in four group 1 starts in Europe last year, Godolphin homebred Notable Speech would not be denied in a pair of starts in North America to close out his 4-year-old season last year. The English classic winner appeared to round into form with a close second in last year's Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1) in August, an effort that helped lift him to 5-2 favoritism in the Woodbine Mile.
He didn't disappoint at Woodbine. The son of Dubawi (IRE) rallied from sixth to post a 1 3/4-length victory there in September before basically replicating that performance in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Del Mar; rallying from seventh to secure a 1 1/2-length triumph.
Those two outstanding efforts would prove enough to land the championship. It's a familiar path for trainer Charlie Appleby and Godolphin as they also teamed up to sweep the Woodbine Mile and Breeders' Cup Mile in 2023 with Master of The Seas and in 2022 with Modern Games.
With that proven path in place, the connections will run it back this year with the defending winner. Unlike his starts before Woodbine last year, Notable Speech has added two more group 1 victories in 2026 as he enters off a clear victory in the seven-furlong City of York Stakes (G1) Aug. 22 at York.
"The turning track at Woodbine suits his run style particularly well, and he tends to be at his best when there is a good, strong pace to aim at, which he should get here," Appleby said. "In terms of the track itself, the E.P. Taylor Course is one of the premier turf courses in North America, so naturally that is something we take into account when prepping horses to go on to a Breeders' Cup."
Deterministic had been in the hunt for that 2025 divisional championship as well but his chances dampened after his season ended in August following his victory in the Fourstardave Stakes (G1T), his second straight grade 1 score on the inner turf at Saratoga Race Course.
This year, Deterministic, a 5-year-old son of Liam's Map , has defended his victories in those two grade 1 races—the 1-mile Fourstardave and the 1 3/16-mile Manhattan Stakes—to carry a six-race win streak into this year's Woodbine Mile. It will be the first start at Woodbine for Deterministic, who is campaigned by St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable (the racing operation of Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh).
The 1 1/2-length victory in this year's Fourstardave has regular rider Kendrick Carmouche excited about Saturday.
"That was the most impressive win for me," Carmouche said. "I thought he was at his top peak and feeling awesome. That was the best one for me."
While this will be Deterministic's first start outside of New York State since April 2025, and first-ever start at Woodbine, Carmouche is confident his runner will handle the course. This will be just the fifth start for Carmouche on the Woodbine turf, where he captured the 2008 Nearctic Stakes (G2) on True to Tradition.
"You just have to be more patient and sit a little longer," Carmouche said of Deterministic, who has found success racing on or near the lead early in races. "Set him down when he's used to being set down and go from there."
The Woodbine Mile is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race, awarding a fees-paid Win & You're In berth in the Mile.
Woodbine, Saturday, September 12, 2026, Race 9Entries: Woodbine Mile S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Deterministic (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 126 Miguel Clement 2/1 2 2Gas Me Up (ON) Fraser Aebly 124 Kevin Attard 12/1 3 3Notable Speech (GB) William Buick 126 Charles Appleby 1/1 4 4Archivist (GB) Joao Moreira 123 Hamad Al Jehani 6/1 5 5Irish Aces (KY) Pietro Moran 122 Brendan P. Walsh 15/1 6 6Silius (IRE) John R. Velazquez 123 Christophe Ferland 12/1 7 7Itsastormymonday (KY) Rafael Manuel Hernandez 122 Donald C. MacRae 30/1 8 8Pierre (ON) Javier Castellano 122 David Jacobson 20/1
