Ballingarry takes to going in Canadian International

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Irish invader Ballingarry relished the yielding turf and beat his eight opponents with ease in Sunday's Grade 1, $1.5 million , the eighth leg of the 2002 World Series Racing Championship.

Ballingarry was world renowned trainer Aidan O'Brien's first Woodbine starter. It was also the first Woodbine mount for jockey Mick Kinane, who said the 3-year-old son of Sadler's Wells was very professional in winning the mile and a half event, with an ideal stalking trip near front-running Yavana's Pace.

"He's a horse with plenty of stamina," Kinane noted. "The plan was either to make the pace, or sit very close. I knew that if Yavana's Pace made the gate and got there, he would wish to go, and I was happy to let him through. My colt was traveling beautifully all the way. I had a lot of horse turning into the straight, and he picked it up well.

"This race was certainly no slouch," he added. "I think this horse is improving again. When you get a 3-year-old maturing at this point in the season, the sky's the limit."

Yavana's Pace, a 10-year-old who finished third in a Group 1 event last weekend in Germany, set slow fractions of :25.52, :52.03, 1:17.97 and 1:43.07 seconds. Ballingarry overhauled him at the head of the stretch and quickly opened up a clear lead, before holding off a closing Falcon Flight to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Yavana's Pace faded to finish another four lengths back in third, and was followed by Perfect Soul, Zindabad, Paolini, Portcullis and Full of Wonder.

Pat Valenzuela, who rode lukewarm 5-2 favorite Falcon Flight, said he encountered some trouble on the far turn.

Said Valenzuela, "I had a pretty relaxing trip until about the three-eighths pole, when the jockey on Paolini put me in very tight quarters. We dropped back at that point, and hit the rail. Considering what happened, he ran a good race."

Ballingarry returned $10.20 as the fourth choice, and headed a $47 exactor. The triactor returned $584.40, and the superfecta was worth $1,672.15.

Ballingarry, Group 1 winner at 2 in France, earned $900,000 for owner Mrs. John Magnier.

Assistant trainer T.J. Comerford said Ballingarry could make his next start in the Grade 1 Breeder's Cup Turf at Arlington on Oct. 26.