Rowan Ward
After going on hiatus for last year due to the pandemic, the Canadian International is back on the Woodbine horse racing calendar for 2021! The race will be run on Saturday, September 18. The winner of the Canadian International gets the best share of a $600,000 purse, and their silks will fly over the Woodbine infield for a year as a testament to their achievement.
The 2021 Canadian International drew a truly worldwide field of eight horses, including both Canadian locals and runners from faraway places. Desert Encounter, who is based in England but has raced all over the world, will travel to Woodbine to attempt to win his third edition of the Canadian International; he won in 2018 and 2019 as well.
Who will win the Canadian International this year? Let’s find out!
Where to Bet the Canadian International
Though it matters to handicap the race properly and pick the winner, it also matters just as much where you bet the race. Fortunately, our betting experts can help you find the best site to bet the Canadian International online. They have found the best online sportsbooks for betting horse racing. They know which ones offer the best user interfaces, the most trusted deposit and cash-out options, and the best odds.
Online sportsbooks also offer great incentives for Canadian International players. It is worth learning about all of the best sportsbooks, since different ones offer incentives that suit different betting styles. Choose the ones that are right for you, sign up, and then place your bets with confidence that you will be making the most of your money.
Canadian International Horses and Odds
This is the official field for the 2021 Canadian International including post positions, trainers, and jockeys:
- Corelli (Jonathan Thomas/Kazushi Kimura)
- Walton Street (Charlie Appleby/Lanfranco Dettori)
- Desert Encounter (David Simcock/Daniel Tudhope)
- Bluegrass Parkway (Michael Maker/Patrick Husbands)
- Primo Touch (Harold Ladouceur/Daisuke Fukumoto)
- Fantasioso (Ignacio Correas, IV/Joel Rosario)
- Belichick (Josie Carroll/Luis Contreras)
- English Conqueror (Darwin Benach/Antonio Gallardo)
As the race draws closer, the best online sportsbooks will begin to offer odds on the field for the Canadian International. Follow the odds at each of the sportsbooks where you register, and get ready to place your bets when you find an overlay on the horse you want to play in the race!
Free Canadian International Picks
It is time to get to know the best horses in the 2021 Canadian International! The race is always a fascinating betting race. Sometimes a longshot makes it very interesting: in 2017, 42-1 longshot Bullards Alley romped by 10 ¾ lengths to win the race! Will that happen again this year? Let’s find out by getting to know the field.
Canadian International Handicapping
#3 Desert Encounter will be well bet after winning the last two Canadian Internationals. But, he has not won a race since his victory at Woodbine two years ago. He has been getting close, and it is a positive that Daniel Tudhope is riding since Tudhope has won on a big day at Woodbine before. But, he will be an underlay and his recent races have looked like a closer who is not quite getting there.
The more interesting intercontinental shipper is #2 Walton Street. He is a mile-and-a-half maven who has won three of his last five races. He has the tactical speed to get a good trip and be involved from the outset, behind a pace that will not be terribly fast. And, trainer Charlie Appleby is excellent with selecting spots for his globetrotters.
Three horses come in from the local prep in the Singspiel (G3): #1 Corelli, #7 Belichick, and #8 English Conqueror.
Corelli is the best of that group. He closed to win the Singspiel last out, despite not having a very fast pace to close into. This gives him a good chance to run well again given the likely pace setup. Even though he has not yet won at a mile and a half, he has come in second twice at the distance, including a close call at York. He is already G1 placed, he has a strong local jockey, and Corelli is interesting at a square price.
Belichick won the Breeders’ Stakes over course and distance last year, but that was against Canadian-breds and he faces open stakes horses in this. He is in good form and can carve out a good trip with his tactical speed, though he will have to take a notable (though not impossible) step forward to prevail against horses of this quality.
English Conqueror may get the jump on Corelli, though he was outkicked by that foe in the Singspiel, meaning he will have to move forward. He has only tried a mile and a half once; he ran third behind Belichick in the Breeders’ last year. Though he consistently shows up, there are better closers in this field and he will need a significant move forward in this race.
Though #4 Bluegrass Parkway has not yet proven his class, he intrigues as a price horse. His trainer, Mike Maker, has built his career on improving his long-distance turf horses like this one. He won well in a Listed race at Ellis last month, and his allowance win at Gulfstream suggests that the increase in distance will only help Bluegrass Parkway. He also partners with Patrick Husbands: a strong local jockey who has been winning huge races at Woodbine for a long time.
#5 Primo Touch and #6 Fantasioso comprise the rest of the field. Local rider Daisuke Fukumoto will probably have Primo Touch forward early, but he has not tried the distance and is unproven at this class. Fantasioso has been able to close for some minor awards in long turf races since moving to North America, though has not won since his earlier career in Argentina.
Canadian International Free Picks
Now that you know where and how to bet the Canada race online, here are the best bets for Sunday’s 2021 Canadian International:
- $20 Win: #2 Walton Street
- $5 Exacta Key: #2 Walton Street with #1 Corelli and #4 Bluegrass Parkway
- $1 Trifecta Key: #2 Walton Street with #1 Corelli, #3 Desert Encounter, and #4 Bluegrass Parkway
- $1 Superfecta Key: #2 Walton Street with #1 Corelli, #3 Desert Encounter, #4 Bluegrass Parkway, and #7 Belichick
