Redwood has been pegged as the slight 4-1 morning line favorite for the $1.5 million Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT) at Woodbine Oct. 15 as a record 16 horses were entered.
Owned by Juddmonte Farms, Redwood won Woodbine's Northern Dancer Stakes (Can-IT) last year and finished a close third behind Joshua Tree and Mores Wells in the 1 1/2-mile Canadian International.
The British homebred 5-year-old son of two-time Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) winner High Chaparral is conditioned by Charles Hills, taking over for his father, Barry. He will be ridden by regular pilot Michael Hills from post 10.
This year's Canadian International is dominated by Europeans, with nine overseas shippers in the field, including Joshua Tree and Mores Wells. Rahystrada is the only United States-based competitor that was entered.
Treasure Beach, from Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien's stable, is 9-2 on the morning line. The 3-year-old son of Galileo shipped over to capture the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) on yielding turf at Arlington Park Aug. 13. He enters off a 14th place finish in the Qatar Prix d’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) after unexpectedly setting the pace. Colm O’Donoghue, who won last year's International aboard Joshua Tree--then trained by O'Brien--has the mount. They will break from post 13.
Joshua Tree, listed at 5-1, was purchased by K.K. Al Nabooda and R. A. Albahou earlier this year and was campaigned in Qatar before being sent to trainer Marco Botti’s stable in Newmarket this summer.
In addition to the Canadian International, two other grade I turf stakes will highlight the undercard: the $1 million E.P. Taylor at 1 1/4 miles for fillies and mares, and the $500,000 Nearctic, for 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs.
All three stakes are also Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ races, meaning the winners earn all-expenses paid berths into their respective Breeders’ Cup contests Nov. 4-5 at Churchill Downs.
Redwood, seeking his first win since the Northern Dancer 13 months ago, is the field’s leading money winner with more than $2.3 million. He’s won four of 15 career starts with seven other placings.
So far this year, he’s been second in both the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I) in March at Meydan and in the Princess of Wales’s (Eng-II) in July at Newmarket for the second straight year. The dark bay horse comes into the International off a fourth-place finish as the favorite in the Coutts Glorious Stakes (Eng-III) July 29 at Goodwood, a race he won in 2010.
A victory would give Juddmonte a record fourth International win, following Champs Elysees in 2009, stakes record-holder Raintrap in 1994, and French Glory in 1990.
Treasure Beach is owned by Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, and Michael Tabor--the same owners that won last year's International with Joshua Tree. The British-bred colt won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-I) at the Curragh in June and has banked more than $1.8 million in a 10-race career that includes five victories and four other placings.
O’Brien, who also won the Canadian International with Ballingarry in 2002, can tie Pete McCann, Horatio Luro, and Maurice Zilber for most wins in the race.
Joshua Tree, who drew post 7, is to be ridden by Adam Kirby. The 4-year-old Irish-bred son of Montjeu posted a mild 9-2 upset in last year's renewal when he drove from mid-pack in the final furlong to get up by a head over Mores Wells.
A winner in three of nine lifetime outings, with earnings of over $1.5 million, the bay colt has started twice under Botti’s care. Joshua Tree was most recently a distant third to Danedream in the Grosser Preis von Baden (Ger-I) Sept. 4. Danedream, a 3-year-old filly, went on to crush the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe field at Longchamp Oct. 2.
Rahystrada, 12-1 on the morning line, drew post 9 with Julien Leparoux named to ride. The 7-year-old Rahy gelding won the 12-furlong Kentucky Cup Turf (gr. IIIT) at Kentucky Downs Sept. 10 for trainer Byron Hughes and owner Robert Courtney.
Sarah Lynx, an Irish-bred 4-year-old filly by Montjeu, is the lone female in the field. She attempts to become just the sixth distaffer, and first since Infamy in 1988, to win the International. Sarah Lynx finished fourth behind Galikova in the Qatar Prix Vermeille (FR-I) Sept. 11 at Longchamp in her most recent start for trainer John Hammond and owner Mrs. Robert Ehrnhooth. Christophe Soumillon, who won last year’s E.P. Taylor aboard Reggane, has the mount on Sarah Lynx, who drew the rail.
