INTERNATIONAL STAGE

SKY HIGH

Like Father Like Son??

SKY CONQUEROR is getting a lot of press as the 70th Canadian International draws closer.

Read this guy's bio at the NTRA site...

http://www.ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=19087

The 1 ½ mile turf race has been won by the likes of Secretariat, Snow Knight, Dahlia, All Along, etc. and this year’s 12-horse field is a very strong group.

Hey, his daddy SKY CLASSIC needed one chance to win this race - 2nd in 1990, won it in 1991 so here comes his son to try and emulate that....(he was 3rd last year)

Rain last night and today is going to make things interesting for the 3 stakes on Sunday but super weather is expected.

It was a very tough race to handicap from a public standpoint- who will the fans make the favourite? Connections of QUIJANO, the best horse in Germany this year, were surprised they were made favourite (see below) and certainly, any one of 3 or 4 horses could be favoured.

ASK is a possible favourite but is only a Group 3 winner, SKY CONQUEROR, well he’s a fan favourite so he could be favoured, what about HONOLULU or ORACLE WEST?

It will be fun to see who the fans like on Sunday…

QUOTES FROM FOLKS AT THE DRAW YESTERDAY..

(from Woodbine Entertainment)

Scott McConnell, head lad for trainer Mike de Kock, trainer of Oracle West (PP 2)

“I think it’s a good draw for him. He can make a good run up the inside rail. He shipped very well. He’s used to travelling, so he takes it well in his stride. He had a blow (:52 1/5, breezing) on Wednesday. He was trotting this morning. He’ll go back to cantering tomorrow.”

Mark Frostad, trainer of Windward Islands, (PP 3)

“It’s a 12-horse field. That’s not too bad. They were talking about 17 for a while and that was a bit worrisome. He’s not a very big horse. Hopefully, he doesn’t get banged around. If he gets a clean trip and he kicks the way he did in his last race, he could be a factor.”

Darwin Banach, trainer of Sky Conqueror, (PP 4)

“It’s just great to represent Canada in an international race like this. And to be the second choice (4-1, morning line), is something that builds confidence. We’re just going to represent Canada as best we can. He’s doing great right now.”

T.J. Comerford, head lad for trainer Aidan O’Brien, trainer of Honolulu (PP 7)

“He’s in good form. He probably didn’t run the way he should have run in his last race (Cumberland Lodge). He probably had an off day, because he ran a good race in the St. Leger. He ran a good race at York behind Purple Moon, in the Ebor, he came from a long way back. Aidan (O’Brien) didn’t really fancy him that day, but he ran well. It’s the way he runs (coming from behind). Sometimes, he runs around a lot when he gets to the front.

Stuart Messenger, head lad for trainer Sir Michael Stoute, trainer of Ask (PP 9)

“He took the trip well. Got held up at the airport a bit because of the foot and mouth (outbreak in England), held up about three hours at the end of the trip. But he’s settled in very well since he’s got to Woodbine. We’ve always thought a lot about him. I don’t think the condition of the course will hinder him at all. He won’t mind it (if it’s yielding or soft).”

Gisela Schiergen, wife of trainer Peter Schiergen, trainer of Quijano (PP 12)

“We didn’t expect to be favoured, but he’s got good form and somebody has to be the favourite. He was bad in Vichy. We didn’t know why. It wasn’t really the ground. He’s settled in (at Woodbine) fairly well. We arrived early so he would have enough time to settle down if something else happened.”

FROM DAILY RACING FORM

E.P. TAYLOR STAKES - SEALY VS.EUROS!

BY BILL TALLON

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - With so much buildup on Sunday's Canadian International, the E.P. Taylor Stakes perhaps has not been given it's due.

The fact is, however, that Sunday's Grade 1, $1 million E.P. Taylor has drawn a competitive field of 10 fillies and mares, headed by the talented French invader Mrs. Lindsay and including the solid American shippers Safari Queen and Barancella.

That fact is not lost upon trainer Mark Casse, who will be looking to keep the E.P. Taylor trophy here in Canada with Sealy Hill.

"It's just so tough to handicap," said Casse. "Some of the best fillies in the world are in there. We'll see if she fits in that category."

Sealy Hill, owned and bred by Eugene Melnyk, became the first winner of the triple tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies this year. The accomplishment was not cut and dried, however.

After winning the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks Sealy Hill was disqualified from her first-place finish in the next leg of the series, the 1 1/16-mile Bison City. Sealy Hill went on to capture the 1 1/4-mile Wonder Where in her turf debut and recently became the retroactive winner of the Bison City following a successful appeal to the Ontario Racing Commission.

In her next start, seven weeks after the Wonder Where, Sealy Hill faced older fillies and mares for the first time in the Grade 2 Canadian, the 1 1/8-mile turf race that is the major local prep for the E.P. Taylor. She couldn't run down the loose-on-the-lead Essential Edge - who also will run in the E.P. Taylor - and finished a neck back as the runner-up under regular rider Patrick Husbands.

"I think she's doing better than ever," said Casse. "She's a big, strong filly now."

