Front Runners for the Pattison Canadian International

Highland Reel, Dartmouth and The Pizza Man are among 26 nominated to the 79th running of the Grade 1, $1-million Pattison Canadian International, to be held Sunday, October 16, at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

In addition to the mile and one-half Pattison, one of Canada’s richest thoroughbred races (the other $1 million races are the Queen’s Plate and Ricoh Woodbine Mile), two other turf stakes will be showcased on the day – the Grade 1, $500,000 E.P. Taylor, presented by HPIBet at one mile and one-quarter for fillies and mares and the Grade 2, $300,000 Nearctic at six furlongs.

The Pattison Canadian International will be broadcast live on TSN1 from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. ET. The post-position draw for the International is slated for Thursday, October 13 at 12 p.m. in Woodbine’s east-end VIP tent and will be streamed live at CanadianInternational.com.

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Last year, Rabbah Bloodstock’s Cannock Chase, trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by champion jockey Ryan Moore, rallied to a 1 1/2-length score providing the rider with a third-straight International win after directing Joshua Tree in 2013 and Hillstar in 2014. The victory also marked the third International win for Stoute, following victories with champion Singspiel in 1996 and in 2015 with Hillstar.

Stoute will bring another strong contingent, with a regal flair, to Woodbine for this year’s International card with a pair of runners owned by The Queen. Stoute will saddle four-year-old colt Dartmouth in the International and three-year-old filly Diploma in the E.P. Taylor.

On June 18, Dartmouth provided the Queen with a win at Royal Ascot with a stirring score in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes. The Dubawi bay returned at Ascot a month later to finish a strong third in the Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes behind fellow International nominees Highland Reel and Wings of Desire. Olivier Peslier was aboard for both Ascot trips. Last time out, with Ryan Moore up, Dartmouth finished a good second to International nominee Algometer in the Group 3 Legacy Cup Stakes, at Newbury.

Highland Reel, trained by Aidan O’Brien for Mr. Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Mr. Michael Tabor, is a multiple Group 1 winner. In addition to his Group 1 Ascot coup over Dartmouth, the well-bred son of Galileo, out of the Danehill mare Hveger, also defeated Flintshire to win the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase in December, at Sha Tin. The talented Irish-bred boasts a Grade 1 score last year at Arlington Park where he took the Secretariat Stakes in a 5 1/4-length romp.

However, with Highland Reel expected to contest Sunday’s Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly, Woodbine racing fans are likely to be treated by an appearance from his full brother, the three-year-old Irish-bred Idaho who is owned by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and John Magnier. Idaho captured the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes over good to firm turf at York on August 18. Last time out, in the Group 1 St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster, Idaho faltered and unseated rider Jamie Heffernan.

The Pizza Man, a multiple graded stakes winning son of English Channel, arrives at the International from a dramatic neck score over Wake Forest and World Approval in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes, part of the Ricoh Woodbine Mile undercard. Trained by Roger Brueggemann for Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., The Pizza Man thrilled his hometown fans by delivering a narrow neck score over Big Blue Kitten to win the 2015 edition of the Grade 1 Arlington Million. The Pizza Man finished fourth in the 2014 renewal of the International won by Hillstar.

Erupt, winner of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp in 2015; Protectionist, who captured the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington under Ryan Moore in 2014; Da Big Hoss, a multiple graded stakes winner with 12 wins from 21 starts; and Sheikhzayedroad, third in last year’s International and winner of the 2014 Grade 1 Northern Dancer are also among a notable list of Canadian International nominees.

Fireglow, a three-year-old daughter of Teofilo trained by Mark Johnston, is the lone filly on the list.

The largest winning margin in the International still belongs to the incomparable Secretariat, when ‘Big Red’ coasted home by six and one-half lengths in his farewell appearance in 1973.

A total of 23 fillies and mares have been nominated to the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes which includes The Queen’s sophomore filly Diploma who took the listed British Stallion Studs EBF Lyric Fillies’ Stakes at York on July 22; Rainha Da Bateria who captured the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes last time out; and Strike Charmer who defeated Lady Eli to win the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga on August 27.

A full list of nominated horses is available below.

NOMINEES FOR THE GRADE 1 $1-MILLION Pattison Canadian International
HORSE / OWNER / TRAINER
Algometer / Miss K. Rausing / David Simcock
Bigger Picture / Three Diamonds Farm / Michael Maker
Camp Creek / Hillsbrook Farm / Rachel Halden
Da Big Hoss / Skychai Racing / Michael Maker
Danish Dynaformer / Charles Fipke / Roger Attfield
Dartmouth / The Queen / Sir Michael Stoute
Erupt / Flaxman Holdings, Ltd / Francis-Henri Graffard
Fireglow / Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum / Mark Johnston
Greengrassofyoming / Michael M. Hui / Michael Maker
Highland Reel / Mr. Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Mr. Michael Tabor / Aidan P. O’Brien
Idaho / Mr. Michael B. Tabor, Mr. Derrick Smith & Mr. John Magnier / Aidan P. O’Brien
Messi / Gestut Brummerhof / Graham Motion
Money Multiplier / Klaravich Stables & William Lawrence / Chad Brown
Mr. Maybe / M. Dubb, Head of Plains Partners LLC & Highclere America /Chad Brown
Now We Can / Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges / Nicolas Clement
Order of St. George / L.J. Williams, Mrs. John Magnier, Mr. Michael Tabor & Mr. Derrick Smith / Aidan P. O’Brien
Protectionist / Australian Bloodstock / Andreas Woehler
Quarterback / Team MK / Rune Haugen
Sheikhzayedroad / Mohammed Jaber / David Simcock
Success Days / Robert Ng / Ken J. Condon
Taghleeb / Michael M. Hui / Michael Maker
The Pizza Man / Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. / Roger Brueggemann
Up With the Birds / Sam-Son Farm / Malcolm Pierce
Wake Forest / Sheep Pond Partners LLC, M, Dubb & Bethlehem Stables / Chad Brown
Wings of Desire / Lady Bamford / John Gosden
World Approval / Live Oak Plantation / Mark Casse