Second Step favored at 3-1 in Canadian International
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Group 1 winner Second Step drew post 4 and is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Canadian International at Woodbine.
Second Step, who won the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in his penultimate start in Germany, is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Group 1 Irish St. Leger. Andrea Atzeni will ride the 4-year-old for trainer Luca Cumani in the 12-furlong turf event.
Cannock Chase is 7-2 on the line off a listed stakes score at Newmarket. He drew post 2, and his connections – jockey Ryan Moore and trainer Michael Stoute – are world renowned. Moore is seeking his third consecutive Canadian International victory.
Sheikhzayedroad, another European, is the 6-1 third choice, breaking from post 3 under Martin Lane for trainer David Simcock. He is winless since traveling here last year to capture the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf.
Interpol (8-1) is the hottest local runner in the 11-horse field. He just won the 12-furlong Northern Dancer Turf under Emma-Jayne Wilson, and they will start from post 9. Sid Attard trains the son of English Channel.
Rounding out the lineup are Danish Dynaformer (Eurico Da Silva, 10-1), Habibi (Robby Albarado, 10-1), Kaigun (Patrick Husbands, 12-1), Power Ped (Florent Geroux, 20-1), Reporting Star (Luis Contreras, 20-1), Triple Threat (Joel Rosario, 10-1), and Up With the Birds (John Velazquez, 10-1).