There have not been too man y more appropriate winning horse and owner combinations at Woodbine this season than CANADA winning the prestigious CUP & SAUCER STAKES at Woodbine for DJ Stable of Jonathan and Len Green. The Greens have long raced horses at Woodbine with trainer Mark Casse while also maintaining a successful American stable started by Len and Lois Green half a century ago. The Greens are always on the lookout for a Canadian bred at auctions and scooped one up just a few months ago at the OBS June 2-Year-Old in Training Sale in Ocala.
Having always wanted to name a horse ‘Canada’, they christened that $400,000 colt by retired stallion Medaglia d’Oro – Season Ticket by Lemon Drop Kid that very name and in his second career race, he won one of the country’s top juvenile races.
Canada, trained by Mark Casse. forged to the lead turning into the stretch of the $301,000 Cup & Saucer and won by 1 3/4 lengths less than four months after he was bought from the sale. In that auction, Canada, who was surely a bargain yearling purchase by 30-30 Ranch at $25,000 at the 2025 Keeneland September yearling sale worked in 21.20 for 2 furlongs displaying an impressive stride.
The $400,000 price tag seems like it may be a bargain too.
Ridden by Emma-Jayne Wilson, Canada chased the filly Mo Cookie early in the 1 1/16 mile Cup & Saucer, held on the E.P. Taylor turf. The fractions were not overly fast as Mo Cookie was soon pressed from the inside by one of the favourites, Simcoe Stakes winner King’s Counsel. The race’s strong choice, the maiden Bunyan from the Kevin Attard conglomeration, dropped back early and then moved up the rail to be just inside of Canada.
After half a mile in 48.06, Mo Cookie, a daughter of Modernist, edged clear of everyone and was still clear into the stretch through six furlongs in 1:12.03. Horses chasing along the inside seem to flounder while Canada had dead aim on the filly and gradually got past, Bunyan was along for third with another filly, Glorious Gem, landing fourth. The time of 1:43.96 was translated into a 77 Beyer Speed Figure.
Canada, second to the fleet first timer Atohi in his career debut in a Tapeta sprint, paid a hefty 8 to 1 to fans. He was racing with Lasix for the first time.
Canada’s dam, SEASON TICKET, won the Wonder Where Stakes on the grass for Woodford Racing and she comes from a productive female family curated by Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry from their mare Game (Fr), dam of Season Ticket and Breeders’ Stakes winner Belichick.
Season Ticket was bought by John Ropes and Rosegrove Farm in foal to Frosted in 2021 for $140,000 and that foal, Alongcomesawoman, is a 2-time winner. Canada was bred by Ropes and Godolphin in Ontario.
Canada’s earnings from two races stand at $140,601.
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