Joshua Tree, ridden by Colm O’Donoghue, collared pacesetter Fifty Proof in mid-stretch, then held off a closing Mores Wells and favoured Redwood to win the Grade 1, $2 million Pattison Canadian International, Canada’s richest horse race, Saturday at Woodbine.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien for co-owners Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Attyah, who just bought into the winner prior to today’s race, Joshua Tree improved from fifth as the field turned for home, inched past Fifty Proof inside the eighth pole, then had enough left to fend off the late closers in the stretch drive. At the finish of the mile and one-half turf classic, Joshua Tree had prevailed by a diminishing head over 20-1 shot Mores Wells, who in turn was just a nose in front of the 2-1 choice Redwood. The final time was 2:32.72.
Al Khali, tight in between by Redwood and Mores Wells in mid-stretch while behind the leaders, finally was angled outside by jockey Alan Garcia and wound up a flying fourth, just a half-length further back.
It was the first win of the season for Joshua Tree, who, as a son of Montjeu and the only three-year-old in the International field, became the 10th Irish-bred to win the race since it became a turf contest in 1958, but the first since Relaxed Gesture in 2005. It was also the second International win for O’Brien and co-owner Mrs. John (Susan) Magnier, after taking the 2002 renewal with Ballingarry. Joshua Tree also became the 13th three-year-old to win, the last being Phoenix Reach in 2003.
But there was almost as much excitement before the race, as Joshua Tree, who won the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot last year, defeating the eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Vale of York, lost a shoe and had to be re-shoed in the paddock, causing a six-minute delay in post-time.
“It’s amazing,” said O’Donoghue, who won the International in his first ride in Canada. “It’s very important to me and I owe a lot of gratitude to the owners who put their trust in me to come here to Canada and to win this race for them is amazing. Obviously, he (Joshua Tree) was prepared for today. He was trained perfectly for this race.”
As expected, Fifty Proof, one of the local hopefuls, immediately went to the front and loped along on the lead, through fractions of 26.17, :52.17 and a tardy 1:18.48 for six furlongs over a ‘good’ E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
After the mile was reached in 1:43.92 and the mile and one-quarter in 2:08.34, the tightly-bunched field started to close in on the leader, as they readied for the stretch drive.
Redwood, winner of last month’s Northern Dancer, was making his move between runners in seventh, but bumped with rivals in mid-stretch before finding a seam and moving in tandem with Mores Wells during their late charge.
“It went pretty good,” said jockey Michael Hills, about the Juddmonte owned and bred Redwood. “I wish I had gotten more pace. He just got caught for a bit of speed when it really mattered.”
Joshua Tree, named for U2’s Grammy Award winning album, earned a trip to the Breeders’ Cup Turf, November 6 with the Pattison Canadian International victory, which was worth $1.2 million. Sent postward the 9-2 third choice, he paid $11.20, $6.90 and $4.30, combining with Mores Wells ($15.10, $7.60) for a $171.50 (7-3) exactor. A 7-3-8 (Redwood, $2.50 to show) triactor returned $702.70, while a $1 Superfecta [7-3-8-5 (Al Khali)] came back $1,959.80.
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