2026 Canadian International Stakes Preview at Woodbine Racetrack

Key Takeaways:

• The Canadian International returns to Woodbine’s renovated E. P. Taylor outer turf course for the first time, with a seven-horse field tackling 1 ½ miles and six runners coming out of stakes races.
• Arabian Crown and Ancient Egypt headline the field, but the pace could be a major factor, with Arabian Crown the main confirmed speed and several others preferring to close from off the pace.
• Arabian Crown is the top pick after winning a Group 3 at this distance in Ireland; he could get an ideal setup if he clears from the rail and controls the pace.
• Tawny Port offers value at 6-1 after finding his best form in longer races; his proven Woodbine form and late-running style make him a threat, especially if Tomasello pressures Arabian Crown.
• Ancient Egypt is worth considering if his price drifts above his 2-1 morning line; he should get a forward trip and has the class to contend, but facing older horses makes his odds worth watching.

The Grade 1, $750,000 Canadian International is the last of Woodbine’s flagship races during the year, after the King’s Plate and the Woodbine Mile. The Canadian International puts the spotlight on turf routers aged three and up. The race covers 1 ½ miles, and with the renovations on the E. P. Taylor course being finished, the race is back where it belongs: one full lap over Woodbine’s sweeping outer turf.

The 2026 edition of the Canadian International drew a field of seven. The morning-line favorite is three-year-old Ancient Egypt for Charlie Johnston; Grade 1 placed in France earlier this year, he makes his second start stateside. The second choice on the line is Arabian Crown for the always-dangerous Charlie Appleby. Arabian Crown comes out of a Group 3 win in Ireland and ships to North America for the first time. Other major contenders include Ireland Group 3 winner Purview as well as Tawny Port, America’s best turf stayer, who cuts back to a relatively sharp 1 ½ miles for this.

The Canadian International traces its history back to 1938 at the Long Branch Racetrack, though it has only been a turf race since 1958. Over its history, its most important winners include Secretariat (1973), Mac Diarmida (1978), Sky Classic (1991), Singspiel (1996), and four-time Grade or Group 1 winner Nations Pride (2023).

2026 Canadian International Stakes Information

• Race Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
• Track: Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario
• Post Time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
• Distance: 1 ½ miles on the outer turf course
• Age/Sex: three-year-olds and up
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing

Canadian International Stakes: Woodbine Draw and Odds

This is the full field for the 2026 edition of the Canadian International Stakes, including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds.

Canadian International Stakes Prep Race Results

Six of the seven Canadian International runners come out of stakes races in their last start, with five coming out of graded or group-level races.

Two runners come out of the Kilternan Stakes (G3) at Leopardstown in Ireland on September 12. Arabian Crown led all the way around to win by 2 ¼ lengths, while Purview raced toward the rear most of the way and ran out of time to reel in Arabian Crown. He ultimately settled for third, 2 ½ lengths beaten.

Another pair was last seen September 5 in the Singspiel (G3), the 1 ⅜-mile local prep at Woodbine. Tomasello stalked the pace, took the lead in upper stretch, and held to win by half a length over the late-running Dancin in Da’nile. Tomasello and Dancin in Da’nile are the only horses among the 10 in the Singspiel who return for the main event.

Ancient Egypt is the only horse coming out of a Grade 1 race. He finished fourth in the Christophe Clement Turf (G1), his first career attempt against older horses at Saratoga on August 15, and has freshened up since then.

Tawny Port was fifth in the Christophe Clement Turf, but has raced once since then. He lined up for the 2 1/16-mile Gold Cup Invitational at Kentucky Downs and won by three quarters of a length, avenging his runner-up finish in that staying race last year.

The only horse coming into the Canadian International out of an ungraded race is Il Siciliano. He won a first-level allowance at Saratoga on August 8 by a length, and stretches out from 1 ⅜ miles to the 1 ½-mile Canadian International distance.

