BackTrack: Geri Wins First Edition of Woodbine Mile

Geri looked like he had just been 12 rounds with the champ. His right eye was swollen shut, perhaps from a clod of turf or a rival's whip, and his right front foot, missing a chuck of flesh, was bandaged tightly. The stoutly built 5-year-old horse had fought the battle and won the war in posting one of the biggest upsets of the racing year.

In front of some 7,000 fans, Allen Paulson's little prize fighter knocked off the heavyweight leader known as Gentlemen in the first running of the $500,000 Woodbine Mile (Can-IT) on Sept. 20, leaving his rival wobbling back in fifth. And while the mighty Gentlemen, a winner of three consecutive grade I races on dirt, did not appear to be comfortable from the outset of the turf race, trainer Richard Mandella found out later there was more to the horse's stunning loss.

"We got him back (to the barn) and cooling out he seemed awfully upset about something, so we scoped him and found he's got an ulcer," Mandella said.

The small bump was detected on the horse's epiglottis, a thin plate of tissue that covers up the windpipe during swallowing. From it, mucus was leaking into the horse's throat, causing a burning sensation.

"He looked like he wasn't handling the turf, and (jockey) Gary Stevens thought that," said Mandella. "He looked in distress in the last eighth. I thought he had just worn himself out and was not getting hold of the turf. Now I see (his throat) and he obviously picked something up from travelling and has a throat that's on fire."

Gentlemen was administered antibiotics immediately and would be reassessed upon his arrival back in California. "Whether we can get it cleared up enough and not interfere with the Breeders' Cup (to which he is expected to be supplemented for $800,000), we'll just have to see," said Mandella.

Woodbine Mile week in Toronto was not supposed to end this way. Local horse people, fans, media, and Ontario Jockey Club members were overwhelmed by the arrival of Gentlemen for the Mile, a race which replaced the Woodbine Million.

Citing timing reasons—the Mile, like the Woodward (gr. I) at Belmont Park, was six weeks after the horse's previous win in the Pacific Classic (gr. I) and seven weeks before the Breeders' Cup—and the lure of the one-mile distance on the popular grass course, Mandella and owners R.D. Hubbard, Gilberto Montagna, Aldo Soprano, and Juan Jose Varsi, sent the Argentinian multiple group I winner and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) early favorite to Woodbine.

"I didn't see anything to gain out of going to New York," answered Mandella when more than one local reporter asked about the decision to bring his valuable runner to Canada. "He's won two 11/4-mile dirt races. This race brings back attention to his mile form. Breeders in the racing world have always held the "mile" in great esteem when they're analyzing a horse's ability. It takes a special combination of speed and stamina to get it."

Even with the news that Gentlemen was "in the building," the size of the Mile field grew. Horizon Stable, Michael Jarvis, and Frank Stronach's Helmsman, a millionaire from California who was sixth in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) last year at Woodbine, arrived for trainer Wally Dollase. Robert Barbara, a top turf trainer in New York, sent the tough Same Old Wish, third in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile, but unraced since June.

And Geri, who won six consecutive dirt races in 1995 and 1996, including the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. I), was sent up by Bill Mott, who switched the son of turf champion Theatrical out of Garimpeiro to grass racing only three months earlier.

The lone European representative, Even Top, arrived winless on the season but was second in last year's Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) at Newmarket to Mark of Esteem. British Columbia rocket Kid Katabatic, recent winner of the Longacres Mile (gr. III), worked on the Woodbine grass during Mile week but was soon withdrawn from the race in favor of Belmont's Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I).

Packing the 12-horse field were seven local runners, including Minshall Farms' Kiridashi, a scrappy speedster who led the Breeders' Cup Mile field into the stretch last fall.

A tightly muscled, copper-colored equine, Gentlemen had plenty of onlookers the day before the Mile when he schooled in Woodbine's paddock between races. On race day, despite an evening of steady rain showers, the sun graciously poked through when Gentlemen arrived, a heavy 2-5 choice.

It became apparent by race time, however, that Gentlemen's gallop over the plush E.P. Taylor turf course was not going to be easy. He put up a fuss at the gate, unwilling to march into post position one. At the break, Stevens pumped on the strong chestnut neck with some urgency.

"He warmed up good and everything," said Stevens. "He was struggling through the race. He didn't like the soft going at all. As soon as I had to start riding him, he lost all his confidence."

With Stevens pushing Gentlemen along to chase Kiridashi through fast splits of :22.60, :45.20, and 1:10.40, Chris Antley aboard Geri was having his own problems.

"I was almost cussin' to myself. We were off to a bad start, and I had all the excuses ready ... 'he's not handling the turf' ... Antley trailed off. "He kind of grabbed himself leaving the gate. The older part of the turf course was a bit softer and he really wasn't taking hold of the bridle. Not until he got on the newer course (about the half-mile mark) did he start taking me along. At the quarter pole, I had to wait and swung out wide. He kicked in really well. As sad as I was the first sixteenth of a mile, I was 10 times happier at the sixteenth pole."

Charging down the crown of the course with his head high in his typical manner, Geri blew by Kiridashi, Gentlemen, and Sam-Son Farm's Skybound on his way to a 1 1/2-length victory. Helmsman, also far off the pace early, rallied with Canadian Crown Attorney, grabbing second from that one by a head.

Skybound was just over a half-length ahead of Gentlemen, with Same Old Wish, Kiridashi, John the Magician, Elated Guy, Jilin, Even Top, and All Firmed Up completing the finish.

The time of 1:36.20 was well off the Woodbine course record of 1:32 4/5. Geri's victory grabbed some sweet revenge for Mott, who watched with anguish as Mandella trainee Dare and Go halted the 16-race win streak amassed by Mott's great Cigar last summer in the Pacific Classic.

"A win is sweet anytime," grinned Mott. "Of course with Mr. Mandella having the favorite, it's especially sweet, I suppose. He's been the upsetter a few times, so it was nice to be able to turn that around."

Mott explained that sending Geri for the Mile was an experiment of sorts.

"Our intention was to come here and find out if the flat mile suited him and obviously we got our answer," Mott said. "Last year he won six in a row on the dirt. After finishing second in the (Hollywood Gold Cup, gr. I), he seemed to lose favor with the dirt. We thought maybe it was time for a change."

Geri won his first turf race, an allowance event at Belmont. "He was scary that day; I never asked him to run," recalled Antley. He was second in the Caesars International (gr. IT) to Influent and fifth in the Arlington Million (gr. IT).

Mott said Geri will be pointed for the Breeders' Cup Mile (Nov. 8) and will likely be sent to Hollywood Park a couple of weeks early. Mott said he could be back at Woodbine on Oct. 19 for the Canadian International (gr. IT) with Down the Aisle or Dowty.