Quijano favored in International

Quijano will be looking to become the first German-bred to win the Grade 1, $2 million Canadian International.

Paolini came close in 2001, when beaten a half-length as the runner-up in his first of two Canadian International appearances. But whereas Paolini was almost 10-1 in his first visit, Quijano has been made the 3-1 morning-line favorite for Sunday's 1 1/2-mile turf feature.

Quijano, who arrived here a week ago Thursday, has had plenty of time to get acclimatized and appears to have taken to his new surroundings.

"He looks good," said Gisela Schiergen, who is the wife of Quijano's trainer, Peter Schiergen, and will saddle Quijano here Sunday. "He traveled fine. It was always on the plan to go here."

Peter Schiergen's previous starters here all ran in the E.P. Taylor - Iota, who was eighth in 2005, and Walzerkoenigin who was fifth in 2003.

Jockey Andrasch Starke, Quijano's regular rider, finished fourth aboard Caitano in the 2000 Canadian International in his only previous visit here.

TV coverage

The Canadian International and the E.P. Taylor Stakes will be featured in a live two-hour broadcast beginning at 2:30 p.m. Sunday on The Score.

The E.P. Taylor will go as the fifth race at 2:59 p.m. with the Canadian International going as the seventh race at 4:05 p.m.

Hosts for the telecast will be Jim Bannon, Jeff Bratt, Sandy Hawley and Renee Kierans.

Woodbine also will have a crew at Monmouth this week for the Breeders' Cup. They will air reports on Woodbine's HPI tv beginning Monday night and continuing every morning and evening. Woodbine's simulcast channel will air the Breeders' Cup reports Wednesday through Sunday.

IT’S DOS-A-LICIOUS – WOODBINE THURSDAY

Jockey Richard Dos Ramos won his 2000th career race yesterday at Woodbine and hot fitting was it that he won aboard a horse trained by Debbie England.

England has being riding the ‘Dos’ on her horses almost since the 45-year-old began riding.

Yesterday, Gracelicious lasted for her maiden win in her 3rd career start to thrust the Dos to the 2,000 win threshold. The filly is owned by John Scott’s Formal Racing Stable. She is by Randy Regent out of Casual Glance by Distant View.

Dos Ramos, who ranks second among Woodbine regulars in years of service behind David Clark, began his riding career in 1981, winning his first race aboard Lord Henry on April 20, 1981 at Greenwood. He went on to capture the Woodbine and Greenwood fall meets en route to a Sovereign Award title as the nation's Top Apprentice jockey. He captured another Sovereign after 162 wins in 1982.

"Dos" guided two horses to key victories at Woodbine en route to their Horse of the Year titles. In 1992, Benburb upset A.P. Indy in the Molson Export Million and Thornfield scored the Canadian International in 1999 before earning championship honours.

He has three Oaks victories (Carotene, 1986; Plenty of Sugar, 1994; Ginger Gold, 2002), plus wins in many of Woodbine's classic races, including the Breeders' Stakes (Carotene, 1986), the Coronation Futurity (Bold Executive, 1986) and the Princess Elizabeth (Super You, 1989; Ginger Gold, 2001).

He received the Avelino Gomez Award for his significant contributions to the sport in 2002, terming it "one of the greatest honours of my career."

And more from yesterday...

How about the way those TERRY JORDAN trainees perform?

Yesterday, BEDARRA looked like a stakes horse when she won her maiden for $20,000 claiming by 14 ¾ lengths in her first race in several months. Orignally a $110,000 2yo purchase, the Came Home filly earned a 75 Beyer Figure for the 1:10 2/5 time on a fast Polytrack.

Speaking of maiden winners, the Smart Strike gelding SERENA’S STRIKE has always looked like he has some ability and he finally showed it in his 3rd race of the 2007 season as a 4yo when he won yesterday for $20,000 claiming. The gelding was nicely ridden by Gerry Olguin for Richard Wohl and trainer Nick Nosowenko.

The Ontario bred Graeme Hall filly BEES N R HALL remained undefeated when she won for $25,000 claiming yesterday against other 2yo fillies. The Iris Bristow, Mark Casse miss handed Slippery Buttery a stinging defeat (borrowed that line from track announcer Dan Loiselle). EXCEUTIVE DECISION, who just won for $40K claiming, had the lead on the turn but faded and was claimed.

What’s got into LA SALLE GLORY? The 6yo grey mare has been unreal this summer/early fall. She won again yesterday for $77,500 claiming in a 7 furlong turf race for owner/trainer Bev Buck.

It was her 4th in her last 5 races although she was disqualified from one of those. She’s run a career best Beyer Figure this year (92), has won on turf and Polytrack and has now won 8 of 46 races and over $500,000.

And then there is the old guy – VERY PROFESSIONAL, a 9-year-old who has had 9 different trainers since he began his career 7 years ago and just won the finale yesterday for his 4th win of the year in his 14th start. Yes, his 14th start!

Sturdy and honest and certainly jock Dean Deverell’s favourite horse, Very Professional has won more than $570,000 – 17 wins in 88 starts.

Let’s home this old guy gets a nice retirement when he is finished racing.