Canadian International Stakes

The Canadian International Stakes is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years of age and up on Turf. It is held annually in October at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[2] The current purse is CA$800,000 [3]

Canadian International Stakes

Grade 1 race
Location	Woodbine Racetrack Toronto, Canada
Inaugurated	1938
Race type	Thoroughbred – Flat racing
Website	Canadian International Stakes
Race information
Distance	​1 ^1⁄2 miles
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	3-Years-Old & Up
Weight	Weight-For-Age
Purse	CA$800,000[1]

Since its creation in 1938, the race has undergone many changes including the conditions, track surface, distance, location, and name. The first renewal was run as the Long Branch Championship, held at the Long Branch Racetrack in Etobicoke. and was restricted to Canadian-bred three-year-olds. In 1939, it was renamed the Canadian International Stakes and was restricted to Canadian-owned horses. In 1940, the race was opened to horses of all ages, though the owner still had to be a Canadian resident. In 1954, the eligibility was revised to ages three and up with no residence restriction.[4] The race name was modified slightly from 1966 to 1980 when it was known as the Canadian International Championship Stakes. From 1981 through to 1995 the race was known as the Rothmans International for its sponsor, the Canadian subsidiary of Rothmans International plc. Since 2003 it has been sponsored by Pattison Outdoor Advertising.[1]

Inaugurated in 1938 on the dirt at Toronto's Long Branch Racetrack, except for consolidation during World War II it remained there until 1956 when the track closed its doors. Moved to Woodbine Racetrack in 1956, in 1958 it became a turf race.[5]

On dirt:

• 1938–1941 : ​1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles at Long Branch Racetrack
• 1942–1945 : ​1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles at Dufferin Racetrack
• 1946–1952 : ​1 ¹⁄₁₆ miles at Long Branch Racetrack
• 1953–1954 : ​1 ¹⁄₈ miles at Long Branch Racetrack
• 1955 ​1 ³⁄₁₆ miles at Long Branch Racetrack
• 1956–1957 : ​1 ⁵⁄₈ miles at Woodbine Racetrack

On turf at Woodbine Racetrack:

• 1958–1986 ​1 ⁵⁄₈ miles
• 1987–1993 ​1 ¹⁄₂ miles (Out of Chute, inside of main track)
• 1994–present ​1 ¹⁄₂ miles (One full circuit, outside of main track)

Since 1958, winners have come from breeding farms in Canada, the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France and Argentina. The Canadian International has been contested by many of the greatest horses, jockeys, and trainers in thoroughbred racing history from around the world. Its success as a North American race drawing an international field helped inspire the creation of the Breeders' Cup races in 1984 which were held at Woodbine in 1996.

The Canadian International has been won by many notable horses. The most renowned renewal was in 1973 when the Canadian International was the final race for Secretariat. His ​6 ¹⁄₂ lengths victory is the widest winning margin in the race's history.[6] Other famous winners include Bunty Lawless, voted "Canadian Horse of the Half Century", who won in 1938 and 1941.[7] In 1974, Dahlia was the first European-based horse to win the race, becoming the first horse to win Group / Grade One stakes in England, France, Ireland, Canada and the U.S.[8]

Since Eclipse Award voting began in 1971, eight winners of the International were named Champion turf horse for that year: Secretariat (1973), Dahlia (1974), Snow Knight (1975), Youth (1976), Mac Diarmida (1978), All Along (1983), Singspiel (1996) and Chief Bearhart (1997).[9]

In 2005, the purse for the race was increased to $2 million to help attract European horses who did not choose to enter the Breeders' Cup Turf. The purse was reduced to $1.5 million in 2011, then to $1 million in 2013 and to $800,000 in 2017.[1]

Records

Time record: (Turf)

• ​1 ⁵⁄₈ miles: 2:40.00 – Dahlia (1974)
• ​1 ¹⁄₂ miles: 2:25.60 – Raintrap (1994)

Most wins:

• 3 – Joshua Tree (2010, 2012, 2013)
• 2 – Bunty Lawless (1938, 1941)
• 2 – Shepperton (1942, 1943)
• 2 – George Royal (1965, 1966)
• 2 – Majesty's Prince (1982, 1984)
• 2 – Desert Encounter (2018, 2019)

