2004 Canadian International Entries

Godolphin's Sulamani, one of the best turf horses in the world during the past three seasons, has been established as the 2-1 morning line favourite in an outstanding field of 11 for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Pattison Canadian International, Canada's richest thoroughbred race, Sunday at Woodbine.

The mile and one-half 'International,' the ninth leg (of 13) in the World Series Racing Championship, features challengers from various corners of the globe...Ireland, Germany, England and United States, coming to tackle three local hopefuls in its 67th edition. This year the field is at least as good if not superior to the one lined up for the Breeders' Cup Turf next weekend.

This is the second year of race sponsorship by Pattison Outdoor, Canada's largest outdoor advertising company. Chantal Petitclerc, who won five gold medals and set three world records at the Paralympic Games in Athens in September, was Woodbine's special guest on Friday when post positions were drawn. Rogers Sportsnet in Canada will air a special one-hour live telecast of the classic from 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm ET, with post time scheduled for 5:07 pm.

Sulamani, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, drew post three and is a five-time Group/Grade 1 winner who comes into this year's event as the field's leading money earner, with over $4.3 million. The five-year-old Irish-bred son of Hernando most recently scored in the Group 1 Juddmonte International, August 17 at York, England. He'll be piloted, as usual, by Frankie Dettori, looking to score a second International win for the connections after they teamed to take the 2000 renewal with Mutafaweq.

"Since he got here, he's done everything we've asked of him," said Tony Howarth, an assistant with Godolphin. "He's eaten well. He seems happy in the shedrow. He has travelled before so he is a horse that pretty much adapts quickly. He seems fine. He seems in good shape."

Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Bobby Frankel will saddle Gary Tanaka's King's Drama, the 4-1 second choice from post two. To be ridden by the continent's leading money-winning jockey John Velazquez, the Irish-bred four-year-old most recently finished third to Breeders' Cup-bound Magistretti in the Man O'War at Belmont Park, September 11.

Back for another crack at the $900,000 winner's share is Mrs. John Magnier's Brian Boru, trained by Aidan O'Brien, who is listed as the 9-2 third choice from post five. Last year, the chestnut son of Sadler's Wells went postward as the 6-5 favourite and closed a tonne of ground down the stretch but finished third, three-quarters of a length behind winner Phoenix Reach.

Shadwell Stable's Mubtaker, a seven-year-old son of Silver Hawk, drew the rail and is the 6-1 fourth choice. He will try to become the oldest horse to win the International since 1958, when it became a turf contest. Shadwell's Mutamam is currently the oldest to do so, at age six, when he scored in 2001. In just 19 career starts, Mubtaker, trained by Marcus Tregoning, has been worse than third only once, when he was seventh in the September 5 Grosser Preis von Baden in Germany. Last year, he won three of four starts, along with a second-place finish in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to the much-heralded Dalakhani. Richard Hills, who was aboard Mutamam for his 2001 International score, retains the mount.

Also on the card with the International are the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes for the fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on the turf and the Grade 2 Nearctic Handicap at 6 furlongs on the turf. Favored for the E.P. Taylor is Godolphin's Punctilious, ridden by Frankie Dettori, with Bobby Frankel trained Commercante and Neil Drysdale trained Dimitrove the second and third choices.