Horse Racing Results: Woodbine, Churchill Downs & Ireland Racing
Notable Speech joined Hall of Famer Wise Dan as a two-time Woodbine Mile (G1) winner (Photo by Coady Media)
September 13th, 2026
Saturday produced an extraordinary global blockbuster of horse racing, delivering defining victories and high-stakes drama across Leopardstown, Woodbine, and Churchill Downs.
From European royalty clashing in Ireland’s Irish Champion, Matron, Golden Fleece, Kilternan, and Solonaway Stakes, to high-stakes Breeders’ Cup qualifiers among Canada’s Woodbine Mile, E.P. Taylor, Summer, and Natalma Stakes, to future stars making their mark under the Twin Spires in the Locust Grove, Vanderbilt, and Open Mind Stakes, and let's not forget the beginning of the Road to the Derby and Oaks with the Iroquois and Pocahontas, it was a banner day for the sport. Here is your complete recap of the weekend’s biggest winners, stretch battles, and standout performances across all three tracks.
INDEX
Woodbine
Winner: Notable Speech | Jockey: William Buick | Trainer: Charles Appleby
A year ago, Notable Speech won the Woodbine Mile on the inner turf, when the E.P. Taylor course was undergoing renovation. In Saturday’s title defense, the son of Dubawi met a deeper field on the newly revamped course proper, and he confirmed his superiority.
Deterministic, who brought a six-race winning streak into Woodbine, promised to give him a battle. Aside from his resume as a multiple Grade 1 star, the Miguel Clement trainee had a dangerous profile as the controlling speed. Hence Deterministic attracted plenty of early money before ultimately going off as the 1.10-1 second choice.
For much of the way, Deterministic had things his own way through sensible fractions of :24.36, :47.89, and 1:10.73 on the firm turf. Notable Speech was content to settle several lengths back in fifth, but when angled out to find a seam down the lane, he delivered his trademark change of gear.
Overhauling Deterministic by 1 1/4 lengths, Notable Speech polished off the mile in 1:33.86 to rack up his seventh Grade/Group 1 trophy.
RELATED: Notable Speech repeats in Woodbine Mile; Gimme a Nother takes E.P. Taylor
Winner: Gimmie a Nother | Jockey: John Velazquez | Trainer: Graham Motion
Drawing post 1 proved to be a blessing for Gimme a Nother, whose ground-saving trip was key in her narrow victory over wide-rallying rivals. But the Graham Motion mare also had the tactical finesse to draft just behind the early crawl, and that well-judged ride by Hall of Famer John Velazquez was no less decisive.
Gimme a Nother had closed from farther back in the Beverly D. (G2) last time out, and the same pacesetter who nearly stole it at Colonial Downs, Achieve, tried again here. Achieve strolled through splits of :26.52, :51.77, and 1:16.60 before the tracking Venetian Lace challenged at the mile mark in 1:40.26.
While Achieve soon beat a retreat, and Venetian Lace briefly took over, the mad dash for home was just beginning. Diamond Rain had every chance, only to look like a dour stayer caught flat-footed in the cavalry charge. Jancis and See the Fire had to fan out wide from farther back, yet both still caught fire with blistering stretch rallies.
Gimme a Nother shifted off the fence to avoid the backpedaling Achieve, seized a seam to the inside of Venetian Lace, and quickened smartly. See the Fire and Jancis kept coming, but Gimme a Nother fought on to keep her neck in front.
By clocking 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.71, the South African champion achieved two milestones. She earned her first North American Grade 1 laurel and became a millionaire.
RELATED: Notable Speech repeats in Woodbine Mile; Gimme a Nother takes E.P. Taylor:
Winner: Al Hudaiba | Jockey: William Buick | Trainer: Charles Apleby
Although drifting towards the stands after making the lead in deep stretch of the $361,157 Summer (G1) at Woodbine on Saturday, the experience and class of Al Hudaiba proved too much for his seven rivals in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge prep for the Juvenile Turf (G1).
Favored at approximately 3-5, Al Hudaiba bided his time in sixth as longshot Quipster carved out a soft pace of :23.67, :47.96, and 1:12.47. Making a five-wide bid turning for home under Will Buick, Al Hudaiba surged to overtake his rivals and, despite the ducking out, won going away by 1 3/4 lengths. Second choice Oscar finished second, three-quarters of a length in front of Induction.
A homebred racing for Godolphin and trained by Charlie Appleby, Al Hudaiba paid $3.30 after covering one mile on firm ground in 1:35.66.