Most wins by an owner:

• 4 – E. P. Taylor / Windfields Farm (1950, 1951, 1953, 1975)
• 3 – Nelson Bunker Hunt (1974, 1976, 1977)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 – Bobby Watson (1942, 1943, 1944)
• 3 – Frankie Dettori (2000, 2004, 2012)
• 3 – Ryan Moore (2013, 2014, 2015)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 3 – Gordon J. McCann (1941, 1951, 1953)
• 3 – Horatio Luro (1956, 1957, 1971)
• 3 – Maurice Zilber (1974, 1976, 1977)
• 3 – Michael Stoute (1996, 2014, 2015)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Dist. (m) (t) / (d)	Time	Win$
2020	Not run due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at Woodbine rescheduled racing program, the race replaced by Northern Dancer Turf Stakes[10]
2019	Desert Encounter	7	Andrea Atzeni	David Simcock	Abdulla Al Mansoori	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:28.62	$480,000
2018	Desert Encounter	6	Andrea Atzeni	David Simcock	Abdulla Al Mansoori	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:28.88	$480,000
2017	Bullards Alley	5	Eurico Rosa Da Silva	Tim Glyshaw	Wayne Spalding/Faron McCubbins	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:34.37	$480,000
2016	Erupt	4	Stéphane Pasquier	Francis-Henri Graffard	Niarchos family	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:30.87	$600,000
2015	Cannock Chase	4	Ryan Moore	Michael Stoute	Saeed Suhail	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:29.26	$600,000
2014	Hillstar	4	Ryan Moore	Michael Stoute	Evelyn de Rothschild	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:29.00	$600,000
2013	Joshua Tree	6	Ryan Moore	Ed Dunlop	K. K. Nabooda/K. Albahou	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:35.45	$600,000
2012	Joshua Tree	5	Frankie Dettori	Marco Botti	K. K. Nabooda/K. Albahou	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:30.89	$900,000
2011	Sarah Lynx	4	Christophe Soumillon	John Hammond	Mrs. Robert G. Ehrnooth	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:34.90	$900,000
2010	Joshua Tree	3	Colm O'Donoghue	Aidan O'Brien	D. Smith, S. Magnier, M. Tabor	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:32.72	$1,200,000
2009	Champs Elysees	6	Garrett Gomez	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:28.36	$1,200,000
2008	Marsh Side	5	Javier Castellano	Neil D. Drysdale	Robert S. Evans	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:28.73	$1,200,000
2007	Cloudy's Knight	7	Ramsey Zimmerman	Frank J. Kirby	S J Stables LLC	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:27.71	$1,200,000
2006	Collier Hill	8	Dean McKeown	Alan Swinbank	R. Hall, D. Abell, R. Crowe	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:37.34	$1,200,000
2005	Relaxed Gesture	4	Corey Nakatani	Christophe Clement	Moyglare Stud	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:32.64	$1,200,000
2004	Sulamani	5	Frankie Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor	Godolphin	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:28.64	$900,000
2003	Phoenix Reach	3	Martin Dwyer	Andrew Balding	Winterbeck Manor Stud	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:33.62	$900,000
2002	Ballingarry	3	Michael Kinane	Aidan O'Brien	Coolmore Stud	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:31.68	$900,000
2001	Mutamam	6	Richard Hills	Alec Stewart	Shadwell Racing	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:28.46	$900,000
2000	Mutafaweq	4	Frankie Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor	Godolphin	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:27.62	$900,000
1999	Thornfield	5	Richard Dos Ramos	Phil England	Knob Hill Stable	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:32.39	$936,000
1998	Royal Anthem	3	Gary Stevens	Henry Cecil	The Thoroughbred Corp.	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:29.60	$630,000
1997	Chief Bearhart	4	José A. Santos	Mark Frostad	Sam-Son Farm	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:29.00	$600,000
1996	Singspiel	4	Gary Stevens	Michael Stoute	Sheikh Mohammed	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:33.20	$600,000
1995	Lassigny	4	Pat Day	William I. Mott	Prince Sultan al Kabeer	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:29.80	$653,250
