1. Horse Racing

Arabian Crown wins $750,000 Canadian International at Woodbine Racetrack

Published Oct 03, 2026  •  2 minute read

Jockey Jamie Spence guides Arabian Crown to victory in The finals $750,000 dollar Grade 1 Canadian International Championship for owner Godolphin and trainer Charles Appleby. Photo by Michael Burns /Woodbine

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Arabian Crown ran one of those races that remind us, ‘they don’t ask how’.

Sure, the five-year-old gelding showed his class in winning the $750,000 Canadian International at Woodbine on Saturday. But it wasn’t exactly the cleanest-looking performance.

Sent off as the 7-5 favourite and ridden by Jamie Spencer, Arabian Crown started quickly and wanted a controlled lead but Tomasello was given that role early in the 1 ½-mile classic. The pair began to make their move at the top of the final turn and take the lead. Helping their cause was major traffic trouble for main challenger Purview.

In the stretch, Arabian Crown drifted wide several paths but was clear enough that he was in no danger, winning by four lengths over a closing Tawny Port.

“I was a little frustrated because I wanted the lead at an even pace,” Spencer said. “I let him go at the half-mile pole and he had his ears pricked in front.”

And while the stretch looked peculiar, the English veteran jockey said it was intentional. He noticed the inside of the course was a bit softer due to rain on Friday and he preferred the more firm ground of the lesser-used part of the course.

Arabian Crown is a useful runner in England for Godolphin. While not at the top rung of the barn, the Charlie Appleby trainee had grinded out six wins in 13 starts, mainly in Group 3 and listed company. He came into the race off a win in Ireland.

The International was one of four graded turf stakes on Saturday. The $250,000 Nearctic Stakes went to Victory Achieved.

Ridden by Rafael Hernandez and sent off at 5-1, Victory Achieved slipped back to fourth around the turn of the six-furlong race. In the stretch, Hernandez guided the five-year-old gelding to the outside of the field where he was had the best kick of the seven-horse group.

The Mark Casse trainee came into the race with a little second-itis having finished in the runner-up spot at Presque Isle, Colonial and Laurel in his past three starts. The breakthrough win does give him five career scores in 14 starts.

In the $200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes, Warming overcame a slow early pace to score a comfortable win. Ridden by Fraser Aebly, the four-year-old filly allowed Proctor Street to control the early tempo in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. In the stretch, Aebly revved his charge up to get the lead and score by 1 ½ lengths over a closing Power of Destiny.

Trained by Graham Motion, Warming now has six career wins in 14 starts. She had already won stakes at Laurel and Del Mar this year.

The $250,000 Algonquin Stakes produced a 7-1 upset as Mrs D gunned down heavily-favoured Go for Launch in deep stretch. Ridden by Jose Campos, Mrs D ran at the back of the six-horse field in the first part of the five-furlong race.

Go for Launch grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch but a full-flight Mrs D caught her in the final strides to win by a half-length.

The Steven Chircop-trained two-year-old filly now has two wins and two other placings, both in stakes.

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