Europeans Invade Canada on Woodbine Mile Day

Trade Storm won his first race of the year in the Woodbine Mile. (Photo by WEG/Michael Burns)
Woodbine was invaded by Europeans on Sunday with Trade Storm and Sheikhzayedroad taking two of the three biggest races of the day.
Trade Storm avenged his third-place finish behind Wise Dan in last year’s Woodbine Mile Stakes when he passed nearly every other horse in the stretch of this year’s edition to take home the win.
Trade Storm settled in third from last quickly out of the gate, racing near the rail. Going into the turn, the European invader was still in that spot but in the stretch he dug down and worked his way through the pack of horses to take the lead in late stretch and win over morning-line favorite Kaigun. Bobby’s Kitten, who had done most of the early running in the race, was involved in a photo for the third spot, narrowly edging River Seven.
“[Jockey Jamie Spencer] knows him very, very well and how we ride him is according to pace,” winning trainer David Simcock said. “Today, they went a good pace and they put a lot of pace into the race sort of, after four furlongs, which suits. He travels very strongly into it and he has a nice pick up. All he needed was the gaps and Jamie maneuvered his way through.”
Winning jockey Jamie Spencer is set to retire from racing later this year and reflected on that after his win in the Woodbine Mile.
“The adrenaline rush of racing, it’s what we do it for, and I’ll miss it but it’s a new chapter,” Spencer said.
The victory was the second on the day for Simcock, who also won the Northern Dancer with Sheikhzayedroad earlier on the card. The win earned Trade Storm a spot in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile through its “Win and You’re In” status. Simcock confirmed in the post-race interviews that the horse most likely will take his chance in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, again matching up against Wise Dan.
“That’s special, that one,” said Simcock. “I mean they’re both special, but he’s really one of my favorites of all time out of all the horses I’ve trained. It’s been frustrating with him sometimes, but even when he gets beat, I adore the horse massively, so it’s a really special result. I think it is special for the jockey as well.
If all goes according to plan next year, Trade Storm will run in Dubai before potentially running in Hong Kong and Singapore with a return trip to the 2015 Woodbine Mile also in the cards.
TRADE STORM FLYING HOME IN THE WOODBINE MILE

Photo by WEG/Michael Burns
In the other races:
Deceptive Vision proved that the third time was the charm on Sunday when she won the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes. The filly earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf and was the lone North American-based horse to take a win home from the three big stakes races on the card.
Going off at odds of 4.65-to-1, Deceptive Vision came into the race with a third and a second, respectively, in her two previous starts at Woodbine, both at the graded stakes level. But while she had been on or close to the lead in those two races, this time she was farther back, sitting midpack during the race. Deceptive Vision moved closer in the turn and rolled past La Tia in the late stretch to get a 2 1/2 length win with jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva in the saddle.
DECEPTIVE VISION WAS ALL ALONE AT THE WIRE

Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing
“We spent a long time getting this filly to settle and getting her off the lead … it is hard to win these races from the lead,” trainer Malcolm Pierce said after the race. “It is fantastic, we have a bunch of nice horses [from Sam-Son Farm], and it is a pleasure to train them.”
Royal Fury finished second with La Tia rounding out the top three. Deceptive Vision covered the 1 1/8 miles in a time of 1:47.80 and paid $11.30 to win on a $2 ticket.
Sheikhzayedroad had to survive an inquiry in the $300,000 Northern Dancer, but in the end the 5-year-old gelding was named the victor in his first American start.
A world traveler, Sheikhzayedroad has run in three countries in 2014 with victories in all of them. Sheikhzayedroad settled at the back of the field for the first half of the race with Reporting Star leading the way. Sheikhzayedroad advanced past two horses late in the backstretch, and jockey Martin Lane asked him to pick up the pace as they entered the turn. Sheikhzayedroad established himself on the rail down the stretch and, while he came out a little bit on Reporting Star, the stewards ruled it was not enough to cost that horse a placing. Dynamic Sky finished second with Reporting Star in third and Villandry in fourth.
Sheikhzayedroad ran the 1 ½ miles on turf in a time of 2:32.37, going off at odds of 3.15-to-1 and winning by 1/2 length. Trainer David Simcock said the gelding may run in the Canadian International on Oct. 19 or a race at Ascot Racecourse in England on the same day.
For charts of all the races, click here.
SHEIKHZAYEDROAD SURVIVED AN INQUIRY IN THE NORTHERN DANCER

Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing