Arabian Crown was too much for his rivals to handle and captured his maiden Group 1 victory in Canada
The son of Dubawi made his North American debut in style, galloping to an emphatic 3 3/4-length victory in the Canadian International Stakes (G1), handing Godolphin a record fifth triumph in Woodbine's iconic showcase. Tawny Port was forced to settle for second once again
TORONTO, Canada (Special for Turf Diario).— The trip from Europe ultimately confirmed that Arabian Crown was ready to make the definitive leap he still lacked. In his North American debut, the Godolphin runner delivered a performance of immense quality to capture the 86th running of the Canadian International Stakes (G1-2,400 m, $750,000), finally securing his maiden G1 victory.
The Charlie Appleby trainee entered the race on the rise after a 2 1/4-length victory in the Kilternan Stakes (G3) on September 12 at Leopardstown, successfully transferring that progression to the Woodbine turf.
Jamie Spencer had envisioned setting the pace, but had to alter his plans quickly. Tomasello (Authentic), recent winner of the Singspiel Stakes (G3), took the initiative and passed the first 400 meters in :24.44, with Arabian Crownsettled comfortably a length behind. Ancient Egypt (Frankel) and Purview (Kingman) tracked right in behind.
The order remained virtually unchanged as Tomasello covered the 800 meters in :50.97 and 1,200 meters in 1:17.10.
Spencer remained calm. He accepted running second, kept Arabian Crown relaxed, and began asking him for more with roughly 800 meters remaining.
The response was immediate. The son of Dubawi produced a striking turn of foot, took the lead with absolute ease, and began pulling away before even entering the stretch.
From that point on, the only question was the margin of victory.
A Pre-Engineered Strategy
There was a notable tactic as Arabian Crown entered the stretch, with Spencer deliberately guiding him wide toward the outside rail, bringing him close to the grandstand.
It was no act of greenness from the horse. The jockey had inspected the turf beforehand and recognized that, following the previous day's rainfall and heavy wear on the inside lanes, he would find smoother, fresh ground near the outer portion of the track.
“That was the plan,” Spencer explained. “When I walked the course before the races, I saw that with the rain, parts of it were quite chopped up. I thought if I stayed three or four paths off the others, I could find fresh ground that might help him.”
The tactical read proved spot on. Arabian Crown held a 2-length lead in mid-stretch and kept extending his advantage, crossing the line 3 3/4 lengths clear of Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile), stopping the clock in 2:30.67 for the 2,400 meters over good turf.
Tawny Port, who had lost the previous edition by a mere nose, was once again forced to settle for second best. Purview finished third, while Ancient Egypt filled fourth.
“It was a bit frustrating not being able to take the lead because I wanted to set a steady pace in front,” Spenceradmitted. “But I accepted the situation and stayed behind. When I let him go, he still had his ears pricked and was breathing perfectly. He’s a horse in prime condition who arrived here with plenty of confidence.”
For the jockey, it represented his first career victory in the Canadian International.
Another Godolphin Triumph in Canada
The victory added further luster to Godolphin’s formidable legacy in the event. The operation reached a record fifth victory in the Canadian International, while Appleby tied the record for most wins by a trainer, securing his third title.
The British trainer had previously won in 2021 with Walton Street (Cape Cross), who scored by 5 3/4 lengths under Frankie Dettori, and in 2023 with Nations Pride (Teofilo) ridden by William Buick. Nations Pride had returned last year to finish third behind Silawi (Dubawi).
Traveling assistant Nikki Jones, on hand at Woodbine, made no secret of her enthusiasm. “It was a fantastic performance. Since he arrived here, he trained really well. We wanted him to lead, but everything worked out perfectly. As long as he has room to run, he’s happy,” she explained.
Arabian Crown had been showing signs all season that he was approaching this level. In July, he finished second behind Rebel’s Romance (Dubawi) in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes (G2), which turned out to be the final start for that extraordinary Godolphin star, retired after 22 victories—nine of them G1s, including two Breeders’ Cup Turf(G1) titles.
Since then, Arabian Crown has only kept improving. “He hasn’t raced much, but he’s getting better all the time,” Jones summarized. Bred by G. B. Partnership, the colt now holds a career record of 7 wins, one second, and two thirds from 14 outings.
His victory capped an exceptional year for Godolphin at Woodbine. Just three weeks prior, the team captured the Woodbine Mile (G1) for the second consecutive season, this time with Notable Speech (Dubawi).
Arabian Crown still needed a signature G1 victory to solidify his rise to the top. He chose his first venture to North America to find it and left zero room for doubt: adapting his strategy, dominating with supreme authority, and turning the Canadian International into yet another showcase of Godolphin’s global power at Woodbine.
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