Canadian International Championship contender Arabian Crown trains on Sept. 30, 2026. Arabian Crown will attempt to capture the $750,000 dollar Grade 1 race on Saturday October 3, 2026 at Woodbine Racetrack. - THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Woodbine/ Michael Burns (Mandatory Credit)

By The Canadian Press

Godolphin, trainer Charlie Appleby both chasing more success at Woodbine Racetrack

Sep 30, 2026 | 2:10 PM

TORONTO — Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby will be back at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday.

The pair returns after teaming up to win the Woodbine Mile for the second straight year with Notable Speech on Sept. 12. Godolphin’s Arabian Crown, a French-bred also trained by Appleby, will be among seven horses vying for the win in the Grade 1 $750,000 Canadian International turf race at Woodbine.

Godolphin and Appleby won the ’21 International when British-bred Walton Street earned a 5 3/4-length victory with celebrated jockey Frankie Dettori aboard. Two years later, Godolphin, Appleby and jockey William Buick teamed up with Irish-bred Nations Pride for a 2 1/4-length victory.

Nations Pride was third in last year’s race, which was won by fellow Irish-bred Silawi. Godolphin also won the International in 2000 (Mutafaweq) and 2004 (Irish-bred Sulamani).

Arabian Crown, a son of Dubawi, is a multiple graded stakes winner but will chase his first success at the Grade 1 level. The five-year-old gelding has six wins from 13 career starts coming into his first North American engagement.

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Appleby believes Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor turf course is perfectly suited for his horse.

“The ground is always maintained to a very high standard, and the galloping track should suit his running style,” said Appleby. “He has won on both soft and good-to-firm ground.

“That is the beauty of the Dubawi’s — they are such versatile individuals.”

Tawny Port, second in last year’s International by a nose to Silawi, will also return Saturday. The seven-year-old has finished in the money 18 times (seven wins, six seconds, five thirds) in 34 career starts and is trained by Miguel Clement for Peachtree Stable.

“I’m feeling great,” said Clement. “He (Tawny Port) won the Bowling Green (2 1/16 miles over the turf at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9) in his last start and he’s also doing great.

“He’s seven, yet somehow, he keeps improving. He’s a pleasure to watch and I feel like he’s aging like fine wine. He was an unlucky second in this race last year (run on the inner turf), but this track (E.P. Taylor) should suit his running style.”

The American-bred dark bay is in good order ahead of his return engagement. Tawny Port will be ridden by Sahin Civaci on Saturday.

“He is so enthusiastic in his training that you don’t have to train him overly tough, which is ironic considering he’s running those longer distances,” said Clement. “But he thrives with that (lighter training) and he’s a happy horse.

“He runs much better when he’s happier. He’s feeling like King Kong rather than being trained aggressively.”

The field also includes Woodbine-based Dancin in Da’nile. The seven-year-old has four wins, five second-place finishes and five third-place efforts from 35 career starts.

The Gail Cox-trainee will be ridden by Canadian Pietro Moran, the ’25 King’s Plate winner aboard Mansetti.

The full race field, with post position, horse and jockey, includes:

1) Arabian Crown, Jamie Spencer; 2) Dancin in Da’nile, Moran; 3) Purview (Great Britain), Christopher Hayes 4) Il Siciliano, Rafael Hernandez; 5) Ancient Egypt (Ireland), David Egan; 6) Tomasello, Emma-Jayne Wilson; and 7) Tawny Port, Civaci.

Irish-bred Joshua Tree is the only three-time winner of the Canadian International, doing so in 2010, 2012 and 2013 with a second-place finish in 2011. Also of note, in 1973 the legendary Secretariat capped a stellar racing career by winning this event at Woodbine.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press