and the E.P. Taylor Stakes Post Position Draw
Dateline: 10/12/00
By: Terence Dulay
The Trophy |
On Thursday the post position draw ceremony for the 63rd running of the
Canadian International was held at
Woodbine. The race is the sixth leg of
the
Emirates World Series Racing Championship, which starts with the Dubai
World Cup in March and travels around the world for eleven races, ending
with the Hong Kong Cup on December 17th. The race has had some great
champions in its history, including Dahlia, All Along, Chief Bearhart, Sky
Classic and of course Secretariat who closed out his brilliant career
winning the 1973 event by a still-record 6 1/2 lengths. It is also the
last prep for the
Breeders' Cup Turf, which is 3 weeks away.
Simon Whitfield signs Canadian Olympic Team hats |
Before the proceedings began, special guest and Olympic triathlon gold
medalist
Simon Whitfield signed autographs for the many who turned out for
the draw. Woodbine president and CEO David Willmot commented that
director of media communications Glenn Crouter was able to book Whitfield
for the appearance just 24 hours after he had won the gold medal in
Sydney. Willmot, also the owner of Kinghaven Farms, said that while watching the triathlon on TV, he thought to himself "I wish some of my horses would close that way!" as Whitfield accelerated at the end.
Next up to the podium was Leyland Sampayo, the sales manager of Emirates Airline's Toronto office. Sampayo spoke about the World Series -- "the new Formula One of horse racing" -- and other events sponsored by
Emirates, and on the success of the multiple award-winning airline which is about to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
Dan Loiselle interviews Simon Whitfield |
Master of ceremonies and Woodbine track announcer Dan Loiselle
interviewed Simon Whitfield onstage immediately before the posts were
drawn. Whitfield went to school in Australia, and his first experience
with horse racing occurred during the 1993
Melbourne Cup. "One day,
suddenly the class shuts down and everybody just starts filing out of
class, and I'm thinking, what's going on? We stroll out onto the field,
and the teachers have the televisions of course and we've got radios.
Well the Melbourne Cup was on, and the nation stops, and I'm thinking
'This is so cool!' So we're on these radios and I'm taking the best named
horse and we're betting them on the boarding house which we got in a lot
of trouble for. And I had a great time!" When asked what the future
holds for him, he jokingly answered, "Jockey" and went on to explain how
the Woodbine grounds would make for a "heck of a triathlon" with its
multiple racing surfaces and infield ponds. (
full interview)
Kristin Petri and Martina Tucker of Emirates |
Drawing the posts were Whitfield and Woodbine racing secretary Chris
Evans, with Emirates Airline flight attendants Kristin Petri and
Martina Tucker posting the horse names on the board. Petri is
originally from the Toronto area and celebrated her birthday today.
Tucker is from Berlin, Germany, but both are part of Emirates flight crews based out of Dubai.
Tony Howarth |
Godolphin Racing will be represented by Mutafaweq (pronounced
moo-ta-FA-wek), winner of last year's St. Leger at Doncaster. His name
translates to "always the best, always the winner", and he is the second
favourite on the morning line at 3-1. Head lad Tony Howarth said "I think
he likes to be on the pace, not too far off the pace, he's quite lively
and likes to get in the race. It's going to be a tough race, good field,
we're looking forward to it. The horse is in good shape, he shipped over
well, we're very happy with him, the connections are happy, and I think
we've got a good chance. We're happy with the 5th slot, trainer Saeed
[bin Suroor] was happy with anything from 6th down. The course is going
to suit him, it's a galloping course, more European than what you'd see in
America. The European horses are going to be tough, Daliapour is a proven
horse, he's got nothing to prove. Murghem is a good horse, up and
coming." Mutafaweq will be ridden by Frankie Dettori on Sunday.
Simon Whitfield and Andrea Wilhelms |
Andrea Wilhelms, groom of Caitano, the third choice at 9-2, said "He's a
very quiet horse. Very relaxed. He's been galloping over the turf course.
I think he's coming up the race good. He's been doing very good here. He
likes to come from off the pace." He will be ridden by German jockey
Andrasch Starke.
Daliapour, morning line favourite at 2-1, winner of this year's
Coronation Cup at Epsom in June, was represented at the draw by foreman
Jimmy Scott. He said "This horse has settled in well. He's a versatile
horse, well balanced. He'll have no trouble with the track. I think he'll
run a big race. I don't think the draw makes a difference. There's only 12
runners. I would like to see him on the pace because I think that's where
he's happiest." Johnny Murtagh, who won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe two weeks ago on Sinndar, gets the mount on the Aga Khan homebred.
Simon Whitfield with the Emirates Series trophy and his gold medal |
The Canadian International will be the 8th race on the Sunday card at
Woodbine, going to post at 4:40pm ET. It will be shown on ESPN2 in the
U.S. and on CTV in Canada, from 4-5pm ET. It can also be seen online from
the Ontario Jockey Club and from Sportal.
All photos by Terence Dulay, Canadian International logo courtesy of Ontario Jockey Club
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