Sunday’s $750,000, Grade 1 Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine is a race that lives up to its name. The 1 1/4-mile grass contest is a truly international affair; 10 of the last 11 editions have been won by horses based outside of North America.
That includes Walton Street, a Godolphin runner trained by Charlie Appleby who dominated the 2021 Canadian International by 5 3/4 lengths. The Canadian International wasn’t held in 2022, but it’s back on the calendar for 2023 at a shorter distance than its previous 1 1/2-mile journey.
Some things change, but others do not. Two years after their success with Walton Street, Godolphin and Appleby are back at Woodbine with European raider #4 Nations Pride, who has to be viewed as the horse to beat.
Nations Pride has already shown an ability to compete successful in North America. As a 3-year-old in 2022, Nations Pride bounced back from an eighth-place finish in England’s historic Group 1 Cazoo Derby to produce four good runs in North America. A late rally carried him to a close runner-up finish in the 1 1/4-mile Grade 1 Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes, after which Nations Pride won the 1 3/16-mile Grade 1 Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitational by 1 3/4 lengths and the 1 1/2-mile, Grade 3 Caesars Jockey Club Derby Invitational by 6 1/4 lengths.
Nations Pride wrapped up 2022 with a respectable fifth-place finish against older horse in $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, and he’s been as sharp as ever as a 4-year-old in 2023. He opened the year with a pair of runs at Meydan in Dubai, winning the 1 1/4-mile Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes before finishing a close third in the 1 1/8-mile Group 1 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World.
Then, after taking some time off, Nations Pride tackled the 1 1/4-mile Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich in Germany and led all the way to win by three lengths over Group 1 Deutsches Derby winner Fantastic Moon, who followed up the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis with a decisive victory in the Group 2 Prix Niel.
All told, Nations Pride boasts five wins and a second from six starts racing 1 1/4 miles. The shortened Canadian International seems made to order for Nations Pride. Throw in the fact Appleby’s lifetime record at Woodbine stands at eight wins from 11 starters—with all eight wins coming in Grade 1 races—and Nations Pride is an obvious choice to prevail on Sunday.
Unfortunately, Nations Pride figures to be a clear favorite, so betting him to win won’t yield much of a return. Instead, we’ll play him on top of exacta and trifecta wagers in hopes of catching a bigger payoff.
Deciphering the minor awards doesn’t appear too complicated. #8 Royal Champion, the other European raider in the field, looks formidable. Winner of the 1 1/4-mile Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June, Royal Champion followed up with a good third-place finish in the 1 5/16-mile, Group 2 York Stakes. He was beaten only 1 1/2 lengths by Alflaila (who won his third consecutive group stakes) and one length by 2022 Group 2 winner My Prospero.
Royal Champion is trained by Roger Varian, whose infrequent North American starters include a couple of Grade 1 winners and several runners who placed in Breeders’ Cup races. We’ll take a stand and count on Royal Champion to finish second in the Canadian International.
For third place, #3 Palazzi and #7 Adhamo are the ones we’ll use. Palazzi has won three straight races for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, including the Grade 3 Pattison Singspiel Stakes racing 1 1/4 miles on the Woodbine turf. In contrast, Adhamo has lost three straight since nabbing the 2022 United Nations Stakes racing 1 3/8 miles at Monmouth Park, but he kicked off 2023 with a rallying third in the 1 1/4-mile Arlington Million and is eligible to move forward in his second run of the season.
Depending on how much money you want to invest, we’ve put together two different strategies for betting the Canadian International:
Wagering Strategy on a $10 Budget
$10 exacta: 4 with 8
What to say at the betting window: Woodbine, Race 9, $10 exacta 4 with 8
Wagering Strategy on a $30 Budget
$20 exacta: 4 with 8
What to say at the betting window: Woodbine, Race 9, $20 exacta 4 with 8
$5 trifecta: 4 with 8 with 3,7 ($10)
What to say at the betting window: Woodbine, Race 9, $5 trifecta 4 with 8 with 3,7
Good luck, and enjoy the race!
