Desert Encounter, 9, goes after third victory in Canadian International
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The esteemed English invader Desert Encounter returns to Toronto on Saturday to try to win the Grade 1 Canadian International for a third time. The $600,000 race, which encompasses one lap around the 1 1/2-mile main turf course, wasn’t run last year due to the pandemic, and has been moved up from its traditional mid-October date to Saturday’s Woodbine Mile card.
Desert Encounter got a 104 Beyer Speed Figure when he took the 2018 International in his first race with Lasix. He also competed on Lasix when taking the 2019 International with a 100 Beyer.
Ian Russell, an assistant to trainer David Simcock, said the 9-year-old Irish-bred gelding is happy to be back at Woodbine.
“He shipped pretty good,” Russell said. “He’s a bit of an old pro now. This is his third visit to Woodbine, and it seems to be his happy place. Getting on a plane is nothing strange for him.”
Desert Encounter is winless in his last 15 races – his last victory came in the 2019 Canadian International – but he’s coming off a second in the August Stakes at Windsor behind Teona, who subsequently won the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp.
“We were we happy with his run at Windsor – second to a horse who went on to win a Group 1 in France last weekend,” Russell said. “They’re prep races for him, because long term we’ve aimed for the International.”
Daniel Tudhope will ride Desert Encounter, who’s going back on Lasix.
“He’s a little bit older now, so if we can help him a little bit, that’s good,” Russell said.
Joshua Tree is the only three-time winner of the International, scoring in 2010, 2012 and 2013, to go along with a second in 2011.
Godolphin’s 7-year-old European shipper Walton Street should be favored in the eight-horse International.
Walton Street has won two of four outings this year. Trained by Charlie Appleby, he began his season by winning two Dubai stakes going about 1 1/2 miles at Meydan, including the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold.
Walton Street got a freshening after ending up fourth behind the brilliant Mishriff in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic on March 27. When he came off the bench Aug. 8, he wound up third in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin over about 1 1/2 miles in Germany.
Frankie Dettori has the mount on Walton Street.
“He had a very good Dubai in the winter,” Dettori said. “The key with him is he stays the distance very well. He goes on any ground. He’s uncomplicated. He’s tailor-made for these kind of races.”
Corelli won the local prep for the International, the Grade 3 Singspiel. With Kazushi Kimura aboard, the New York-based son of Ontario sire Point of Entry rallied strongly from seventh to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths in the 1 1/4-mile event.
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Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Corelli has finished second or third in four of his five 1 1/2-mile starts without finding the mark. His only lackluster performance this year was a sixth-place finish without Lasix in the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple at Saratoga. Corelli has used Lasix in six of his eight starts in the U.S. and will run on it Saturday.
Corelli breezed a half-mile in 48.80 seconds at Belmont last Saturday.
“Speaking with Jonathan, he seemed very pleased with his work on the weekend,” said trainer Katerina Vassilieva who saddles and cares for Thomas's horses at Woodbine.
Completing the International field are Belichick, English Conqueror, Fantasioso, Primo Touch, and Bluegrass Parkway, who was supplemented at a cost of $12,000.