Canadian International - Will there be an Erupt-ion at Woodbine?
We head north of the border Sunday to visit
Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, the scene of the biggest race of the
weekend - the Grade 1 Canadian International. A quality group of horses, three-year
old and upward, will travel 1 1/2-miles over the beautiful
and spacious E.P. Taylor turf course for the winner's share of a very nice
$800,000 purse.
A
field of 10 will enter the gate for the 80th renewal of this elite event,
including a pair of runners from two of the top American trainers, Michael
Maker and Graham Motion. Also, another top name whose horses will grace the
grounds at Woodbine on Sunday is legendary conditioner, Aidan O'Brien. The
48-year old Irish trainer, who sends over Idaho for this affair, is
certainly no stranger when it comes to winning major world class races. He has
amassed 300 of them, which span across four continents and nine countries.
Among that success is two Canadian International victories (2002 -
2010).
O'Brien
has won 23 G1 races in 2017, two shy of the all-time record set in
a calendar year, held by another legend, the late Bobby Frankel. O'Brien
could equal or break the record prior to Sunday as three of his runners
participate in G1 events Friday and Saturday in Europe. Another horse that
gives the O'Brien team added ammunition is, Rain Goddess, the three-year
old filly is entered in the G1 E.P. Taylor Stakes one race before
the feature event.
If
the record does fall, this weekend, where will it happen? Europe or
Canada? Only time will tell, but of course, hopes are high for the local
population that they can witness the record breaking historical
moment at Woodbine.
Since
its inception in 1938 when the race began on dirt, the Canadian
International has seen its fair share of changes: Location/venue,
distance, surface, and purse value. The race was switched over to the grass
beginning in 1958.
Back
on October 28th, 1973, racing fans fortunate enough to be at Woodbine,
witnessed the mighty Secretariat make
his final start in the Canadian International.
The
distance of the race at the time, and right up until 1986, was
1-5/8-miles, and contested over the Marshall turf course, which was
situated on the outside of the old dirt track, then would cross over the
dirt to the inner turf course.
It
was a real challenge for horses to navigate such a setup, but with Secretariat
being such an incredible athlete, neither the soft footing from the rains
that were falling, the extra distance of ground, nor track
configuration prevented the 1973 Triple Crown champion from
winning on that cold, damp, dreary and foggy late afternoon. Big Red romped
home, crossing the finish line 6 1/2-lengths in front of his nearest
rival. His margin of victory is the widest winning margin in the history of the
race.
By
contrast, the nose victory by Mutafaweg in 2000 is the smallest winning margin.
The
first Canadian International winner over the E.P. Taylor course, was
Raintrap, in 1994. His winning time of 2:25.60 is the fastest recorded in the
race for the 1-1/2 miles.
Post
time for this year's edition, race 10 on the card is set for 6:10pm E.S.T.
Let's
look at the participants from the rail out.
PP
- Horse - Jockey/Trainer
1 - Oscar Nominated –
Julian Leparoux/Michael Maker--He is a bona-fide turf runner who has been
very consistent throughout his career. Hasn't really thrown in a start
that can be described as a poor performance. Even his two G1 races where
he finished seventh and eighth at Monmouth and Arlington, respectively, were
good showings as he wasn't beat by all that much in either event. He's been on
the fringes of graded stakes success all year and last time out at Kentucky
Downs, the drop to G3 company got the job done.
2 - Flamboyant - Joel
Rosario/Patrick Gallagher--Following a half-dozen races in France, he arrived
here in North America into the care of his current trainer and promptly won his
U.S. debut at Santa Anita in a minor stakes. Other than a couple of trips
to New York and another to Dubai, he's strictly been campaigned in California.
Owns plenty of experience in turf marathons and graded stakes, but
this multiple G2 winner hasn't won a race in nearly two years.
3 - Enterprising
– Rafael Hernandez/Michael Maker--Spent his entire juvenile and sophomore
seasons racing in California where he had some success in listed and black-type
stakes. He did manage to win the G3 La Jolla while out west.
Registered back-to-back graded stakes victories at the Fairgrounds earlier this
in the year, and ran very well when finishing fourth contesting the G1
Arlington Million, despite being in tight quarters in the stretch run. His nine
wins from his 33 races have been sporadic and against softer competition.
4 - Idaho - Ryan
Moore/Aidan O'Brien--As a three-year old colt last year sporting a fancy
record, he was made the betting favorite, but ended up disappointing his
backers when finishing fifth. Launched his four-year old campaign with a
non-threatening 6th-place finish in the Coronation Cup, then had back-to-back races
at Ascot, winning the G1 Hardwicke Stakes and finishing third behind Enable in
the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. He faltered again as the betting
choice in the Sword Dancer at Saratoga, then checked in eighth in the
18-horse Arc de Triomphe, captured convincingly by Enable.
