Her previous start was in Europe, where she showed that she was rounding back into winning form, gave her an excellent chance to ship over and get the money for Roger Varian.
That winning profile is eerily similar to Joshua Tree, the early line favorite for Sunday’s Canadian Grade 1 $1.5 million International. But don’t take my word for that.
“He seems to be coming into his best recently,” trainer Mario Botti said this week. “I haven’t trained many horses as tough as he is. Every time he comes back after a race, he’s full of life. He loves traveling.”
Then it would seem all he needs is a good trip to make amends for last year’s disappointing defeat in which he shipped into Etobicoke in defense of his 2010 International title.
And if he wins, he’s in the Breeders’ Cup Turf three weeks hence where, among others, Point of Honor will be waiting.
Botti was happy eniugh with Joshua Tree’s recent effort, a third in the Group 2 Prix Foy at Longchamp behind Orfevre, the Japanese wonder horse star who just missed in the storied Arc de Triomphe after making a premature lead at the top of the straight.
But this edition might be even tougher than either of the last two renewals of the mile and a half Canadian classic. Four European cohorts have made the trip, too, and one in particular, Imperial Monarch, figures to give Joshua all he can handle.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien tends to spot his horses aggressively, even at the end of the European season, but not Imperial Monarch, who’s been carefully pointed toward to this.
Imperial Monarch has been freshened after winning the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris in July. That’s what can happen when you have a Triple Crown aspirant like Camelot for a stablemate.
Imperial Monarch has won three of four for O’Brien, who’s won two Internationals and will have a fresh runner for the Breeders’ Cup--free ride or no free ride--should he be defeated here.
But the International is more than a match race: Reliable Man, Wigmore Hall and Lay Time all have a license.
Reliable Man, the 2011 French Derby winner, wasn’t beaten very far by Danedream in the King George & Queen Elizabeth at Ascot this summer, and Wigmore Hall was a repeat winner of the G1 Northern Dancer Turf, the traditional International prep. Under the circumstances, Reliable Man could offer some value.
As for Lay Time, she will try to emulate last year’s International winner by becoming the seventh female to win it. She prepped for the International by finishing third vs. the boys in an English G3 last out.
Three Americans are shipping north of the border. Air Support, who won the G2 Bowling Green in his last start, appears to have the best chance for Shug McGaughey, who won Saturday’s G2 Bowling Green with authority Saturday.
But Europeans play on a different level on the turf, which is why I can’t wait to see McGaughey’s Point of Honor at Santa Anita. I know there have been others in between, but it’s been a long time since America has shown the Euros the likes of a Theatrical or a Manila, a quarter century to be precise.
15 Oct 2012 at 09:13 pm | #
JP,
Nice call on Joshua Tree, who went off at a surprising 4-1 considering the connections - and previously noted success in this race.
I’m hoping with you for a win next month by American bred, owned, and trained Point Of Honor.
As for yesterday’s International and EP Taylor, the results were totally Euro dominated. The top four finishers in both races were all European-bred. Five were bred in Ireland, two in England, and one in France.
The only stakes race on grass which went to non-euros was the sprint stakes - The Nearctic - won by Trombetta/Dominguez. Three of the top four were non-European bred.
Denny
15 Oct 2012 at 10:37 pm | #
Den, the International and E P Taylor results, like many of North America’s turf stakes, likely will continue to be dominated by Euro invaders.
But America, I guess, still has the “fastest” runners on any circuit. At least we beat the Euros when it mattered--about 3-1/2 centuries ago.
15 Oct 2012 at 10:51 pm | #
Right on John
It may indeed turn out to be a “point of honor”, but, followed your error above -his correct name is Point Of Entry.
15 Oct 2012 at 11:10 pm | #
Seperately, do you think the stakes restricted to 3-year-olds deserve grade one status this late in the year?
In the Arc, one of the most prestigious distance races in the world, I believe 3-year-olds have won against older. This even includes 3-yo fillies (this year and last?) against older males.