Joshua Tree wins another Canadian International

Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) – Joshua Tree successfully defended his crown and notched his third overall victory in Sunday’s $1 million Canadian International at Woodbine. The 6-year-old gelding becomes the first horse to win the 1 1/2-mile turf race three times.

Trained by Edward Dunlop and ridden by Ryan Moore, Joshua Tree, the 6-1 third pick, stalked pacesetter Stormy Len with 8-5 favorite Slumber racing third in the 10-horse field.

Owned by Khalid Nabooda and Kamel Albahou, Joshua Tree took over the lead coming into the stretch and drove to a three-quarter length victory over Hyper.

Seismos finished third followed by Now We Can, Temeraine, Slumber, Forte Dei Marmi, Stormy Len, Lucayan and Perfect Timber. Irish Mission was scratched to run in the supporting E. P. Taylor Stakes where she finished seventh.

For his third International win, Joshua Tree covered the 1 1/2 miles on a yielding course in 2:35.45.

With the $600,000 from winning his third Canadian International, Joshua Tree has earned $3 million from four International starts, the vast majority of his $3.85 million lifetime earnings.

The 6-year-old came into the International off a 13th-place finish at Longchamp in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. He finished second in his previous start, losing by a half-length to Verema in Deauville’s Prix Kergolay.

Joshua Tree won last year’s International by setting most of the pace with Frankie Dettori riding. In 2010, the gelding won the International over a ‘good’ grass course and the next year was second to Sarah Lynx on a yielding course.

Joshua Tree paid $15.30, $7.20 and $4.50. Hyper returned $6.90 and $4.60, and Seismos paid $6.00 to show.

Categorized in: Horses