When jockey Jean-Luc Samyn left his native France to pursue his career in the U.S. 10 years ago, he was an unknown on both sides of the Atlantic.

"In two years in France, I only rode 17 horses," the 28-year-old rider recalled. "I decided to come to America to see if there would be opportunity. It sounded so good, and it turned out to be great.

Samyn made a trip north of the border Sunday to ride Nassipour, an American equine envoy in the $600,000 Rothmans Canadian International. And when Nassipour emerged the upset winner with a rush at the wire, he sent shock waves all the way back to France.