Al Hudaiba has now won four of six starts. Prior to the Summer, the son of Dark Angel won the Superlative (G2) at Newmarket by a nose and then finished third, beaten a half-length, as the favorite in the Vintage (G2) at Goodwood.
Finishing ahead of Al Hudaiba in the Vintage were Dr Rascal and subsequent Acomb (G3) winner Haffner, who were expected to be leading contenders in the Vincent O’ Brien National (G1) at the Curragh on Sunday.
Winner: Voyager | Jockey: Javier Castellano | Trainer: Mark Casse
Mark Casse had five of the 11 starters in the $363,679 Natalma (G1) and the most fancied of them, Voyager, provided the Hall of Fame trainer with a record extending ninth win in the one-mile grass test for two-year-old fillies.
Under Javier Castellano, Voyager struck the front approaching the eighth pole and maintained an advantage of 1 1/4 lengths at the wire, defeating Soaring Free S. winner De la Renta and Embouteillage. The pacesetting favorite, Lamirada, weakened to seventh.
The third overall choice, Voyager returned $9.50 after completing the course in 1:35.06.
Second in her first two outings on dirt, including the Schuylerville S. at Saratoga, Voyager is now 2-for-2 on the grass, preceding this with a wire-to-wire graduation by a nose going 1 1/16 miles over Saratoga’s inner turf. She is now likely to be pointed toward the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 30, for which she earned an expense paid bid winning the Natalma.
Churchill Downs
Winner: Salahudin | Jockey: Jose Ortiz | Trainer: Bob Baffert
Favored at odds-on, Salahudin gave supporters some anxious moments when missing the break in Saturday’s $300,000 Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, starting multiple lengths behind the field. His trip continued to be adventurous, as the unbeaten colt took the overland path into the far turn and was fanned at least six paths wide approaching the stretch.
But Salahudin had all the momentum while straightening for home, striking the front in upper stretch and forging his way to a short lead with a sixteenth of a mile remaining. The Bob Baffert-trained colt wound up scoring by a half-length and earned 10 points winning the first Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier.
Jose Ortiz picked up the mount from an injured Florent Geroux and Salahudin completed the one-turn mile in 1:36.54.
RELATED: Salahudin overcomes tough trip, wins first Kentucky Derby qualifier in Iroquois
Winner: Manuka Honey | Jockey: Luis Saez | Trainer: Brian Lynch
Manuka Honey launched her bid leaving the far turn and drove to a two-length victory in Saturday’s $297,750 Pocahontas (G2) at Churchill Downs. Now unbeaten from three starts, the Brian Lynch-trained daughter of Upstart confirmed herself as a serious contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and picked up 10 points winning the first Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifying race, scoring by two lengths beneath regular rider Luis Saez.
A seven-length winner of the Aug. 9 Ellis Park Debutante, Manuka Honey broke her maiden by a 7 1/4-length margin when making her career debut at Churchill in mid-June. The early/presser had to work harder in the Pocahontas, wearing down pacesetter Scarlet Begonia in deep stretch to win going away in the end, and the odds-on favorite completed the one-turn mile in 1:36.90.
RELATED: Manuka Honey wins first Oaks prep, remains perfect in Pocahontas
Winner: Splendora | Jockey: Flavien Prat | Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey Flavien Prat bagged three stakes wins at Churchill Downs on Saturday, including an odds-on success aboard Splendora in the $326,000 Locust Grove (G2) for fillies and mares.
In a field reduced to four after two scratches, Splendora held a significant class and pace advantage. Sent to the lead at odds of 1-5, Splendora proceeded to set comfortable fractions of :24.28, :47.86, and 1:11.84. In upper stretch, the five-year-old daughter of Audible kicked clear and passed the wire 5 1/4 lengths ahead of Yes It Tiz. Immersive, the 2024 juvenile filly champion, was third.
Owned by Randy Boy and By Talla Racing, the Bob Baffert-trained Splendora paid $2.40 after completing 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.30.
RELATED: Splendora among three stakes winners for Prat at Churchill
Winner: Usha | Jockey: Flavien Prat | Trainer: Bob Baffert
The stakes action on Saturday kicked off with the $268,500 Open Mind S., a six-furlong dash for fillies and mares, where 3-2 favorite Usha saved ground before rallying up the rail to win by three parts of a length under Prat.
Victorious in the La Brea (G1) in December and the Winning Colors (G3) in late May, Usha won over 2025 Eight Belles (G2) winner Look Forward, who was racing for the first time in 13 months. Finishing third in the field of seven was Cash Call, stablemate of Usha in the barn of Bob Baffert.
Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Usha paid $5.08 after completing the Open Mind in 1:10.55.
RELATED: Splendora among three stakes winners for Prat at Churchill
Society Stakes
Winner: Built | Jockey: Flavien Prat | Trainer: Wayne Catalano
Class also prevailed in the $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society S., as odds-on choice Built seized control approaching the quarter pole and increased his advantage to 1 1/2 lengths to the wire under Prat.
Exiting a 2 1/2-length win in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G2) at Saratoga, in which he defeated subsequent Forego (G1) winner Hymn, Built finished up 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.28 and paid $3.32. Echo Again, the longest shot on the board at 48-1, finished a surprising second, two lengths ahead of 13-1 chance Dreaminblue.
RELATED: Splendora among three stakes winners for Prat at Churchill:
Leopardstown
Winner: Hotazhell | Jockey: S Foley | Trainer: Jessica Harrington
The Irish Champion was expected to revolve around the principals from the Juddmonte International (G1), chief among them third-placer Constitution River, who was favored to turn the tables on Item and Almaqam.
Instead, the real pointer turned out to be the July 26 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis (G1) at Munich, where Hotazhell ended his losing skid, and Wimbledon Hawkeye was a rattling third. Their renewal of rivalry here was overlooked, but these were the two fighting out the finish.
The Jessica Harrington-trained Hotazhell ($76.90) was the forgotten horse after a winless sophomore campaign in 2025. Yet the well-named Too Darn Hot colt had loads of back class from his juvenile days, particularly an upset of Delacroix in the 2024 Futurity Trophy (G1) at Doncaster, and his recent heroics in Germany showed that he was still capable.
Hotazhell hunted down Constitution River, only to find Wimbledon Hawkeye suddenly swooping from last. In a desperate finish, Hotazhell just lasted by a whisker in 2:02.53 for 1 1/4 miles on the good course.
RELATED: Hotazhell upsets Irish Champion; Blue Bolt strikes again in Matron
Winner: Blue Bolt | Jockey: C T Keane | Trainer: Andrew Balding
Blue Bolt ($3.00) swept from just off the pace to remain perfect in 2026. Trained by Andrew Balding and confidently handled by Juddmonte’s retained rider, Colin Keane, the odds-on favorite had 2 1/4 lengths to spare over City of Memphis.
Defending champion Fallen Angel salvaged third in a photo with the 125-1 shot Duckadilly. Ballydoyle’s Precise was a flat fifth, and stablemate True Love couldn’t get closer than sixth in the nine-horse field.
RELATED: Hotazhell upsets Irish Champion; Blue Bolt strikes again in Matron:
Winner: Darkness Falls | Jockey: R L Moore | Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
The lone bright for Ballydoyle came courtesy of Darkness Falls ($3.70), who dominated the remodeled Golden Fleece (G1) for juveniles. Formerly a one-mile Group 2 known as the Champions Juvenile, the contest was extended to 1 1/8 miles and upgraded to top-level status this year.
Darkness Falls propelled himself into antepost favoritism for the Derby (G1) at Epsom with his 4 1/4-length romp. Under Ryan Moore, who also guided him to a seven-length maiden conquest at the Curragh, the bay broke like a shot but eased back to rate kindly. His staying power came to the fore as he asserted his authority in 1:51.73, advancing his line to 3-2-0-1.
RELATED: Hotazhell upsets Irish Champion; Blue Bolt strikes again in Matron
Winner: Arabian Crown | Jockey: James Doyle | Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Godolphin’s Arabian Crown poached the 1 1/2-mile Kilternan on the front end. The Charlie Appleby trainee held sway by 2 1/4 lengths from Sons and Lovers while clocking 2:32.31. Juddmonte hotpot Purview, left with too much to do far back in the field, rallied well to snatch third.
RELATED: Hotazhell upsets Irish Champion; Blue Bolt strikes again in Matron
Winner: Quddwah | Jockey: James Doyle | Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford
Quddwah, a six-year-old son of Kingman and multiple Group 1 winner Sajjhaa, improved his scorecard to 17-9-2-0. Seven of those wins have come in stakes, most notably the 2024 Summer Mile (G2) at Ascot, the 2025 Prix Messidor (G3), and the Zabeel Mile (G2) and Singspiel (G2) during the 2026 Dubai Carnival.
RELATED: Hotazhell upsets Irish Champion; Blue Bolt strikes again in Matron
More Ireland Racing Results Coming Soon!
Stay-tuned for more horse racing results from the international front with Sunday Ireland racing results.
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