Canadian International Stakes Contenders

These are the runners in the 2026 Canadian International Stakes, organized by post position.

1. Arabian Crown: Speed is the name of his game, so his start may be dependent on how much or how little chaos ensues at the start, given that he has drawn the rail. It’s never clear how overseas speed will hold in North America – but this race is one of the more likely cases that his speed probably will hold, since the only other horse in the race who tends to show speed is Tomasello, and even he stalked the pace when winning the Singspiel, and rider Emma-Jayne Wilson returns from that outing. 1 ½ miles is the right distance for him. He shows up regularly when he catches good ground, so he should be a factor from start to finish.
2. Dancin in Da’nile: This Canadian mainstay has just four wins in 35 starts, and his very much found his place as an underneath placegetter in major long-distance grass races at Woodbine – and even beyond, as he was second to Burnham Square in the Louisville (G3) at Keeneland this year. He is unlikely to figure out how to win again, especially against this deep field, but he always makes some late run even when the pace in front of him isn’t all that hot, meaning he makes sense for a piece of a trifecta or superfecta.
3. Purview: He won three straight races in Ireland dating back to last fall before being defeated by Arabian Crown last out in the Kilternan, where Arabian Crown got things easy up front, and Purview had too much to do late. The good news for Purview is that he doesn’t always have to be that far back. But, there isn’t a lot of speed in this race; even with a bit closer-up trip, Purview may depend on Tomasello getting more aggressive than he was in the Singspiel last out, or else he may be left for another underneath piece.
4. Il Siciliano: This is a tough spot for this son of Yoshida. He did finally clear his first-level allowance condition last out – but that came over 1 ⅜ miles, which is a better distance for him than the full mile and a half. He has a lot of tries in stakes company and has yet to hit the board in any of them. This will be as classy a field as he has ever seen, and even with the confidence-builder last out and the excellent local rider in the irons, this is a tough task.
5. Ancient Egypt: He was sent off favored in the Christophe Clement Turf last out despite it being his first try against older; he didn’t win, but he wasn’t disgraced. And, while a solid field, this isn’t quite as deep as the group he faced a month and a half ago at the Spa. He should be able to get his customary close-stalking spot in this field under jockey David Egan, his regular rider, who sees fit to get on the plane. The short price is less than exciting – he probably will hold as the favorite – but he fits, and his price is worth watching in case one of the older horses overtakes him in the market and he gets a little ignored.
6. Tomasello: Mark Casse has won most of the big prizes in Canada, though the Canadian International is one that still eludes him. Tomasello is young and lightly raced – just four years old, and just 12 races underneath him. He won the Singspiel in just his second graded-stakes start. But, this is going to be a big jump: his first race at 1 ½ miles, against a deeper field than he has ever seen (except for maybe in last year’s Nashville Derby, as a sophomore). The pace flow isn’t bad for him – he’s the closest thing to a speed horse other than Arabian Crown, and though jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson stalked and pounced in the Singspiel last out, this may be a better spot for her to hit the gas and see if his North American speed can keep Arabian Crown off the top. Whether he stays all the way is a question (it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if he would be a better contender a year from now), but this is worth a shot.
7. Tawny Port: He is having the best year of his career, now that he has found his niche. On one hand, that niche is going much longer than this. On the other, his best outing at 1 ½ miles did come in the Canadian International last year, meaning he can handle the ship. This is a completely different course than last year – he was nosed out going three turns on the inner turf course last year, and this year it’s back on the outer course – but on the other hand, he handles a big, galloping course very well, as his Kentucky Downs form suggests.

Canadian International Stakes: 3 Best Bets

These are the three best bets in the 2026 Canadian International Stakes:

1. Arabian Crown (5-2)

Charlie Appleby is as good as it gets with targeting shippers, and the Canadian International is a race he has proven he can win. He has another well-spotted contender in the 2026 edition. Overseas Group-level form tends to translate well to this Grade 1 in Canada, and that’s exactly the level Arabian Crown is running at right now: he won a Group 3 over this distance in Ireland last out, and was a close second behind the top-class Rebel’s Romance at Newmarket two back.