Quest for Peace is a lightly-raced 3-year-old son of Galileo who won the Cumberland Lodge Stakes (Eng-III) by two lengths at Ascot Oct. 1 over another Canadian International entrant Arctic Cosmos. Trained by Luca Camani, who won the 1988 International with Infamy, Quest for Peace is owned by Australian syndicate OTI Racing and will be ridden by Kieren Fallon.
Arctic Cosmos was making his 2011 debut in the Cumberland Lodge for trainer John Gosden. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of North Light has recovered from a leg injury sustained while preparing for last year's International following his victory in the Ladbrokes English St. Leger (Eng-I) at Doncaster.
Catherine O’Flynn’s Mores Wells, a British-bred 7-year-old son of Sadler’s Wells, was second at 20-1 odds to Joshua Tree in last year’s International. Now trained by Mikel Delzangles, Mores Wells is coming off a runner-up finish in the group III Stockholm Cup International. He will be ridden again by Sebastien Maillot.
Owner Ramzan Kadyrov, the president of Chechen Republic, has a pair of entrants in Bronze Cannon and Mikhail Glinka, both trained by Herman Brown. Bronze Cannon, a dual group II winner, will be ridden by Tom Queally, while group III winner Mikhail Glinka, another Irish-bred Galileo colt, will be handled by Bernard Fayd’Herbe.
The Canadian contingent consists of Simmard, Musketier , Laureate Conductor, Celtic Conviction, Kara's Orientation, and Miami Deco.
Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield will saddle Simmard, most recently second, a neck behind Wigmore Hall in the Northern Dancer, and multiple stakes winner Musketier as he tries for his first International win. Six-year-old Kentucky-bred Simmard, also co-owned by Attfield and William Werner, will be ridden by Patrick Husbands, while the 9-year-old German-bred Musketier draws the services of jockey John Velazquez.
Celtic Conviction will try to become the sixth Canadian-bred to win the International, the last being Thornfield in 1999. Last year’s winner of the Cup and Saucer will be ridden by Emile Ramsammy for trainer Mike Doyle and co-owner Dura Racing. Celtic Conviction lost the final jewel of the Canadian Triple crown, the Breeders' Stakes, by a nose Aug. 7.
Kara's Orientation, front-running winner of the 1 1/4-mile Sky Classic (Can-IIT) over the course Aug. 21, is the likely pacesetter with Joel Rosario aboard.
Miami Deco, a Canadian-bred trained by Brian Lynch for Jim and Susan Hill, was a late entrant into the field with Corey Nakatani to ride. He won last year’s Breeders’ Stakes at 65-1.
$1.5 Million Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT, Race 10, 5:42 p.m.), 3 & Up, 1 1/2 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Sarah Lynx (IRE), Christophe Soumillon, 123, John Hammond, 15-1
2. Arctic Cosmos (KY), William Buck, 126, John Gosden, 6-1
3. Musketier (GER), John Velazquez, 126, Roger Attfield, 15-1
4. Simmard (KY), Patrick Husbands, 126, Roger Attfield, 15-1
5. Quest for Peace (IRE), Kieren Fallon, 119, Luca Cumani, 8-1
6. Mores Wells (GB), Sebastien Maillot, 126, Mikel Delzangles, 15-1
7. Joshua Tree (IRE), Adam Kirby, 126, Marco Botti, 5-1
8. Celtic Conviction (CAN), Emile Ramsammy, 119, Michael Doyle, 30-1
9. Rahystrada (KY), Julien Leparoux, 126, Byron Hughes, 12-1
10. Redwood (GB), Michael Hills, 126, Charles Hughes, 4-1
11. Laureate Conductor (KY), Luis Contreras, 126, Michael De Paulo, 30-1
12. Mikhail Glinka (IRE), Bernard Fayd'Herbe, 126, Herman Brown, 30-1
13. Treasure Beach (GB), Colm O'Donoghue, 119, 9-2, Aidan O'Brien
14. Kara's Orientation (KY), Joel Rosario, 126, Steven Chircop, 30-1
15. Bronze Cannon (KY), Thomas Queally, 126, Herman Brown. 20-1
16. Miami Deco (CAN), Corey Nakatani, 126, Brian Lynch, 30-1