The $750,000 Canadian International is set to showcase an elite lineup of international turf talents this Saturday at Woodbine, with Godolphin’s Arabian Crown among the contenders for the distinguished Grade 1 race. Marking its 86th edition, the event will feature seven horses competing over the 1 ½-mile distance on the E.P. Taylor turf course. Race coverage begins at 5 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBC Gem, CBCSports.ca, and the CBCSports YouTube channel.
Saturday’s card also includes several noteworthy races: the $250,000 Nearctic Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2T), the $200,000 bet365 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T), and the $250,000 bet365 Algonquin Stakes (G3T). Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby return to Woodbine buoyed by recent success with Notable Speech, winners of the Woodbine Mile (G1T) on September 12, a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event.
Godolphin and Appleby have a strong history at the Canadian International, winning in 2021 with Walton Street, and again in 2023 with Nations Pride, who narrowly missed the top spot last year, finishing third behind Silawi. Their earlier victories include Mutafaweq in 2000 and Sulamani in 2004.
This year, Arabian Crown aims for his first Grade 1 win. The 5-year-old Dubawi colt, bred by 4 0 Gb Partnership, boasts six wins, one second, and two thirds in 13 starts, earning $342,718 heading into his North American debut. Appleby praised Arabian Crown’s physical strength and ongoing improvement with age.
Arabian Crown recently secured his third Group 3 victory in the Kilternan Stakes at Leopardstown on September 12, winning by 2 ¼ lengths after a strong late run. Appleby noted the horse’s smooth travel and impressive acceleration, adding that the win boosted the horse’s confidence. Earlier, Arabian Crown finished runner-up to Godolphin’s champion Rebel’s Romance in the G2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes during July. Rebel’s Romance, a celebrated stablemate with 22 career wins including nine Grade 1 titles and two Breeders’ Cup Turf victories, was retired after that race.
Appleby believes the E.P. Taylor turf is an ideal fit for Arabian Crown, highlighting the track’s excellent maintenance and suitability to the horse’s running style. The versatile Dubawi colt has shown success on both soft and good-to-firm ground.
Other key contenders include last year’s close runner-up Tawny Port, trained by Miguel Clement for Peachtree Stable. The 7-year-old Pioneerof the Nile gelding has recorded 7 wins and 6 seconds in 34 starts, with earnings nearing $2.8 million. Clement reports Tawny Port is in excellent form following a recent victory over 2 and 1/16 miles at Kentucky Downs and is expected to perform well again on the E.P. Taylor course.
Gail Cox’s Dancin in Da’nile, a 7-year-old Pioneerof the Nile son with multiple graded stakes placings and earnings of $477,162, will also compete. Three-year-old Ancient Egypt, a Frankel colt trained by Charlie Johnston, brings a strong record including wins in the 2026 Newmarket Stakes and other novice stakes in 2025.
Il Siciliano, a 5-year-old by Yoshida trained by Antonio Sano, will make his Canadian debut following a recent win at Saratoga, while Purview, a 4-year-old Kingman colt trained by Dermot Weld, comes off a G3 Dubai Duty Free International Stakes victory.
The field is rounded out by Tomasello, a 4-year-old Authentic colt trained by Mark Casse, who enters his first Grade 1 after a gritty half-length win in the Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine in early September.
Notably, Joshua Tree remains the only three-time winner of the Canadian International, achieving victories in 2010, 2012, and 2013, with several other legendary champions having won the race over the years.
Wagering options for the Canadian International include Rolling Double, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3 (Races 9-10-11), and $1 Swinger bets.
G1 Canadian International Field:
- Arabian Crown – Jamie Spencer – Charlie Appleby
- Dancin in Da’nile – Pietro Moran – Gail Cox
- Purview – Christopher Hayes – Dermot Weld
- Il Siciliano – Rafael Hernandez – Antonio Sano
- Ancient Egypt – David Egan – Charlie Johnston
- Tomasello – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
- Tawny Port – Sahin Civaci – Miguel Clement
This article originally appeared on September 30, 2026, in the Paulick Report’s News section.
Fan Take: The Canadian International continues to be a premier turf event drawing world-class competitors that highlight the global appeal and depth of thoroughbred racing. Arabian Crown’s debut on North American soil adds excitement and raises the stakes, potentially signaling a new star on the international scene and underscoring the race’s importance in showcasing emerging talent.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
