It is not a stakes weekend at Hawthorne yet; those do not get underway until November.  So, this weekend, Paul Mazur and I are taking another figurative road trip.  This time, it is back to the Great White North for Canadian International Day at Woodbine.  Paul takes a look at the Canadian International Stakes (GI) and the Nearctic Stakes (GII); I dive into the E. P. Taylor Stakes (GI) and the Ontario Fashion Stakes (GIII).  The two Grade I affairs are both for the turf route set: the Canadian International is a mile and a half for open company, and the E. P. Taylor is a mile and a quarter for fillies and mares.  The Nearctic is an open-company turf sprint, and the Ontario Fashion is the lone polytrack stakes of the day, a sprint for fillies and mares.

Head on over to Picks and Ponderings, and see what we have to say about the big weekend of stakes at Woodbine this weekend.  Let us know in the comments what you think, or if you have any questions.

Sunday is a big day on the Woodbine racing calendar, and I have previewed the big races that day for Picks and Ponderings.  The Woodbine Mile (GI – CAN) headlines, and eleven horses vie for a share of a million-dollar purse, as well as a Breeders’ Cup Mile berth.  On the undercard are a nice turf route for fillies and mares, as well as a turf marathon for open company.  Illinois-bred stars travel up for each of those stakes: La Tia runs in the Canadian Stakes (GII – CAN), and The Pizza Man takes a swing at the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (GI – CAN) as his next step toward a potential run at the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Head on over to Picks and Ponderings, and make sure you are up to date with all of the stakes action coming up on Sunday!