Idaho Looks to Star in Canadian International

Photo Credit: WEG/Michael Burns

The flavor of the day at Woodbine on Sunday, October 16th, will be an international one as five Grade/Group One winners comprise a field of nine horses, from both sides of the Atlantic and both sides of the border. They are set to contest the $1 million GI Pattison Canadian International at 1 1/2 miles on the expansive E.P.Taylor turf course. The European contingent includes Erupt, a 4-year old Irish-bred colt who won his first four races last season as a sophomore, including a two length victory in the prominent Grand Prix de Paris (GI). He closed out his 3-year old year with a strong fifth-place showing in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (GI), defeated by 2015 Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up, Golden Horn. He then recorded a solid fifth, beaten less than two lengths in the 18 horse field that contested the Japan Cup (GI).

The Francis Henri Graffard trained runner is winless in four attempts this campaign, but he has kept strong company overseas, competing in the Prix d'Ispahan (GI), Grand Prix de Saint Cloud (GI), King George VI/Queen Elizabeth Stakes (GI), and the Grand Prix de Deauville (GII). Andreas Woehler brings German-bred Protectionist, a G1 stakes winner at Hoppegarten in August. The six year old's record also sports a win in the 2014 Melbourne Cup (GI). Aiden O'Brien ships in the Irish-bred Idaho, who was third in in the G1 Epsom Derby and runner-up in the Irish Derby (GI) before being victorious in the Great Voltigeur Stakes (GII). Jockey Ryan Moore, fresh off a winning ride in the Arc de Triomphe two weeks ago, will be aboard the 3-year old colt.

Riding at Woodbine certainly brings out the best in Moore. In seven career appearances at the Toronto track, the 33-year old Moore has three wins, two second-place finishes and a third. Sir Michael Stoute sends over Dartmouth, a 4-year old colt who has won half of his 14 starts, including a mid-June score in the Hardwicke Stakes (GII) at Ascot. Following a third-place effort against Highland Reel in the King George VI/Queen Elizabeth Stakes (GI) Ascot in late July, he was dropped in class when placed in the Legacy Cup Stakes (GIII), but couldn't get the job done over the soft ground that day at Newbury. He should see firm ground on Sunday. Three of the four U.S based runners here to do battle, The Pizza Man, Wakeforest and World Approval, are all G1 winners and formed the winning trifecta in the Northern Dancer (GI) at Woodbine last month. Taghleeb, a $62,500 claim in July at Saratoga picked up his first stakes win by beating seven rivals in the Remington Green Stakes two starts later at Remington Park. Local horse, Danish Dynaformer, hails from the barn of legendary Canadian trainer Roger Attfield. The four year old colt finished seventh in this event last year and will be Attfield's 22nd starter in the Canadian International. The best previous placings in this event for the 8-time Queens' Plate winning trainer were runner-up finishes in: 1989, 1994 and 2008. The most celebrated winner of this race is slightly more noted for his work on the dirt: Secretariat concluded his racing career by winning the 1973 Canadian International, displaying his panache in the homeland of trainer Lucien Laurin and his regular rider Ron Turcotte. Let's take a look at the field of 9 horses, with jockey assignments, that will line up in the starting gate for one of Canada's richest thoroughbred races. 1 - DANISH DYNAFORMER - Joel Rosario 2 - WORLD APPROVAL - Julien Leparoux 3 - IDAHO - Ryan Moore 4 - THE PIZZA MAN - Flavien Prat 5 - DARMOUTH - William Buick 6 - WAKEFOREST - Javier Castellano 7 - TAGHLEEB - Florent Geroux 8 - ERUPT - Stephane Pasquier 9 - PROTECTIONIST - Andrea Atzeni