1994	Raintrap	4	Robbie Davis	André Fabre	Juddmonte Farms	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:25.60	$606,900
1993	Husband	3	Cash Asmussen	John Fellows	Keswick Stables	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:36.40	$623,100
1992	Snurge *	5	Richard Quinn	Paul Cole	Martyn Arbib	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:39.00	$636,000
1991	Sky Classic	4	Pat Day	Jim Day	Sam-Son Farm	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:27.80	$624,750
1990	French Glory	4	Pat Eddery	André Fabre	Juddmonte Farms	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:34.80	$619,650
1989	Hodges Bay	4	Jean Cruguet	Willard C. Freeman	George E. Robb	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:33.80	$575,400
1988	Infamy	4	Ray Cochrane	Luca Cumani	Gerald W. Leigh	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:29.00	$508,680
1987	River Memories	3	Chris McCarron	Robert Collet	Alan Clore	1​^1⁄2 M (t)	2:32.80	$456,900
1986	Southjet	3	José A. Santos	Angel Penna Sr.	Dogwood Stable	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:54.60	$421,500
1985	Nassipour	5	Jean-Luc Samyn	Stephen A. DiMauro	Dogwood Stable	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:48.20	$360,000
1984	Majesty's Prince	5	Laffit Pincay Jr.	Joseph B. Cantey	John D. Marsh	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:42.80	$360,000
1983	All Along	4	Walter Swinburn	Patrick Biancone	Daniel Wildenstein	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:45.00	$312,210
1982	Majesty's Prince	3	Eddie Maple	Joseph B. Cantey	John D. Marsh	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:49.40	$251,790
1981	Open Call	3	Jorge Velásquez	John M. Gaver Jr.	Greentree Stable	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:53.40	$185,250
1980	Great Neck	4	Mike Venezia	Jan H. Nerud	Tartan Stable	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:42.60	$120,000
1979	Golden Act	3	Sandy Hawley	Loren Rettele	W. Oldknow/R. W. Phipps	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:48.60	$120,000
1978	Mac Diarmida	3	Jean Cruguet	Scotty Schulhofer	Jerome M. Torsney	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:41.20	$111,180
1977	Exceller	4	Ángel Cordero Jr.	Maurice Zilber	Nelson Bunker Hunt	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:52.40	$116,100
1976	Youth	3	Sandy Hawley	Maurice Zilber	Nelson Bunker Hunt	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:48.00	$114,600
1975	Snow Knight	4	Jorge Velásquez	MacKenzie Miller	Windfields Farm	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:43.20	$113,220
1974	Dahlia	4	Lester Piggott	Maurice Zilber	Nelson Bunker Hunt	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:40.00	$91,650
1973	Secretariat	3	Eddie Maple	Lucien Laurin	Meadow Stable	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:41.80	$92,755
1972	Droll Role	4	Braulio Baeza	Thomas J. Kelly	John M. Schiff	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:51.80	$52,330
1971	One For All	5	Ron Turcotte	Horatio Luro	John A. Bell lll	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:45.20	$41,550
1970	Drumtop	4	Chuck Baltazar	Roger Laurin	James B. Moseley	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:50.80	$39,900
1969	Vent du Nord *	4	Rudy L. Turcotte	Al Scotti	Emanuel Mittman	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:47.20	$45,000
1968	Frenetico	4	Robin Platts	Lou Cavalaris Jr.	Gardiner Farm	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:49.20	$30,900
1967	He's A Smoothie	4	Samuel McComb	Warren Beasley	William R. Beasley	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:59.60	$34,500
1966	George Royal	5	Ismael Valenzuela	Donald Richardson	Hammond & Hall	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:42.40	$32,700
1965	George Royal	4	Johnny Longden	Donald Richardson	Hammond & Hall	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	3:05.40	$35,800
1964	Will I Rule	4	Ron Turcotte	Joe Nash	Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr.	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:47.80	$34,800
1963	The Axe II	5	John L. Rotz	John M. Gaver Sr.	Greentree Stable	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:41.00	$35,600
