Thundering Blue Invades for Canadian International

There is a decidedly European feel to Woodbine's renowned E.P. Taylor turf, an irregularly shaped, sprawling 1 1/2-mile venue that encircles the all-weather surface. And one of the course's hallmark tests has provided exceptional hospitality to overseas visitors.

Over the past eight seasons, five winners of the Pattison Canadian International Stakes (G1T) have counted the 1 1/2-mile race as their North American debut, including 2010 hero Joshua Tree, who went on to take two more editions in 2012 and 2013. It's a trend this year's morning-line favorite, Thundering Blue, aims to add to Oct. 13, when the son of Exchange Rate takes on 10 challengers in the $800,000 test.

Trained by David Menuisier for owner Clive Washbourn, Thundering Blue is making the trip across the ocean fresh off a victory in the Sept. 23 Stockholm Cup International (G3) at Sweden's Bro Park. That win marked the second group-level score for the 5-year-old gelding, who has come into his own this season after spending most of his career in the handicap ranks in England.

In July, Thundering Blue took the Sky Bet York Stakes (G2) by a neck, a run that set him up for his third-place effort behind winner Roaring Lion in the Aug. 22 Juddmonte International Stakes (G1)—a race in which he finished ahead of multiple group 1 winners Saxon Warrior, Benbatl, and Thunder Snow.

His subsequent triumph in Sweden showed he could handle shipping, and with a wide-open slate of contenders for the Canadian International, the decision was made to see how the veteran runner handles the Woodbine course that has been so kind to many a traveler before him.

"Obviously, we don't have courses as tight as this in the U.K.," said Kim Johnstone, Menuisier's wife and assistant trainer who has overseen Thundering Blue's care over the past two years. "That's why Sweden was a massive thing for us, to take him over there, because I think the track is quite similar (to Woodbine). We were super pleased with the way he handled Sweden, so we are pretty confident with him handling the track here."

Thundering Blue had his first feel of Woodbine when he headed out for training Oct. 10, with Johnstone reporting it took a bit for the gray/roan gelding to get acclimated to the morning activity.

"I think it was a massive culture shock for him," Johnstone said. "At home, the gallops, we don't really share them, he's on his own and he never really sees other horses. So I took him out this morning, and he was like, 'What is this?' He was a bit shocked, bless him. He's like that—he will take one day to just check it all out, and he will be fine tomorrow."

Thundering Blue was installed as the 2-1 choice on the morning line and will break from post 2. He's listed as a first-time gelding.

The hopes of the local contingent for the Canadian International rest heavily on fan favorite Johnny Bear, the 7-year-old gelding who has gone from solid allowance performer to multiple grade 1 winner over the past two seasons.

This time last year, Johnny Bear was coming into the Canadian International after an emotional win over Hawkbill in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T) and giving trainer Ashlee Brnjas and her father, co-owner Johnny Burness, their first top-level score. The chestnut ended up a disappointing 10th in last year's Canadian International when he struggled over the soft ground, but he recently snapped a six-race losing skid, defending his title in the Northern Dancer Sept. 15.

"If you look at his form for the last year, you can't really argue that the horse has talent," Brnjas said. "It just wasn't always the right day or the right distance. He's very specific about distance, turf conditions, and jockey. And (rider) Luis (Contreras) and him seem to really get along."

Though Johnny Bear's early days were trying for his connections, the local star has proven to be a special racehorse for all involved and now boasts eight wins from 40 starts, with $689,265 in earnings.

"When my father and (co-owner) Danny Dion purchased the horse, he was (expensive)," Brnjas said. "Truthfully, as a rookie, I didn't feel I was going to be entitled to have the horse (to train). … That I was allowed to keep the horse was really special."

Two-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown has a pair of representatives for the Canadian International in Funtastic, who upset the June 30 United Nations Stakes (G1T) at odds of 23-1, and Focus Group. Funtastic couldn't duplicate that form next time out when he finished seventh in the Aug. 25 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, and Brown said the More Than Ready  colt emerged from that run with several cuts and scrapes.

"It was disappointing," Brown said of the Sword Dancer. "I thought he had a good trip, saving ground, he just didn't fire that day. He got a little bit banged up in the race—some cuts, stitches here and there—so maybe that contributed to it, I'm not sure. But he's back to 100% health. I'm looking forward to running him there."

Fellow grade 1 winner Spring Quality is also looking to use the Canadian International as a redemption run after finishing seventh in the Sept. 29 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), his lowest placing from 13 starts.

"He ran very disappointingly, over what was extremely soft ground," said trainer Graham Motion. "I don't think he handled it at all. He had never run on ground like that. My inclination is to run him in this race. I kind of geared his whole season towards the fall. He's pretty lightly raced, which makes me feel comfortable running him back fairly quickly."

Entries: Pattison Canadian International S. (G1T)

Woodbine, Saturday, October 13, 2018, Race 9

• Grade IT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $800,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:41 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Markitoff (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	126	Michael J. Maker	20/1
2	2Thundering Blue (KY)	Fran Berry	126	David Menuisier	2/1
3	3Khan (GER)	Clement Lecoeuvre	126	Henk Grewe	10/1
4	4Funtastic (KY)	John R. Velazquez	126	Chad C. Brown	8/1
5	5Tiz a Slam (ON)	Steven Ronald Bahen	126	Roger L. Attfield	20/1
6	6Spring Quality (PA)	Edgar S. Prado	126	H. Graham Motion	4/1
7	7English Illusion (ON)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	126	Sylvain Pion	15/1
8	8Bandua (KY)	Adam Beschizza	121	Jack Sisterson	20/1
9	9Johnny Bear (ON)	Luis Contreras	126	Ashlee Brnjas	8/1
10	10Desert Encounter (IRE)	Andrea Atzeni	126	David Simcock	6/1
11	11Focus Group (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	126	Chad C. Brown	10/1