One of the things not even Charlie Appleby can control is the pace scenario – and it looks like that is working out very well for Arabian Crown. He does his best work when he can get on the lead. Though it isn’t always clear that overseas speed will make the top in North America, he has about as good a chance as there is to get that trip. The race drew a lot of midpack and closing types, with only Tomasello sometimes showing that front-end zip. Even then, the only time Emma-Jayne Wilson rode him, he tracked a few lengths off early – something that really is Tomasello’s best trip. This could leave Arabian Crown comfortable and alone.

2. Tawny Port (6-1)

Tawny Port has found his best form this year. Make no mistake about it – 1 ½ miles is short for him, and he’s better in that two-mile range. But, he thrived on the trip to Woodbine last year, missing by just a nose when this race was run over the inner course. The switch to the outer course for this year’s running of the race is a new challenge, but given his good form at Kentucky Downs, he has a chance to handle this well, too.

In terms of pace, he is versatile enough to work out a good trip under jockey Sahin Civaci. Civaci is a local rider who rode Tawny Port in the Canadian International last year, and was able to get him running despite an early pace that wasn’t crawling but wasn’t super fast either. His best style is coming from off the pace, so he’ll be better suited if Tomasello really does try to take it to Arabian Crown, but no matter what, he is consistent enough that he should be running strongly late.

3. Ancient Egypt (2-1)

Watch the tote board on this one. He is the morning-line favorite – but there is some chance that he won’t actually go off that way, between the fact that he was defeated in the Christophe Clement Turf (G1) last time out and the fact that he is the lone sophomore facing older horses, for a trainer (Charlie Johnston) who is not particularly well known stateside.

If Ancient Egypt goes off the heavy favorite, it is of course better to look elsewhere. But, if he drifts up a bit from his morning line, something possible given the quality of some of his foes, he is worth a wager. After all, though he isn’t a frontrunner quite in the same way as Arabian Crown, he does his best work with a forward trip, and should be stalking in range under his regular rider David Egan. The experience he got last out at Saratoga should help him, as should catching better ground this time.

Canadian International Stakes FAQ

Q: When is the Canadian International Stakes?

A: The Canadian International Stakes happens on Saturday, October 3 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race is carded as the ninth of 11 on the day.

Q: Where is the Canadian International Stakes?

A: The race happens at Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke, Ontario. With the renovation of the E. P. Taylor outer turf complete, the race returns to its usual configuration: one full lap around that 1 ½-mile course.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Canadian International Stakes?

A: Four trainers have won the Canadian International Stakes thrice: Gordon J. McCann, Horatio Luro, Maurice Zilber, and Michael Stoute. After Stoute’s retirement in 2024, none of these trainers are active any longer. Charlie Appleby can tie their mark if Arabian Crown wins this year; he won in 2021 with Walton Street and 2023 with Nations Pride.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Canadian International Stakes?

A: Ancient Egypt (2-1) is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the Canadian International. Despite being the only three-year-old in the field, he should be well bet. He came close in a pair of Group-level races at 1 ½ miles at Royal Ascot and then ParisLongchamp, and wasn’t disgraced when fourth in the Christophe Clement Turf (G1) over yielding going. Watch for action on Arabian Crown (5-2), however; he is trained by the sharp Charlie Appleby and has also proven he belongs in Group-level company overseas.

Q: Who is the best Canadian International Stakes jockey?

A: Frankie Dettori leads all riders with four victories in the Canadian International, most recently with Walton Street in 2021. However, he is now retired from riding. All seven riders in the 2026 edition are trying to win the Canadian International for the first time.

Q: Who won the Canadian International Stakes in 2025?

A: Silawi won the 2025 Canadian International for trainer Hamad al Jehani and jockey Faleh Bughenaim. Neither returns for the 2026 edition.

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