by Jeff Apel

Grade 1 winner Doctor Dino (Fr) will make his first North American start since capturing the 2007 Man o’ War Stakes (G1) when he faces a talented field of nine challengers in the $2-million Pattison Canadian International Stakes (Can-G1) on Saturday at Woodbine.

The winner of the Canadian International receives an automatic berth in the $3-million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on October 25 at Santa Anita Park as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series. Both races will be contested at 1 1/2 miles.

A group stakes winner in Europe and Asia, Doctor Dino earned his first graded stakes victory in the 2007 Man o’ War at Belmont Park for trainer Richard Gibson and owner Javier Martinez Salmean. The Muhtathir (GB) horse closed out his previous season with a win in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) on December 9 at Sha Tin.

After opening his six-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in the Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) on March 29 at Nad al Sheba racecourse, Doctor Dino was shipped to France, where the colt made his previous three starts. The winner of the Grand Prix de Chantilly (Fr-G2) on June 1, Doctor Dino enters off a runner-up finish in the Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville (Fr-G2) on August 31.

Doctor Dino will face an international cast of challengers that includes Grade 1 winner Champ Elysees (GB), German Group 1 winner Quijano (Ger), English classic winner Lucarno, and graded stakes winners Seaside Retreat and Marlang.

French Group 3 winner Champs Elysees enters off a nose victory against runner-up Quijano in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes Presented by Vtech (Can-G1) on September 7 at Woodbine. Trained by Bobby Frankel for owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms, Champs Elysees opened his season with a victory in the San Marcos Stakes (G2) on January 19 at Santa Anita Park.

Peter Schiergen trains Quijano, the third-place finisher in last year’s Canadian International. The Acatenango gelding was highweighted in Germany last year after winning five of his nine starts worldwide, including a victory in the ’07 Grosser Preis von Baden (Ger-G1).

Marlang made his previous four starts on turf and posted three wins for trainer Deborah England and owner-breeder Gustav Schickedanz. The Langfuhr colt won the Breeders’ Stakes on August 3 at Woodbine and enters off a victory in his subsequent start in the Saranac Stakes (G3) on August 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

Seaside Retreat finished third, a half-length behind Champs Elysees, in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes in his previous start. Trained by Mark Casse for owner William S. Farish Jr., Seaside Retreat won the Nijinsky Stakes (Can-G2) on August 4 at Woodbine prior to running in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes.

Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor

The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:

1. Mourilyan [Ire] (Desert Prince [Ire]), John F. Egan, 126, Herman J. Brown;

2. Marlang (Langfuhr), Richard Dos Ramos, 119, Deborah England;

3. Doctor Dino [Fr] (Muhtathir [GB]), Lanfranco Dettori, 126, Richard D. Gibson;

4. Quijano [Ger] (Acatenango [Ger]), Andrasch Starke, 126, Peter Schiergen;

5. Champs Elysees [GB] (Danehill), Garrett K. Gomez, 126, Robert J. Frankel;

6. Marsh Side (Gone West), Javier Castellano, 126, Neil D. Drysdale;

7. Lauro [Ger] (Monsun [Ger]), Eduardo Pedroza, 126, Andreas Wohler;

8. Seaside Retreat (King Cugat), Patrick Husbands, 126, Mark E. Casse;

9. Lucarno (Dynaformer), Jimmy Fortune, 126, John H. M. Gosden; and

10. Spice Route [GB] (King's Best), James McAleney, 126, Roger L. Attfield.