Can'thelpbelieving, second last time out in the United Nations Stakes (G1T), leads a short field of five signed up to travel 10 furlongs on the Woodbine turf in the $175,000 Nijinsky Stakes (G2T) July 29.
The turf marathon niche has proven one that suits Jed Cohen's Itsinthepost as the bay gelding scored his second straight graded triumph when he captured the $250,000 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) by 1 1/4 lengths over Charming Kitten.
Long-winded turf winners will run for $250,000 in the Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) with a deep field headed by Itsinthepost and Danish Dynaformer.
Speedy Heart to Heart will likely attempt to take his field wire to wire in the one mile Canadian Turf at Gulfstream Park, but European invader Projected represents a new threat to the millionaire.
Gail Wood and Dr. Ruth Barbour's homebred and longshot Bangkok nabbed odds-on favorite Melmich at the wire to win the Valedictory Stakes (Can-III) Dec. 4 at Woodbine.
Melmich and Aldous Snow have class edge in 14-furlong heat over Woodbine's all-weather surface
Also entered are graded stakes winners Danish Dynaformer and Ami's Holiday.
Back home at Woodbine, Ronald Kirk, John Bates, and Michael Riordan's Are You Kidding Me thrived like it was 2015 in the $200,000 Eclipse Stakes (Can-II) May 28.
Are You Kidding Me, last year's Sovereign Award winner for champion older horse, is set to make his second start of the year in the Eclipse Stakes (Can-II) Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) winner Catch a Glimpse was honored as Canada's Horse of the Year for 2015 and her trainer Mark Casse was named outstanding trainer a ninth time.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) winner Catch a Glimpse and her trainer, Mark Casse, are nominated for multiple Sovereign Awards, which will be presented during a ceremony April 8.
In its last running before being elevated to grade III status for 2016, the $100,000 Harlan's Holiday will offer another highly competitive field that includes a quartet of graded stakes winners Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
JMJ Racing Stables' Interpol has caught much of the betting public by surprise in his last two upset victories, but he won't be sneaking up on anyone in the $1 million Pattison Canadian International Stakes (Can-IT) Oct. 18.
JMJ Racing Stables' Interpol struck the front at the top of the stretch and held off a late-closing drive from Habibi to win the $300,000 Northern Dancer (Can-IT) Sept. 13 at Woodbine.
Five proven graded winners will try for their first top-level victory in North America Sept. 13 in the $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Presented by HPIBet (Can-IT) at Woodbine.
Interpol was the longest shot on the board but the first at the wire in the $200,000 Sky Classic Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine, earning his first graded victory in his second attempt at that level Aug. 16.
Are You Kidding Me leads three horses coming out of the Nijinsky Stakes as they stretch out to 10 furlongs in the Sky Classic and face off against last year's Belmont Derby winner Mr Speaker.
Live Oak Plantation's Florida Won returned to his winning form with a fast-closing victory in the $150,000 Seagram Cup Stakes (Can-III) Aug. 2 at Woodbine.
Sam-Son Farm homebred His Race to Win will seek a repeat performance in the $150,000 Seagram Cup Stakes (Can-III) Aug. 2 at Woodbine.
Ten older turf runners will face off in an evenly drawn edition of the Nijinsky Stakes, including two German imports making their first starts in North America
After being eased during his seasonal debut in the Donn Handicap (gr. I) Feb. 7 at Gulfstream Park, Protonico bounced back with an easy victory in the $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes (gr. III) Saturday, April 11 at Keeneland.
Protonico, winner of the Discovery Handicap (gr. III) and runner-up in the Clark Handicap (gr. I) to close 2014, will carry top weight of 120 pounds in a field of six entered for the April 11 Ben Ali (gr. III) at Keeneland.
Live Oak Plantation's Florida Won rallied from last and outkicked Canadian classic winner Coltimus Prime in the final sixteenth to win the Ontario Derby Stakes (Can-III) Sept. 21 at Woodbine.
Coltimus Prime and Ami's Holiday, two of the best 3-year-olds in Canada this year, square off again in the $150,000 Ontario Derby (Can-III) at Woodbine Sunday, Sept. 21.
Ami's Holiday's class showed through as he rallied from between rivals in deep stretch to capture the $460,220 Breeders' Stakes, the final jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, in his turf debut Aug. 17 at Woodbine.
| Horse | Trainer | Breeder / Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Ami's Holiday | Josie Carroll |
|
| Bangkok | W. Phillip Gracey |
|
| Big Red Bugsy | Ian Black |
|
| East Side | Mark E. Casse |
|
| Interpol | James J. Toner |
|
| Keen Gizmo | Josie Carroll |
|
| Milwaukee Flash | Michael J. Doyle |
|
| Niigon Express | Paul Attard |
|
| Sine Metu | Thomas O'Keefe |
|
| Smart Spree | Vito Armata |
|
| Squeeze the King | Jamen Davidovich |
|
| Unikat | Brian A. Lynch |
|
| Race | Track | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Nijinsky S. (G2T) | WO | 7/29 |
| Royal North S. (G3T) | WO | 7/29 |
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