The Pattison Canadian International is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and features a "Win and You're In" guarantee.
A victory in the 1 ½-mile race, which takes place over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, earns the victor a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, set for October 25 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
Also well-regarded is the German-based Quijano. The six-year-old is well-known to Woodbine racing fans off his third-place finish to Cloudy's Knight in the 2007 International and head-bob defeat from fellow Pattison nominee, Champs Elysees, in the Northern Dancer Stakes last time out.
Champs Elysees, trained by Robert Frankel, may lead the U.S. troops into the Pattison battle. The five-year-old has two wins this year, including a dramatic score in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer over Woodbine's yielding ground on September 7.
The home side would be well-defended if Gus Schickedanz's outstanding three-year-old Marlang was entered in the 71st International. The Langfuhr colt has two straight wins, the Breeders' Stakes, third jewel of Canada's Triple Crown of Racing and the Grade 3 Saranac at Saratoga, for trainer Debbie England.
Also on the Pattison card are three other Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races. The $1 million E.P. Taylor Stakes, for fillies and mares on turf, the $500,000 Nearctic Stakes, for turf sprinters, and the $300,000 Summer Stakes, for two-year-olds on turf, all feature a "Win and You're In" guarantee.
ESPN, the prominent U.S. TV sports network, will be on track to chronicle the racing action in High-Definition.
Nominees for all four races are available at
http://www.woodbineentertainment.com/ojcdis.asp?ACT=DIS&SEC=TSN.
The list of the Pattison Canadian International nominees follows:
CEDAR MOUNTAIN (IRE)
Bay, gelding, 5 years old, by Galileo
Owner Augustin Stable
Trainer Neil D. Drysdale
CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB)
b.h.5 by Danehill
Juddmonte Farms
Robert J. Frankel
CITY LEADER (IRE)
gr.c.3 by Fasliyev
Roldvale Ltd., Sangster Family, A.K. Collins
Brian Meehan
DOCTOR DINO (FR)
ch.h.6 by Muhtathir
Javier Martinez Salmean
Richard D. Gibson
ELUSIVE FORT (SAF)
dk b/.h.6 by Fort Wood
Vintage Thoroughbreds, Inc.
Raja Malek
FROZEN FIRE (GER)
b.c.3 by Montjeu
Mr. Michael Tabor, Mr. Derrick Smith & Mrs. John Magnier
Aidan P. O'Brien
KING OF ROME (IRE)
b.c.3 by Montjeu
Mr. Michael Tabor, Mr. Derrick Smith & Mrs. John Magnier
Aidan P. O'Brien
LAURO (GER)
dk b/b.h.5 by Monsun
Gestuet Ittlingen
Andreas Woehler
LUCARNO
b.c.4 by Dynaformer
Augustin Stable
John H. M. Gosden
MAD RUSH
b.c.4 by Lemon Drop Kid
Earle Mack
Luca M. Cumani
MARLANG
b.c.3 by Langfuhr
Gustav Schickedanz
Deborah England
MARSH SIDE
b.h.5 by Gone West
Robert S. Evans
Neil D. Drysdale
MOURILYAN (IRE)
b.c.4 by Desert Prince
Ramzan Kadyrov
Herman J. Brown
PROUDINSKY (GER)
b.h.5 by Silvano
Gary A. Tanaka
Robert J. Frankel
QUIJANO (GER)
ch.g.6 by Acatenango
Gestuet Fahrhof
Peter Schiergen
ROYAL CHALLENGER
ch.h.5 by Touch Gold
Stronach Stables
Brian A. Lynch
SAHARA HEAT
dk b/b.c.4 by A.P. Indy
Singer Stables
Mark E. Casse
SCHIAPARELLI (GER)
ch.h.5 by Monsun
Godolphin
Saeed bin Suroor
SEASIDE RETREAT
b.g.5 by King Cugat
W.S. Farish, Jr.
Mark E. Casse
SIXTIES ICON (GB)
b.h.5 by Galileo
Mrs. Susan Roy
Jeremy Noseda
SPICE ROUTE (GB)
ch.g.4 by King's Best
Harlequin Ranches
Roger L. Attfield
STRIKE A DEAL
b.c.4 by Smart Strike
Jayeff B Stables
Alan E. Goldberg
SUMMER PATRIOT
gr/ro.r.4 by Unbridled's Song
Hare Forest Farm
Barclay Tagg
SUSHISAN (AUS)
ch.g.6 by Fuji Kiseki
Vintage Thoroughbreds and Velty Towers Racing
James Eustace
ZAMBEZI SUN (GB)
b.c.4 by Dansili
Juddmonte Farms
Pascal F. Bary