Motion sending 'two very legit horses' in Canadian International

Trainer Graham Motion will have two opportunities to hoist his first Pattison Canadian International trophy when he sends out turf talents Mekhtaal and Spring Quality in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $800,000 event.

A 5-year-old son of standout Sea The Stars, Mekhtaal is quite familiar with Woodbine’s world renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course, having contested his past two races on the Toronto oval green scene.

After a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes on July 22, the British-bred faced nine rivals in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes on September 15, where he also earned runner-up honours.

Sent off as the 3-1 second choice in the Northern Dancer, Mekhtaal, eighth at the half-mile mark, continued to gain ground on the leaders, sitting fourth at track announcer Robert Geller’s stretch call.

At the wire, the Al Shaqab Racing charge was just a half-length back of Johnny Bear (who he’ll face again in the International).

Motion was pleased with the effort.

“He’s run well up in Canada,” said the conditioner who campaigned Animal Kingdom, winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby and 2013 Dubai World Cup. “This will be the third time we’ve brought him up here and it just seems very logical to keep on the path to this race. And I thought he ran very well in the Northern Dancer.”  

The chestnut winner of three races from 13 starts – who also has five seconds – already has a Group 1 title to his name, when he took all the spoils in the Prix d'Ispahan at Chantilly last May.

“He’s a very good horse,” praised Motion, who took over conditioning duties after the Arlington Million. “He was Group 1 caliber in Europe. He’s a very honest horse, who would probably handle any course. Certainly, he seems to handle the Woodbine course very well.”

A win in the International would certainly be meaningful to Motion.

“No doubt. We’ve coming up to Woodbine for quite a long time, trying to win races on this weekend. It’s a race I’d love to win. I feel like I’m up coming to Canada with two very legit horses. We like to run up here and it would be a feather in our cap to say we won this race.”

Woodbine-based rider Alan Garcia, who is closing in on 1,700 career wins, gets the call on Mekhtaal.