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Tampa Bay Derby Gotham Day Saudi Cup Day Sovereign Award Finalists Withers, Toboggan, Ruthless |
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 Honorary Drawmaster for the Canadian International and Hall of Fame basketball player Dennis Rodman poses with jockeys Emile Ramsammy and Patrick Husbands. |
On Sunday, a record field of 16 will go to post in the 74th running of the $1.5 million Pattison Canadian International (G1), a 1 1/2 mile trip around Woodbine's E.P. Taylor Turf Course. As part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" program, the winner earns a spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf. It is one of three Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" races to be run over the turf at Woodbine that afternoon.
 Track announcer Dan Loiselle, Dennis Rodman, and racing secretary Steve Lym draw the entries for the Canadian International |
On Wednesday, entries were taken and post positions were drawn for this historic race, made famous in 1973 by the legendary Secretariat. Basketball great and 2011 Hall of Fame inductee Dennis Rodman, well known for his rebounding skills as well as his off-the-court antics, was the honorary drawmaster assisting racing secretary Steve Lym and track announcer Dan Loiselle with the proceedings. In an entertaining interview on stage, Rodman talked about attending five Kentucky Derbies in person, discussed life at age 50, and his reaction to being inducted into James Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. When asked his opinion of Michael Jordan, his teammate with the Chicago Bulls, he said simply, "the greatest". But when asked about current star Lebron James, he deadpanned "he wish." He admitted that he could never stop drinking (and does not drive) but has never done drugs. “I like coming to Canada, people are very respectful, they love their sports, it’s very clean. I just love coming here. I’m not a bad guy, but it’s amazing of all the things I’ve done, people still like me."
The full list of the entries for the day, including the International, the E.P. Taylor Stakes, and the Nearctic Stakes, is available from Equibase. Free past performances are available for the Canadian International here from Woodbine. These are for the nominations, so there will be extra horses included who did not enter. You can find BRISnet past performances for the International here if you search for Miami Deco.
 Joshua Tree (inside) winning the 2010 Canadian International over Mores Wells and Redwood (outside) |
Treasure Beach is the 9-2 second choice out of post 13, winner of the Secretariat (G1) at Arlington then a disappointing 14th in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last out. Regular jockey Colm O'Donoghue will be in the irons for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Assistant trainer T.J. Comerford said, "He shipped very good. No problem. We actually shipped him quicker than anybody because we flew out of Shannon (Ireland) straight to here. When he won the (Irish) Derby at the Curragh, that’s the stiffest 1 1/2 mile race in Europe." Defending champion Joshua Tree drew post 7 as the 5-1 third choice. New jockey Adam Kirby will be in the irons for trainer Marco Botti, as his regular rider William Buick will be aboard Arctic Cosmos. Botti said, "This horse only came to me late in the spring after his races in Qatar. I thought he ran a good race in Germany (3rd in the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) last out) but the didn't handle the soft ground. He acts best on fast ground."
 Reggane winner of the 2010 E.P. Taylor Stakes. |
Free past performances for the E.P. Taylor Stakes are available here from Daily Racing Form.
 Serious Attitude winning the 2010 Nearctic Stakes |
Free past performances for the Nearctic Stakes are available here from Daily Racing Form.
The Pattison Canadian International is the 10th race in an 11-race card at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, going to post at 5:42pm Eastern. The Nearctic is race 5 with a 2:59pm post time with the E.P. Taylor as race 8 at 4:35pm. The Score will broadcast the E.P. Taylor and International live, and the Nearctic on tape delay, in a 2-hour telecast from 4-6PM ET. As always, the races will be available at simulcast outlets across North America as well as on TVG Network in the U.S. and HPI-TV in Canada.
Here are the entries for the 2011 Canadian International. All horses will carry 126 pounds except Sarah Lynx who is assigned 123 pounds as the only filly in the field and 3-year-olds Quest for Peace, Celtic Conviction, and Treasure Beach who will carry 119 pounds.
 Dennis Rodman enjoyes himself at the post position draw |
| Post | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
| 1 | Sarah Lynx | John Hammond | Christophe Soumillon | 15-1 |
| 2 | Arctic Cosmos | John Gosden | William Buick | 6-1 |
| 3 | Musketier | Roger Attfield | John Velazquez | 15-1 |
| 4 | Simmard | Roger Attfield | Patrick Husbands | 15-1 |
| 5 | Quest For Peace | Luca Cumani | Kieren Fallon | 8-1 |
| 6 | Mores Wells | Mikel Delzangles | Sebastien Maillot | 15-1 |
| 7 | Joshua Tree | Marco Botti | Adam Kirby | 5-1 |
| 8 | Celtic Conviction | Mike Doyle | Emile Ramsammy | 30-1 |
| 9 | Rahystrada | Byron Hughes | Julien Leparoux | 12-1 |
| 10 | Redwood | Charles Hills | Michael Hills | 4-1 |
| 11 | Laureate Conductor | Mike DePaulo | Luis Contreras | 30-1 |
| 12 | Mikhail Glinka | Herman Brown | Bernard Fayd’Herbe | 30-1 |
| 13 | Treasure Beach | Aidan O’Brien | Colm O’Donoghue | 9-2 |
| 14 | Kara’s Orientation | Steven Chircop | Joel Rosario | 30-1 |
| 15 | Bronze Cannon | Herman Brown | Tom Queally | 20-1 |
| 16 | Miami Deco | Brian Lynch | Corey Nakatani | 30-1 |
Canadian International links:
 The Canadian International Trophy |
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