5
- Johnny Bear
– Luis Contreras/Ashlee Brnjas—Has only raced at three different tracks, Tampa
Bay and Gulfstream for winter time and here at Woodbine, where he's based
the rest of the year. Made a gigantic leap into G1 company last out in the
Northern Dancer Stakes, and the rise in class proved successful when he chased
down the leader with a determined stretch run, catching that foe near
the wire and getting the victory.
6 - Postulation – Jorge
Vargas/Edward Graham--After coming over from Ireland where he won a few
races, he's competed stateside for a couple of years before finally
breaking through this season with a wire-to-wire score in a minor stake at
Delaware Park. Doubled up in the win column with a convincing score in the G3
American St Leger, then lost a tough stretch battle by a head last out at
Kentucky Downs. He now encounters the winner of that affair in here. This
marks his first Grade 1 appearance.
7 - Bullards Alley –
Eurico Rosa da Silva/Tim Glyshaw—Well-traveled with visits to 11 different
racing venues, including here at Woodbine back in the summer where he just
missed winning the G2 Singspiel Stakes. He's winless this year and
has never won above the G3 level. This is his first go at Grade
1 competition.
8
- Messi
– Jose Ortiz/Graham Motion--Seven-year old has raced on this side of the
Atlantic since last summer after arriving from Germany where he was bred and
began his career. He's won a Grade 3 and a Grade 2, so connections are
hoping he can finally add a G1 title to his long resume of races. He
came close to getting that G1 in the Northern Dancer last start over this
turf course, but he was blocked in the stretch, and when finally clear, his
rally up the rail was short by three-quarters of a length. He won the
10-furlong Sky Classic Stakes here last summer.
9 - Erupt – Junior
Alvarado/Graham Motion--Has earned frequent-flyer miles with stops
on three continents. Won the first four races of his career in France in
2015, then didn't win another race for 15-months when he erupted (pun intended)
at 12-1 odds to win this race last October. Defending champion is winless in
three starts this season although he finished fourth in his seasonal debut in
the G1 Prix Ganay behind winner Cloth of Stars, who subsequently was runner-up
in the Arc behind filly sensation Enable.
10
- Chemical Charge
– Oisin Murphy/ Ralph Beckett--Irish-bred invader has also made
several stops at different racing venues, but over in Europe, where he's done
all his racing. Won a Group 3 on the Kempton Park Polytrack last
month. He's run very well on turf this year with two wins, two
seconds and a third. All but two of his 13 races have been at
a-mile-and-a-quarter or beyond. Testing the Grade 1 waters for the first time.
Analysis:
Like any major turf race that involves the Euro's, that where I begin my
handicapping assessment. Why? 1) Because runners shipping from
Europe are often among the best grass horses in the world, and 2) European
shippers have dominated the International in recent years, winning the last six
years.
European
racing is so far superior to North American grass racing, that horses coming
out of the Group 1 events over in England, France, Ireland and
Germany sometimes appear to be taking a drop in class when they meet
opponents in Grade 1 races on this side of the Atlantic. And when the Grade 1
race here lacks bona-fide North American Grade 1 horses, as is the case in
this year's International, the Euro's often hold a distinct class edge.
A
quick perusal of the running lines of both Erupt and Idaho indicates
the strength of the company they have faced. A few of
the opponents they have fared
well against are top rated racehorses on the
globe that would tower enormously over this field if sent over
to contest this affair.
Erupt,
looking to defend his title, enters this race off an identical layoff as
last year, and gets first-time Lasix for a high-profile trainer with a high win
percentage in the category. Idaho, exiting the Arc de Triomphe, arguably the
greatest horse race in the world, where his eighth-place finish
in the 18-horse field was far better than it appeared, looks
to improve upon last year's fifth-place outing. Both certainly have the
class, having proven themselves several times at the highest level of
racing, and one of them should prevail here.
Note: There is a 90%
chance of precipitation for the Toronto region on Sunday, so the impending
weather could factor heavily in the outcome. Erupt, prefers his turf firm,
while Idaho’s best results have come on
rain softened footing.
With that said, I’ll side with the O’Brien runner and
hope fans can witness history again.
Some thoughts about a few of the
others I will use in exactas and superfectas. Chemical Charge, another invader from
Europe, has plenty of experience at this marathon distance with excellent
results, and wasn't that far behind Idaho at Ascot. He too goes first-time
Lasix. Messi
was blocked in the stretch of the Northern Dancer at a critical time, and it
may have cost him the victory in the Northern Dancer.
The winner of that race, Johnny
Bear, the Woodbine horse that took a quantum leap forward to G1
company, will receive plenty of local fan support, and is currently in the best
form of his life. Oscar
Nominated just never seems to run a bad race and is always in
the mix.
Good luck, and as always,
enjoy the race.
