Woodbine‘s historic Canadian International (G1T) lived up to its name again Oct. 8 as a pair of British visitors led the field home with globetrotting Nations Pride prevailing for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby.
It was familiar territory for Appleby, who came into the day with a record of eight wins from 11 starts at Woodbine including last year’s International with Walton Street . Although Appleby-trained With the Moonlight settled for second in the E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) earlier in the day’s card, Nations Pride made up for that in the CA$750,000 (Canadian) co-feature.
For a time, it didn’t seem things would turn out that way, Appleby acknowledged after Nations Pride completed the 1 1/4 miles on a yielding E.P. Taylor turf course in 2:03.75.
Royal Champion , with James Doyle up, went right out of the gate and assumed a commanding lead. Royal Champion held the advantage down the backstretch and boldly led around the turn and into Woodbine’s long stretch, giving Appleby cause for concern.
“For sure,” he said. “James Doyle on the lead horse there, he knows his fractions. At one point here, I wasn’t comfortable about things on the front end. He’s dangerous out there and, turning in, I thought, ‘He’s got his ally.’
“Credit to William,” Appleby said of winning rider William Buick. “He had confidence in the horse (Nations Pride). And with the ground and, unfortunately, the conditions we’ve got out there, turning to yielding, it just took his (Royal Champions’) finishing feet out from under him.”
Nations Pride used much of the stretch to reel in the front-runner, then went by to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Adhamo , a Chad Brown trainee, was 7 1/4 lengths farther back in third.
Appleby said the International always was in the long-form plans for Nations Pride, a homebred 4-year-old colt by Teofilo (IRE), out of the Oasis Dream (GB) mare Important Time (IRE).
“It’s a race we’re pleased to support and thanks to everyone here at Woodbine for looking after us so well.
“We thought for the horse, the conditions were there to suit him—until the rain came. We seem to have been following the rain a little bit for the last couple of weeks. But with the really long stretch, he was able to do it.
Nations Pride embarked on an international campaign after reporting eighth in the Derby (G1) at Epsom Downs in 2022. He was second in the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) in July, won the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1T) in August and finished third in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational (G3T) in September.
He finished his 3-year-old year with a fifth-place showing in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) at Keeneland.
He won the Dubai Millennium Stakes (G3) at Meydan Racecourse to open his 2023 account, finished third in the tough Dubai Turf (G1) on Dubai World Cup (G1) night and then traveled to Germany to win the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (G1) prior to shipping back across the Atlantic.
Appleby said the colt’s program will continue to accrue frequent flyer miles, but not to Santa Anita for this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
“He won’t go to the Breeders’ Cup,” the trainer said. “I don’t think he’ll stretch out to a mile and a half. We might take him to Bahrain for the Bahrain International and then contemplate Hong Kong.”
Royal Champion, a 5-year-old Shamardal gelding, was making his first start outside England for trainer Roger Varian. He was last seen finishing third in the York Stakes (G2) and finished ninth in his only previous start at the group 1 level—last year’s Champion Stakes at Ascot.
Adhamo, by Intello , started his career in France. Adding to the international theme, he won the United Nations Stakes (G1T) at Monmouth Park in July of 2022—his only win in eight starts since reporting for duty with Brown.
Palazzi , a Pioneerof the Nile gelding trained by Mark Casse for Gary Barber, was the best of the locals in the International, reporting fourth. He had won three straight races, all at Woodbine, including the Singspiel Stakes (G3T) in his last start.
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