Joshua Tree bags the second Canadian International Stakes in the last three years
It is a second time in the last three years that Montjeu’s five-year-old horse, Joshua Tree, won the Grade 1 Canadian International Stakes out of the last three editions. It turned out to be a relief for the jockey, Frankie Dettori, too who had lost the highly influential and prestigious Arc with, Camelot, at Longchamp.
Sons of the same stallion, Montjeu, Camelot and Joshua Tree, brought the same mount to two different outcomes in nearly a week.
The Marco Botti trained, Joshua Tree, won it two years ago for the former trainer, Aidan O’Brien, and bagged the $1.5 million prize money of the event for the current trainer on 14th October.
Back in 2010, the five-year-old won the race while riding with jockey, C. O’Donoghue, and the two were done with the 1 ½ mile race track in two minutes and :32.72 seconds.
The 2011 edition of the race was won by, Sarah Lynx, who defeated the five-year-old out of, Madeira Mist, to the second position.
In the highly capable hands of jockey, Frankie Dettori, the mount did not break into an early pace, rather picked up momentum during the final two testing furlongs of the race.
His dominance inside the concluding furlong faded as Dandino charged in under jockey, Jim Crowley, as the winner edged past by just half-length.
"It's the best turf track in North America, so for us Europeans it makes life a lot easier, but also you need the horse that answers every call and he did for me," he added. "I was able to set my own fractions, but when I asked him to pick up, he did. When I kicked for home at the quarter pole, I knew I had plenty of horse left and he fought right to the line”.
"I rode him last time and this was third in a good race in France and this was always the target. He's won it before and was second last year. He is a super horse and loves this track".
2012 was the third time that the Godolphin retained jockey, Frankie Dettori, won the race. In 2000 he won it with, Mutafaweq and then in 2004 he rode Sulamani to the winner’s enclosure.
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