Woodbine: Canadian International Day crowd begins arriving from Europe

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The first wave of European shippers checked in late Saturday evening for next Sunday’s Canadian International Day program at Woodbine.

[CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DAY: Get PPs, watch Sunday's full card live]

Traveling from England via Amsterdam were Joshua Tree, Wigmore Hall, and Dandino, for the Canadian International; Lay Time, who is nominated to both the International and the E.P Taylor; and Night Carnation, whose target is the Nearctic.

All three stakes offer Grade 1 status and will be run on the turf with the $1.5 million Canadian International for 3-year-olds and upward going at 1 1/2 miles; the $1 million E.P. Taylor for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles; and the $500,000 Nearctic for 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs.

Barefoot Lady sharp in workout

Barefoot Lady, who remained at Woodbine after invading from England for the Grade 2 Canadian over 1 1/8 miles of turf here Sept. 16, continued her preparations for the E.P. Taylor with a solid five-furlong work on the training turf course here Sunday morning.

Working on her own with traveling head lass Alyson Deniel in the irons, Barefoot Lady was timed in 1:00.20 while finishing strongly .

Clocker Cliff Quan caught the 4-year-old Barefoot Lady going her opening quarter in 25.60 seconds, the half in 36.80, four furlongs in 49.40, and galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.40.

“She’s fit as a flea,” said Deniel, whose boss is trainer Richard Fahey.

Stormy Lord remains on fence

Stormy Lord, a possibility for the Canadian International, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.20 on the turf training course with jockey Justin Stein in the irons.

Ian Black, who trains the 5-year-old Stormy Lord, said he also was looking at Belmont’s Knickerbocker on Stormy Lord’s behalf.

The Knickerbocker, a 1 1/8 mile turf race for 3-year-olds and upward, offers Grade 3 status and a purse of $150,000.

Artic Fern earns bullet

Artic Fern and Big Band Sound both breezed on the Polytrack for the Nearctic.

Jockey Luis Contreras was aboard Artic Fern, who was timed in 58.80, handily, the fastest of 26 workers at the distance.

Big Band Sound was clocked in 59.40, breezing, under exercise rider Shemlin Montoute.

Two prep for Durham Cup

Delegation and City Wolf both breezed five furlongs on Sunday with an eye toward the Durham Cup, which also will be run here next Sunday.

The Grade 3, $150,000 Durham Cup is a 1 1/8-mile main-track stakes for 3-year-olds and upward.

Delegation had Patrick Husbands in the irons as he breezed in 1:01.40 on the Polytrack while City Wolf breezed in 1:00.40 was the fastest of 16 workers at the distance on the training track with Jose Contreras doing the honors.

Reade Baker, who trains City Wolf, also sent out Hunters Bay to breeze five furlongs in 1:01.20 on the dirt training track with Emma-Jayne Wilson doing the honors.

Hunters Bay, who is heading for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, was working for the first time since finishing second when making his turf debut in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile under Jose Contreras.

“We gave him a mini-break,” said Baker.