Notable Speech wins the Woodbine Mile for the second consecutive year after William Buick guided the five-year-old to a strong late finish in Saturday’s $1 million Woodbine Mile (G1T) at Woodbine Racetrack on September 12, 2026. Owned and bred by Godolphin and trained by Charles Appleby, Notable Speech covered the mile on the firm E.P. Taylor turf in 1:33.86 and defeated Deterministic by 1 1/4 lengths.
The victory placed Notable Speech alongside Wise Dan as only the second two-time winner in Woodbine Mile history. Wise Dan captured the race in 2012 and 2013, while Notable Speech had returned to defend the title he won the previous year.
Deterministic, who entered the race on a six-race winning streak, broke sharply from the rail and established the early pace. Gas Me Up settled into second, followed by Silius (IRE), Pierre, Notable Speech (GB) and Itsastormymonday.
Deterministic led by two lengths through the opening quarter in :24.36, with Gas Me Up tracking closely. Buick kept Notable Speech settled in fifth as the leader continued to dictate the tempo through the early stages.
The field reached the half-mile in :47.89, with Deterministic maintaining a 1 1/2-length advantage. Notable Speech remained patiently positioned behind the leading runners as Buick waited for an opening.
Approaching the turn, Buick began advancing Notable Speech and moved him into the two-path. The defending champion travelled comfortably before finding more room as the field straightened for the final run.
Notable Speech Wins Woodbine Mile With Decisive Late Surge
Notable Speech moved five-wide in the upper stretch and began cutting into Deterministic’s advantage. His acceleration became increasingly prominent through the closing stages, and with less than 150 yards remaining, he surged past the leader to take command.
Determininistic finished second, with Gas Me Up third and Itsastormymonday fourth. Notable Speech maintained his advantage to the finish and secured his second straight Woodbine Mile victory. Archivist (GB) and Irish Aces were scratched from the race.
The success also marked the fourth Woodbine Mile victory for the combination of Buick, Appleby and Godolphin. The partnership had previously won the race with Modern Games (IRE) in 2022 and Master of the Seas (IRE) in 2023.
Buick had initially intended to follow Deterministic during the race but found that position unavailable. Instead, he settled into another position before waiting for sufficient running room. Once the gap appeared, Notable Speech produced the turn of foot required to settle the contest.
The latest triumph lifted Notable Speech’s career record to 10 wins, one second and one third from 19 starts. The five-year-old had already established himself as one of the leading turf performers of his generation, having been named the 2025 Champion Turf Male.
His latest success also secured an automatic berth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T), scheduled for October 31 at Keeneland. The opportunity gave Notable Speech another chance to compete on the international stage before his planned retirement at the end of the 2026 season.
The Woodbine Mile result was another significant achievement for Appleby and Godolphin, who had already enjoyed considerable success in the race. Their continued association with Buick produced another victory in one of North America’s leading turf contests.
Notable Speech was scheduled to retire to the Darley stallion roster at the end of 2026. His second Woodbine Mile title therefore added another important chapter to a distinguished racing career while setting up a final campaign that included a return to the Breeders’ Cup.
Notable Speech wins Woodbine Mile for the second consecutive year, defeating Deterministic by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:33.86 under William Buick and earning an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland.
For more stories, results, and updates from the world of horse racing, stay tuned to RaceBuzz.