Erupt tunes up for Canadian International defense
Trainer Graham Motion has indicated that Can'thelpbelieving won't be joining his stablemates in this year's Pattison Canadian International, but defending champion Erupt and barn favourite Messi are both on schedule for Sunday's Grade I, $800,000 feature at Woodbine Racetrack.
Junior Alvarado will ride Erupt (as well as the Motion-trained E.P. Taylor Stakes contender Quidura) while Jose Ortiz will retain the mount on Messi.
Flaxman Holdings' Erupt breezed six furlongs this morning in 1:15.20 at Fair Hill in Maryland.
Erupt will head what is, for now, a prospective field of nine, also including former Kentucky Derby runner Oscar Nominated. Woodbine will conduct the post position draw at 12 p.m. ET Wednesday.
Pattison Canadian International Field as of Monday
Horse / Owner / Trainer / Jockey
Bullards Alley – Wayne Spalding and Faron McCubbins – Tim Glyshaw - Eurico Rosa da Silva
Chemical Charge (IRE) – Qatar Racing Limited – Ralph Beckett - Oisin Murphy
Enterprising – Maxis Stable – Michael J. Maker - Rafael Hernandez
Erupt (IRE) – Flaxman Holdings, Ltd. – H. Graham Motion – Junior Alvarado
Flamboyant (FR) – David Bienstock and Charles Winner – Patrick Gallagher - Brice Blanc
Johnny Bear – Colebrook Farms and Bear Stables, Ltd. – Ashlee Brnjas - Luis Contreras
Messi (GER) – Gestut Brummerhof – H. Graham Motion – Jose Ortiz
Oscar Nominated – Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey – Michael J. Maker - Julien Leparoux
Postulation – Runnymede Racing LLC – Edward L. Graham – Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.
• In other news: Potential Canadian International candidates Hunter O’Riley, a 4-year-old ridgling who is based in New York with trainer Jimmy Toner, and Seeking Albert, a 3-year-old colt here with Mike DePaulo, will not be in the lineup.
Hunter O’Riley, a long-distance turf specialist who races for owners Sean Shay and Michael J. Ryan, has been running well of late, becoming a stakes winner in the Grade 2 Bowling Green and then finishing a close fourth in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga.
“He’s fine, but we’ve had some foot issues with him,” said Toner. “I had to miss some time with him. I thought I could make it, but it’s just a little bit too tight. I didn’t feel comfortable. Better safe than sorry, so we’re going to have to take a pass this week. We’ll try it again next year.”
Seeking Albert, who had been scheduled to breeze here on Sunday, instead will be undergoing minor surgery.
“We found a chip in his right front ankle,” said Mike DePaulo, who trains the three-year-old colt for owner Rob Marzilli. “He’ll be fine; it’s just one of those untimely things. He’s going to need three months.”
Seeking Albert is coming off consecutive fourth-place finishes in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer and the Breeders’ Stakes, both of which came over the International’s course and distance.
Bred in Ontario, Seeking Albert had been racing in Texas and was purchased privately this spring with an eye toward the Queen’s Plate.
That plan did not come to fruition but Seeking Albert has subsequently found a home going long on the turf.