CT's Top 15 King's Plate Contenders for July 25

*Note corrected version has Paramount Prince owned by Mike Langlois and co-owner Gary Barber

The Tapeta has settled and the analysis on the Plate Trial and Woodbine Oaks from last weekend has begun. Was the King’s Plate winner in one of those two races?

The $500,000 Oaks, won impressively by the brawny chestnut filly ELYSIAN FIELD, went a touch faster than the $150,000 Plate Trial and it was, in fact, a faster race most of the way around. Both races were 1 1/8 miles on the Tapeta.

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The Oaks early pace was 24.02, 46.99, 1:11.29 and 1:36.91 (final time 1:49.83) compared to the Trial fractions of 23.83, 48.58, 1:12.93, 1:37.40 (final time of 1:49.99).

The Oaks was quite exciting to watch as red-hot jockey Sahin Civaci kept Elysian Field, trained by Mark Casse, tucked in on the rail in mid-pack early in the race. Civaci began to allow the daughter of Hard Spun to move at the quarter pole but a hole closed on the filly and Civaci had to check. But Elysian Field was nimble on her feet and began to move again, rallying wide to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Her Beyer Figure was 83.

Behind the winner, WICKENHEISER (Lemon Drop Kid) ran a strong race to be second, coming from far behind under Kazushi Kimura. Trained by Kevin Attard, Wickenheiser would likely be a strong factor in the Wonder Where Stakes on turf for fillies on Sept. 10 but certainly rates a chance in the Plate. Also doing very well in the Oaks was Barbara Minshall’s FORTYFIVESEVENTY (Perfect Timber), who had some traffic woes but was a shade off Wickenheiser. Minshall told Canadian Thoroughbred that Fortyfiveseventy would be pointed to the Wonder Where stakes.

The Plate Trial was more of a surprise as speedy PARAMOUNT PRINCE led all the way and won by a handy 5 lengths at 11 to 1 for owner Mike Langlois and co-owner Barber. Patrick Husbands put the Society’s Chairman gelding right on the lead and had lots left to the finish.

Even-money favourite STANLEY HOUSE (Army Mule), trained by Mike DePaulo, was in last place almost immediately out of the gate, made a wide move nearing the quarter pole but flattened out and wound up sixth, 7 1/2 lengths behind Paramount Prince, posting a 69 Beyer Figure, Stanley House’s three previous Beyers were 85, 85 and 84. Certainly, the colt deserves another chance based on the slow pace and his trip in the Trial.

His stablemate COOL KISS (Kantharos) did well to rally for second while on the wrong lead. And the Trial saw a bounce-back effort from TWIN CITY (Klimt) who rallied well to be a head behind Cool Kiss. Cool Kiss and Twin City earned 73 Beyer Figures and Trial 4th, VELOCITOR earned a 72.

KALIK remains atop the King’s Plate contenders list on Canadian Thoroughbred based on his graded stakes win on turf at 1 1/8 miles on June 3, with a 90 Beyer Figure. The chestnut colt, owned by Robert LaPenta and EFive Thoroughbreds, is training up to the Plate at Belmont for trainer Chad Brown. The colt comes off an 8th place finish (82 Beyer Figure) in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby after he became quite unsettled before the race. David Anderson, who bred Elysian Field, is the breeder of Kalik, who worked four furlongs at Belmont on July 23 in 48.80.

Since fillies win the Plate frequently, Elysian Field has the number 2 spot and I have kept Stanley House in 3rd.

Anderson is also co-breeder of another hotshot, US.-based Canadian bred colt, NORTHERN INVADER, who won his maiden by 8 lengths in a one-mile turf race, posting a 94 Beyer Figure. The son of Collected, trained by Cherie DeVeaux for West Point Thoroughbreds and David Ingordo, is currently not being pointed to the Plate.

Marine Stakes runner-up KAUKOKAIPUU (84 Beyer) by-passed the Trial and is training into the Plate for Ted Holder and the Culpepper Island Syndicate. The grey colt by Mr. Speaker won the seven furlong Queenston Stakes before just missing in the roughly run Marine to Turf King.

Oaks favourite Ticker Tape Home and US based filly Mission of Joy have been removed from the list as has Philip My Dear, who was fifth in the Trial and is likely headed back to the grass.

Canadian Thoroughbred’s Top 15 King’s Plate Contenders (and 4 other possibilities)

1. Kalik (Collected) – Lapenta, eFive Racing, Madaket Chad Brown – unplaced Grade 1 Belmont Derby – 82 Beyer
2 – Elysian Field (Hard Spun) – Team Valor International, Gary Barber, Mark Casse – won oaks – 83 Beyer
3 -Stanley House (Army Mule) – J. & D. Russell – R Aramata, Jr/Mike DePaulo – 6th Trial 69 Beyer
4. Kaukokaipuu (Mr. Speaker) Culpper Island Syndicate Ted Holder – 2nd Marine, 84 Beyer
5 Northern Invader (Collected) West Point Tbdrs, David Ingordo – Cherie DeVeaux -pointed Aug 4 Hall of Fame S. – 94 Beyer

6. Paramount Prince (Society’s Chairman) Mike Langlois, Gary Barber Mark Casse Won Trial, 81 Beyer
7. Wickenheiser (Lemon Drop Kid) (filly) Ulwelling, Schere Kevin Attard – 2nd Oaks -79 Beyer
8. Cool Kiss (Kantharos) Newtop Stable, J & D Russell, J. DePaulo Mike DePaulo – 2nd Trial, 73 Beyer
9. Twin City (Klimt) McLellan, Simon Stuart Simon – 3rd Trial – 73 Beyer
10. Fortyfiveseventy (Perfect Timer) Barbara Minshall, owner/trainer – headed to Wonder Where

11. Enjoythesilent (Silent Name (Jpn) Lanni Bloodstock and D. Plouffe Kevin Attard – troubled 3rd optional – 78
12. Silent Miracle (Silent Name (Jpn) ) RCC Racing Stable JOhn Mattine – optional win – 82 Beyer
13 Abadin (Speightstown) Three Diamond Farm, Main Line Racing Todd Pletcher maiden win, Sarariga, 7 fur. 83 Beyer
14. Midnight in Malibu (Midnight Lute) Tucci Holdings Sid Attard optional win – 76 Beyer
15 El Cohete (Society’s Chairman) D’Alimonte and Annechini, Mike DePaulo – 2nd optional – 79 Beyer

Other possible starters, SAMMY STONE, HEMLO GOLD, STAYHONOR GOODSIDE, MOON LANDING