A Soft Track for Rothmans Is Perfect for French Glory

The rain falling in Toronto Friday didn’t make Andre Fabre angry. Nor will Fabre be upset if it’s raining two weeks from today in New York.

Fabre trains French Glory, a 4-year-old French colt who thrives on soft turf. The horse is a 5-2 favorite in Sunday’s Rothmans International at Woodbine, the suburban Toronto track, and he’s likely to be an even shorter price if the course comes up yielding, which it probably will.

French Glory has come to North America on a two-race mission, the main event being the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Belmont Park on Oct. 27.

Although French Glory ran fourth in his last race, he was only 2 1/4 lengths behind Saumarez, who went on to win the Arc de Triomphe. Saumarez and French Glory are expected to meet again in the Breeders’ Cup.

With Sunday’s running, the Rothmans joins the list of $1-million races. Second choice in the 1 1/2-mile stake is Roseate Tern, the 4-year-old English filly who also has the Breeders’ Cup on her itinerary. If the course is too soggy, however, Roseate Tern might be scratched Sunday.

Hodges Bay, the American horse who won last year’s Rothmans, is part of Sunday’s 10-horse field.

At Bay Meadows Sunday, 10 regional qualifiers are running in the $250,000 Final Fourteen. The 1 1/8-mile race has drawn second-rate horses, with Tex’s Zing, the Illinois representative, listed as the 3-1 favorite. The Final Fourteen doesn’t have 14 horses because some of the qualifiers have opted for bigger things.