Woodbine wrap: Nations Pride rallies in Canadian International

Nations Pride, sent off as the overwhelming 2-5 choice, reeled in a game Royal Champion on Sunday to win the 84th running of the Grade 1, US$548,981 Canadian International at Woodbine.

Royal Champion, under James Doyle, broke swiftly from the outside post eight and glided to the front to seize control of the 1 1/4-mile event for 3-year-olds and up.

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Nations Pride, with William Buick in the irons, emerged in the second spot into the first turn after leaving a step slowly followed by long-shot duo Starting Over and English Conqueror. Reaching the opening panel in 25.42 seconds over yielding turf, Royal Champion was three lengths clear of multiple Group and Grade 1 winner Nations Prideand then extended that advantage to 3 1/2 lengths through a half-mile in 50.07 seconds.

Royal Champion, who had won the Wolferton Stakes in July at York, England, continued to canter along on the front end as Buick kept the pacesetter in range into the turn for home. A game Royal Champion then dug in along the rail, but Nations Pride was unrelenting in pursuit.

A length behind his rival at the stretch call, Nations Pride rallied smartly to record a 2 1/4-length score at a time of 2:03.65. Royal Champion was second, 7 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Adhamo. Palazzi was fourth. English Conqueror, Starting Over, British Royalty and Dynadrive completed the order of finish.

Nations Pride, a 4-year-old son of Teofilo whose racing passport includes races in United Arab Emirates, England and the U.S., was making his first start in Canada.

“I’ve ridden in the Canadian International a few times before, and I’ve been placed a few times so it’s great to win it,” Buick said. “I knew with Nations Pride, I had a pretty good horse, so it’s just about getting everything right. The track was a bit of a concern, the yielding surface, but he really showed how versatile he is, and he’s a high-class horse.”

It was the second straight International crown for owner-breeder Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby.

“The concerns going out was the ground changing to yielding,” Appleby said in the winner’s circle. “We won’t go to the Breeders’ Cup. We don’t think he stretches out that mile-and-a-half, so we’ll take him to Bahrain and then contemplate if Hong Kong might suit him. But our immediate target will be the Bahrain Trophy.”

With the victory, Nations Pride is 14: 9-2-1. He paid $2.80 for the win.

Fev Rover rebounds to win E.P. Taylor

Fev Rover, rebounding from an indifferent last-out effort in the Canadian Stakes (G2), rebounded in a big way to score by 2 1/4 lengths under jockey Javier Castellano in the US$548,981 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1).

The 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares attracted a field of 10 and was contested over a turf course rated good.

Fev Rover’s victory, while convincing, was accomplished in far from routine fashion. Breaking from the rail post for the fourth time in succession, the 5-year-old went to the front and was pressed by long shot Rocky Sky through a quarter-mile in 25.66 seconds and a half-mile in 50.29 seconds.

Heading into the far turn, Rocky Sky spurted to the front. Skims, who had been stalking in third, moved into second place. Fev Rover, meanwhile, had dropped back to third, 2 1/2 lengths off the lead, as they raced through six furlongs in 1:14.30.

Castellano then switched Fev Rover off the rail and outside the leaders turning for home. The mare re-rallied to lead by two lengths at the furlong marker and continued to the wire unchallenged while finishing at 2:04.20 for owner Tracy Farmer and trainer Mark Casse.

With the Moonlight, invading from the U.K. for the powerful team of owner-breeder Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby, kept tabs on the leaders from fourth place and finished well without seriously threatening the winner as the 5-2 second choice.

Moira, coming off a 6 1/4-length score here in the 1 1/8-mile Canadian, raced in the second flight from much of the race before launching a looping wide move that carried her into serious contention coming for home. But the Ontario-bred, guided to 2022 Sovereign Awards as Canada’s horse of the year and champion 3-year-old filly by trainer Kevin Attard, failed to sustain her run and checked in 1 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up as the 7-5 choice.

Skims ended another 3 1/4 lengths back in fourth place and was followed by Kalifornia Queen, Aspen Grove, Amazing Grace, Atomic Blonde, Consumer Spending and Rocky Sky.

Fev Rover returned $10.10 as the third choice.

Big Invasion has big performance in Nearctic

Big Invasion, who had been cross-entered in Sunday’s Nearctic (G2) and Saturday’s listed Belmont Turf Sprint, left New York for Woodbine in search of firmer going.

Although the turf here ended up being listed as yielding following afternoon rain, Big Invasion appeared to relish the footing as he rallied under jockey Dylan Davis to prevail by a head in the US$183,026 sprint for 3-year-olds and up.

“He handled the ground well, that was no question,” said Davis, who had picked up the mount on Big Invasion for trainer Christophe Clement. “I had to settle on into the two path into the turn and back out. He responded great for us and fought tooth and nail to the wire. I love him. I’ve been watching him all year round in New York and in Florida. He’s a nice, big, strong horse.”

Big Invasion was sitting seventh early as Masen led through a quarter-mile in 22.32 seconds, pressed to his inside by Remuda and began to improve his position as that pair reached the half-mile in 45.33 seconds.

Looming into serious contention as the field turned for home and the frontrunners began to falter, Big Invasion was closing in on surprise 104-1 leader Rockcrest with a furlong remaining and outlasted a plethora of closers to reach the wire at 1:11.31 and return $9.60 as the lukewarm choice.

Lucky Score and Ice Chocolat, both conditioned by Mark Casse, were among those flying late and emerged with second and third money, respectively, a head apart.

Dhabab, who had trailed early, also finished strongly to miss show money by just a nose. Dream Shake was next, another head back and a head before Rockcrest, who in turn had a nose on Oceanic. War Bomber was eighth, a neck behind Oceanic and beaten three-quarters of a length for all the money. Masen, County Final, Jazz Hands, Last American Exit and Remuda rounded out the order of finish in the field of 13.

Coverage of Sunday’s Canadian International card at Horse Racing Nation is made possible through a sponsorship by Woodbine Entertainment Group.