2007 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf Entries

Defending champion Sky Conqueror heads a talented and well-matched field of eight turf specialists who will go postward Sunday in the second running of the $700,000 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf (G2) at Woodbine, contested at 1 1/2 miles over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

The post position draw took place on Thursday with jockey Bill Hartack, a five-time winner of the Kentucky Derby and member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, as Woodbine's special guest. Hartack was aboard the 'Dancer' during his memorable 1964 campaign when the diminutive colt became the first Canadian-bred to win America's best-known horse race, in addition to taking the Preakness Stakes and Queen's Plate.

Bill Sorokolit's Sky Conqueror, who won the inaugural running of the Northern Dancer last year over Last Answer by a half-length, has been established as the 9-5 morning line favorite from post 7. The 5-year-old Canadian-bred son of Sky Classic, who will carry co-topweight of 124 pounds, is the field's leading money-winner with $1,409,225. Trained by Darwin Banach, Sky Conqueror has won one of his three starts this year, scoring in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs, after stumbling at the start. He comes into the Northern Dancer off a second-place finish in the King Edward Breeders' Cup. Overall, the Sorokolit homebred, voted a Sovereign Award last year as Canada's top Male Turf Horse, has won five of his 10 turf outings at Woodbine. Banach said, "I am very excited about post seven. When we were in the Canadian International, we were in the one-hole and we got jammed going into the first turn. Hopefully, this will eliminate that problem. We won the Woodford from post 7 so it can't be that bad." New jockey Edgar Prado gets the call on Sunday.

Kingfield Racing Stable's Jambalaya, trained and owned by Catherine Day Phillips, is also a Grade 1 winner, having scored in the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup on February 24, defeating Honey Ryder and Einstein in the process. A $2,500 yearling purchase by Phillips, Jambalaya, a five-year-old Canadian-bred son of Langfuhr, has since amassed just over $1 million in his 19-race career. "He was to the inside in his (wins in the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup and Pan American Handicap), so we have the inside again. It's the shortest way around," said Day Phillips. To be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Javier Castellano, Jambalaya also enters the Northern Dancer from the King Edward, when he finished a scant nose and a neck behind Eccentric and Sky Conqueror. He'll carry 124 pounds as well and is the second choice at 7-2 from post 2.

Obrigado, the 4-1 third choice from post eight under 121 pounds, will be ridden by Garrett Gomez, the continent's leading money-winning rider with over $11 million in purse earnings so far in 2007. Winner of the San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita, the 4-year-old gelding, co-owned by Peter Vegso and Gary Seidler, most recently finished third to After Market and Lava Man in the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Hollywood Park on June 9. Garrett Gomez gets the mount for trainer Neil Drysdale.

On the undercard are 3 additional stakes events. The $300,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) will feature Arravale, Canada's 2006 Horse of the Year, making her seasonal bow in the 9-furlong turf contest for fillies and mares. As well, the $125,000 Ontario Matron Stakes and $125,000 Bold Venture Stakes complete the stakes program on the afternoon. Before the races, Bill Hartack will sign autographs for the fans from noon to 1pm. The Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf will be shown on a special telecast on The Score network in Canada from 4:30 - 5:30 PM ET.