On the undercard: An even more international cast is in for the $500,000 G1 E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares run over one and one quarter miles. Of the 13, 10 have overseas experience in their careers. Of particular interest is Swiss Range, a John Gosden trained filly who competes in her third consecutive G1 race. Two back she ran a big race in the French Oaks beaten only four lengths. She ran a very well last out in the Nassaau Stakes at Goodwood. Back at the beginning of May, she won a listed race going 1 1/4 -miles. Similarly, Parvaneh was very good in her native Germany winning a G2 and G3, and has been on the fringes in G1 company. One can never discount the chances of an Aidan O'Brien-trained runner. The world's winningest Group 1 conditioner sends over aptly named Best In The World. The Irish-bred sophomore filly won a G3 stakes going 1 1/2-miles two back in her home country and then missed by a half-length on yielding ground in the Blandford Stakes (GIII) going 1/1/4-miles at the Curragh. U.S. runner Rainha Da Bateria ran very well last out in winning the nine furlong Canadian Stakes (GII) over this Woodbine course. Trainer Chad Brown opts to come back for this spot as opposed to heading to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, a spot this filly automatically earned with her latest victory. The local horses are: Strut The Course, who finished fourth in the Canadian Stakes last month and looks to improve upon her fourth place effort from last year's E.P. Taylor, and Uchenna, a 5-year old mare who began her career in Great Britain and now resides in the Woodbine barn of trainer Mark Casse, has good recent form after rallying from far back to capture the Belle Mahone Stakes. Eight are set for the $300,000 G2 Nearctic Stakes, run over the turf course at 6 furlongs. Stacked Deck and Calgary Cat, the first-and third-place finishers in the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes resurface here. Conquest Enforcer searches for a graded win. The three year old has won three of four races this year and four of six lifetime, all coming via stakes races, but none of them of the graded variety. The overseas threat is Divine, a Mick Channon-trained filly who is a graded winner in Ireland. The five year old mare has kept good company lately including a credible runner-up placing against the boys in the Hackwood Stakes (GIII).

ANALYSIS: It's been a half-dozen years since a 3-year old won this race when the Aidan O'Brien-trained Joshua Tree proved victorious. O'Brien tries to repeat the accomplishment with Idaho, the lone three year old in the field tackling older horses for the first time. He lost all chance last out, in the St Leger Stakes (GI), when he stumbled and unseated his rider. Prior to that, he was prominent against some of the top sophomore runners in Europe, including Epsom and Irish Derby winner Harzand.

In the latter race, the O'Brien horse was runner-up by a half-length. Ryan Moore pilots and he seeks his fourth consecutive win in this event. If the weather forecast of rain on Sunday holds true and softens up the footing, which this colt apparently thrives on, he could very well upend his elders. The 6-year old Protectionist is a perfect three for three this season and has appears to have recaptured his superb form of 2014, the year of his Melbourne Cup win. Five of his eight career victories include a trio of G2's and a pair of G1's. Has won three of six attempts at the 12-furlong distance. He has never encountered a turf course labeled Firm in his 21 starts, so your dealing in the unknown if the expected rain doesn't fall. Should the precipitation come as forecasted, he'll really enjoy the soft going and the long Woodbine straightaway. Dartmouth, representing Her Majesty The Queen, has been very consistent throughout his career. He launched the 2016 campaign with a three-race win streak, including a gutsy stretch run that resulted in a head victory in the Hardwick Stakes (GIII) at Ascot in June. One month later, he checked in third against eventual Arc runner-up Highland Reel in the King George/Queen Elizabeth Stakes (GI). He was then given a brief respite before his defeat last out in a G3 event at Newbury. He is alented, classy and in good current form. Erupt, a Group 1 winner last year in France is in the midst of a seven race losing skid and could be hindered if the turf course is anything but firm on Sunday. He was beaten just two-lengths in the Japan Cup (GI) at the end of last November and then caught soft ground and too short a distance when returning in May to contest the Prix d'Ispahan (GI) at Chantilly. However, he's performed quite admirably without winning in his last three, against strong competition. Man o'War Stakes (GI) winner Wakeforest didn't receive any pace help last out in the Northern Dancer Stakes (GI), but managed to come with his customary wicked late run to narrowly miss. He'll probably see a similar developing set-up here so that jockey Javier Castellano, one of the best grass riders in North America, will have to time it perfectly to run down what's ahead when his mount turns on the burners hitting the Woodbine stretch. This one would enjoy a firm turf course, but he's unlikely to get one. Play: IDAHO to win and box him in exactas to the other 3 Europeans, extra tickets with PROTECTIONIST. E.P. Taylor Win Selection: SWISS RANGE Neartic Win Selections CONQUEST ENFORCER

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