SECRETARIAT’s magical victory on a cold and dark Toronto afternoon in the Canadian International in 1973 will be remembered and celebrated today as the race is run for the 84th time.
Inaugurated in 1938 at Long Branch (you can still see pillars from that track in south Etobicoke, as well as a plaque noting the track), the International became a long distance turf race 20 years later.
The race, along with its filly and mare counterpart, the E.P. Taylor (G1), has had many fabulous winners and entrants and has prided itself on attracting horses from all over the world.
Just look at the names of the horses who won the International immediately following Secretariat: the great Dahlia and Snow Knight, brilliant Youth, ridden by Sandy Hawley, American stars Exceller and MacDiarmida.
All Along, one of the great fillies of the 20th century (some call her ‘immortal’), won in 1983. The race was part of the North American Triple, which offered a $1 million bonus. All Along, owned by Daniel Wildenstein, won the Triple and in fact, won four Grade 1 races in 41 days, a streak that began with a win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France:
The remarkable JOSHUA TREE won three editions of the race over four years for three different trainers. He earned $2.7 million from those wins.
Great horses won this great race.
There were some upsets, too. Hawley rode American colt GOLDEN ACT to an upset win over the great English mare TRILLION in 1979.
HODGES BAY relished soft turf in 1989 and paid $21. The champion Canadian gelding THORNFIELD was 18-to-1 when he won in 1997 (at the time it was called the Rothmans International and on post position draw day, luncheon tables were piled with free packs of cigarettes).
Who can forget BULLARDS ALLEY’s win in what was then called the Pattison International, under Woodbine rider Eurico da Silva in 2017? The gelding, bred by Eugene Melnyk, was 42-to-1 and won by more than 10 lengths for trainer Tim Glyshaw and owners Wayne Spadlng and Faron McCubbins.
There were controversial Internationals, too.
In a torrential downpour and under a very dark sky WIORNO barged his way to a narrow win in the 1992 edition after battling with SNURGE and American star GHAZI. But a long inquiry ensued and Wiorno would end up being disqualified for bumping Ghazi:
Woodbine fans and local horsepeople well remember the 2000 International when Frankie Dettori on Mutafaweq and Patrick Husbands, Woodbine’s top rider, on Williams New, head-bobbed to the finish. Dettori congratulated Husbands past the wire and trainer Tom Amoss’ phone started ringing.
But Mutawfaweq was posted as the winner and a grainy photo-finish image was broadcast that essentially told little of the result:
The International has a lot more competition these days with regards to rich, long distance grass races, but there is no disputing the history of the race as one of the richest of any North American turf event.
This year, Godolphin aims for its fourth win as it starts NATIONS PRIDE, a top class European horse. If he should win it, Godolphin would tie the man himself, E.P. Taylor, for whom the grass course is named, for most International wins.
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