Doctor Dino tops International cast

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Doctor Dino, who has been competitive in top company while journeying far and wide over the last few seasons, has been made the 2-1 favorite for Saturday's Grade 1 Canadian International here at Woodbine.

A field of 10 for the $2 million Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and upward, was announced at a ceremonial draw here Wednesday.

Doctor Dino will begin from post 3 and will have a new rider in Frankie Dettori for the Canadian International, which is part of the Breeders' Cup's Win and You're In program for the first time. The winner qualifies for a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Three other stakes also will be contested over the turf course here Saturday and offer automatic Breeders' Cup berths to the winners: the Grade 1, $1 million E.P. Taylor (Filly and Mare Turf), for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles; the Grade 2, $500,000 Nearctic (Turf Sprint), for 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs; and the Grade 3, $300,000 Summer (Juvenile Turf), for 2-year-olds at one mile.

The Canadian International remains the piece de resistance, however, and Doctor Dino, who calls France home when he is not on the road for trainer Richard Gibson, will be looking for his fourth Grade 1 or Group 1 victory.

Champs Elysees and Quijano, who finished a nose apart as the one-two finishers in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer here Sept. 7, are the respective second and third choices in the morning line set by Woodbine oddsmaker Jennifer Morrison.

Garrett Gomez retains the mount on Champs Elysees (7-2), who is trained by Bobby Frankel and drew post 5.

Quijano (4-1), a German invader who will begin from post 4, will be making his second consecutive Canadian International appearance after finishing a closing third last year. Quijano is trained by Peter Schiergen and like last year will be ridden by Andreas Starke.

The other Europeans in the Canadian International lineup are Lucarno, Mourilyan, and Lauro.

Lauro, who shipped over from Germany, has not seen action since April 1, 2007. He breezed four furlongs in 51.40 seconds over a "good" turf course here Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the E.P. Taylor attracted a nine-horse field headed by J'ray, who is the morning-line choice at 5-2 off her impressive score in the Grade 2 Canadian at 1 1/8 miles on turf here Sept. 7.

Heros Reward, last year's Nearctic winner, is returning from Maryland and is the 5-2 favorite in this year's field of 12.

Utterly Cool, undefeated in two starts, both at Woodbine, is the 7-5 choice in the field of eight for the Summer.