Champs Elysees strong down stretch to win Pattison Canadian International

TORONTO - Champs Elysees went out with a bang Saturday.

The British-bred six-year-old finished his thoroughbred racing career in dramatic fashion, rallying in to capture the $2-million Pattison Canadian International turf event at Woodbine Racetrack.

Champs Elysees' handlers came into the race committed to stand the horse to stud afterwards, and Garrett O'Rourke, the racing manager owner Juddmonte Farms, said there won't be a change of heart even though the win made Champs Elysees eligible for next month's Breeders Cup Turf race in California.

"We have too many arrangements already made for the horse's future and some of those were made even on the assumption he could win," he said. "We have another horse, Spanish Moon, that's probably going to come for the Breeders' Cup that's a very good 1 1/2-mile turf horse as well and so that was part of the contingency plan."

However, O'Rourke admitted there's certainly the temptation to let Champs Elysees run at least one more race.

"Yes, of course, there's always a temptation," he said with a chuckle. "But usually when we make a plan we stick to it.

"To go out on such a huge win like this is obviously a huge boost to his stallion career as well. He deserves it. He has been a tremendous servant."

The win was the first in seven starts this year for Champs Elysees and sixth of his career. In all, he finished in the money in 21 of his 28 career starts and amassed $2.9 million in earnings.

But Champs Elysees, the 5-2 race favourite who was third in last year's event, stood a distant seventh at the final turn before working his way up to fourth coming down the stretch. But then he kicked into high gear with a clear path from the outside, easily passing leader Jukebox Jury, Buccellati and defending champion Marsh Side for the half-length victory.

Champs Elysees won the 1 1/2-mile event in 2:28.36 on a firm turf at Woodbine Racetrack.

"As soon as we headed for the backside they all starting quickening a little bit," said winning jockey Garrett Gomez. "I thought, 'Let them go. I'll just sit here and wait on him and give him some confidence and see what happens.' "

O'Rourke thought Gomez was too far behind to get the win, that is, until he noticed his jockey was the model of calm.

"I just started looking at Garrett's body language … and he wasn't getting too excited so I think he had him measured all the way,"O'Rourke said. "At that stage when I saw how confident he was riding him, I was confident he was going to get up.

"There was no hint of panic at any stage in the way he was riding him so I had a fair idea he knew what he had underneath him. The jockeys are the ones on board and they can feel what they have underneath them and because he wasn't anywhere panicked he had a fair confidence that he had plenty of horse when he needed it."

Champs Elysees and earned Juddmonte Farms the $1.2-million winner's share and its third International win (1990 with French Glory and 1994 with Raintrap). But the victory was the first for both Gomez - who won last month's Woodbine Mile aboard Ventura - and trainer Bobby Frankel, who is undergoing cancer treatment.

"I spoke to Bobby and he's especially delighted," O'Rourke said. "This (running Champs Elysees in International) is a plan Bobby hatched months ago.

"That makes it all the more enjoyable, something so well planned and it all comes to fruition."

Jukebox Jury was second, with Buccellati taking third. The remainder of the eight-horse field, in order of finish, was: Marsh Side, Just As Well, Spice Route, Allied Powers and Quijano.

Champs Elysees paid $7.40, $4 and $3 while Jukebox Jury returned $5.40 and $3.20. Buccellati paid $5.10.

Royston Ffrench, Jukebox Jury's jockey, said his horse ran a solid race.

"We came over here to win but it wasn't to be," he said. "Even still, taking nothing away from the horse, he held his own."

William Buick, Buccellati's jockey, said his horse would've preferred a softer turf.

"I think if the ground comes up a little softer he can definitely find another gear," he said. "He's very tough and enjoys the mile and a half. He tries."

But the most stunning result was registered by Irish-bred Lahaleeb, a 40-1 longshot that stunned seven other starters to claim the $1-million E.P. Taylor Stakes, a 1 1/4-mile event for fillies and mares three-years-old and upward. Also, Ontario-bred Field Commission, at 5-1 odds, won the $500,000, six-furlong Nearctic Stakes for three-year-olds and up, just ahead of 21-1 longshot Bogue Chitto.

Lahaleeb and Field Commission both are eligible to run in their respective events at next month's Breeders' Cup in California.

Mick Channon, Lahaleeb's trainer, said his horse was raring to go in the paddock before the race.

"She came very fresh," he said. "If you'd seen her in the paddock beforehand she did throw a few bucks and kicks in.

"We got it spot on."

Julien Leparoux, who rode field Commission to victory in the Nearctic Stakes, said the horse deserves to run in the Breeders' Cup.

"Yes, he deserves it with this race," he said. "He finished really strong the last eighth."