#SPOTTED: JAMES HINCHCLIFFE DRAWS POST POSITIONS FOR 76TH RUNNING OF THE PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL AT WOODBINE RACETRACK

The World truly comes to Woodbine Racetrack this Sunday for the 76th running of the Pattison Canadian International, bringing together a Field of international Turf Stars for a lofty $1-million purse. The prestigious Affair is known best as the Race which legendary Secretariat won before retiring in his 1973 Championship Season. Jockeys, Trainers, Owners and Horses alike have flown-in for the occasion and earlier on the Card too is the $500k E.P. Taylor Stakes, a restricted Fixture for top-tier Fillies and Mares on the grass.

IndyCar Series Driver James Hinchcliffe partook in the festivities taking-on Drawmaster duties earlier today at Woodbine Racetrack as Post Positions were drawn for both Races.

The Fields for each Race are below:

The $500k E.P. Taylor Stakes (GRADE I) – 4:38 PM EST

1 No Explaining
2 Colonial Flag
3 Irish Mission
4 Minakshi
5 Moment In Time
6 Nancy O
7 Fitful Skies
8 Samba Brazil
9 Moment of Majesty
10 Tannery

Representing Woodbine are Irish Mission (who also is entered in the Pattison Canadian International, although more likely to race in the latter against the Boys), Moment of Majesty, No Explaining and Nancy O, who is trained by our dear friend Carolyn Costigan of Arravale Racing.

The French Filly Minakshi won a major prep race for this, the Canadian Handicap in September at Woodbine, just ahead of American-invader Colonial Flag who has had great luck locally in the past when shipping-in. Formerly European-based, Tannery looks real tough after racing well among difficult company in New York recently including a narrow loss in the Grade I Flower Bowl Invitational in late September.

The $1 million Pattison Canadian International Stakes (GRADE I) – 5:45 PM EST

1 Hyper
2 Temeraine
3 Lucayan
4 Perfect Timber
5 Joshua Tree
6 Stormy Len
7 Now We Can
8 Forte Dei Marmi
9 Seismos
10 Irish Mission
11 Slumber

Representing Woodbine this year are Perfect Timber and the Morning Line Choice, Forte Dei Marmi who is coming off three consecutive wins. A Victory in this Race would be a first for 73-year-old Hall of Fame Trainer Roger Attfield who surprisingly still has yet to win the Pattison Canadian International. As mentioned above, Irish Mission likely will be competing in this Race as the lone female Entrant.

American-based Slumber also is seen as a major Contender, coming in off a respectable fourth place finish in the Arlington Million in September. Hyper, who also is representing Team U.S.A., enters the Race off two big victories, including a win at Belmont Park in New York last month in the Grade II Bowling Green.

 

If you are planning to go, here are a couple useful links for you:

Equibase Entries for Sunday, October 27, 2013 at Woodbine.

A List of Contenders, including their Bios for the Pattison Canadian International on Woodbine‘s Official Page.

The Pattison Canadian International airs on Sportsnet 360 on Sunday, October 27, 2013 from 4:30-6:00 PM EST.

I’ll be out and about hosting a group of Influencers at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday, so don’t be shy if you see me around!

(Photo credit: Michael Burns/Keith McCalmont)