1962	El Bandito	5	Ray Broussard	Joseph H. Pierce Jr.	Edward Seltzer	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:50.80	$35,700
1961	Our Jeep	4	Sam Boulmetis Sr.	Oleg Dubassoff	John M. Schiff	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:45.80	$32,500
1960	Rocky Royale	4	Kenneth Church	Paul L. Kelley	Spring Hill Farm	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:42.20	$35,400
1959	Martini II	5	Charles Clark	Harry Trotsek	Hasty House Farm	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:56.00	$33,000
1958	Jack Ketch	4	Johnny Sellers	Harry Trotsek	Hasty House Farm	1​^5⁄8 M (t)	2:46.60	$34,900
1957	Spinney	4	Juan Sanchez	Horatio Luro	Louis R. Rowan	1​^5⁄8 M (d)	2:46.20	$42,300
1956	Eugenia II	4	Juan Sanchez	Horatio Luro	W. Arnold Hanger	1​^5⁄8 M (d)	2:43.40	$42,700
1955	Park Dandy	5	Bobby Ussery	P. Brady	William J. Beattie	1​^3⁄16 M (d)	2:00.80	$34,524
1954	Resilient	4	Bennie Green	H. W. Williams	Killian Farms	1​^1⁄8 M (d)	1:54.00	$23,075
1953	Navy Page	3	Nick Shuk	Gordon J. McCann	E. P. Taylor	1​^1⁄8 M (d)	1:53.20	$10,875
1952	Beau Dandy	7	Anthony Licata	R. Anderson	Wilma Kennedy	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:46.00	$5,225
1951	Bull Page	4	Jose Vina	Gordon J. McCann	E. P. Taylor	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:49.00	$5,090
1950	Nephisto	3	Pat Remillard	Arthur Brent	E. P. Taylor	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:46.80	$4,810
1949	Arise	3	Douglas Dodson	James C. Bentley	Addison Stable	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:46.80	$4,800
1948	Canada's Teddy	4	David H. Prater	Morris Fishman	Mrs. Morris Fishman	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:48.00	$3,910
1947	Brown Hostess	4	Len Stroud	William Thurner	Charles H. Hemstead	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:46.20	$2,550
1946	Kingarvie	3	Johnny Dewhurst	Arthur Brent	Parkwood Stable	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:51.40	$2,770
1945	Tulachmore	5	Pat Remillard	William E. MacDonald	MacDonald Stable	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:55.40	$2,900
1944	Be Brief	4	Robert B. Watson	Cecil Howard	Harry C. Hatch	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:47.60	$1,768
1943	Shepperton	4	Robert B. Watson	Fred H. Schelke	Fred H. Schelke	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:51.80	$3,326
1942	Shepperton	3	Robert B. Watson	Fred H. Schelke	Fred H. Schelke	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:52.40	$1,876
1941	Bunty Lawless	6	Tom Aimers	Gordon J. McCann	Willie F. Morrissey	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:49.20	$3,354
1940	Cerisse III	7	Harry Meynell	A. Bennie	Art J. Halliwell	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:46.00	$1,400
1939	Sir Marlboro	3	Charlie McTague	Walter E. Coburn	Conn Smythe	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:48.00	$2,450
1938	Bunty Lawless	3	Tom Aimers	Jack Anderson	Willie F. Morrissey	1​^1⁄16 M (d)	1:45.80	$2,125

• In 1969 Tradesman won but was disqualified and placed last.
• In 1992 Wiorno finished first but was disqualified and placed third.

See also

• List of Canadian flat horse races

References

1. "Canadian International Stakes Profile". Equibase. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
2. Thoroughbred racing news at Woodbine Entertainment Archived 2009-12-16 at the Wayback Machine
3. http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/canadianinternational/RaceTrackNewsPage.aspx?NewsId=163914b3-8a02-492f-897f-2859f6b83fbb
4. "Canadian International History & Records". www.woodbineentertainment.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
5. Canadian International Stakes details 1938–2001 Archived March 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
6. October 29, 1973 New York Times
7. "Bunty Lawless". Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
8. "Dahlia". Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
9. "Facts & Figures". www.woodbineentertainment.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
10. Woodbine postpones Pattison International thoroughbred race for a year

External links

• Ten Things You Should Know about the Canadian International at Hello Race Fans!