There may have been quite a bit more pace pressure for the 2023 Champion two-year-old MY BOY PRINCE in Sunday’s Queenston Stakes but that didn’t bother the steel grey colt, the current favourite for the King’s Plate.
With Western Whirl and Highland Blue to his inside and Coronation Futurity winner Babbo to his outside, My Boy Prince and Sahin Civaci were surrounded early in the seven-furlong stake, the first stepping-stone race to the August 17th Plate.
After the opening quarter in 22.37, it was only Babbo, making his first start of the year, who was left to press the champ. The pair sizzled a half-mile in 44.09 and by the turn for home, My Boy Prince took off. He left his rivals behind and won by 4 1/2 lengths in a fast 1:21.90, good for an 88 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
Essex Serpent, a smooth-striding bay colt by Honor Code, rallied up the rail to be second for Conrad Farm and Casse while Mary Self’s No More Options had a very wide trip from far back to get third.
Owned by Gary Barber, who bought the son of Cairo Prince – Hopping Not Hoping by Silent Name (Jpn) for $115,000 to top of the 2022 CTHS Canadian-bred yearling sale, My Boy Prince was coming off a 6 3/4 length win in the King Corrie Stakes with a 87 Beyer on May 19.
The Queenston was My Boy Prince’s fifth win in nine races. He won the Cup & Saucer and Soaring Free Stakes last year and was third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
“Amazing little guy,” said trainer Mark Casse after the race. Casse’s team has won nine of the 12 stakes races run at Woodbine this season, an astonishing number.
So, My Boy Prince retains his status as #1 on the Canadian Thoroughbred Top 15 Plate contenders list but Babbo, who was second on the list before the Queenston, will move down some posts (see updated list below).
Bred by Murray Smith, My Boy Prince was prepared for the yearling sale by Gail Wood. The colt is the second foal of stakes winner Hopping Not Hoping. She has a two-year-old by Kitten’s Joy named Athlete who sold for $585,000 last year to Qatar Racing and China Horse Club.
CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED‘S CURRENT TOP 15 KING’S PLATE CONTENDERS
(six fillies who would be Woodbine Oaks contenders first)
1. My Boy Prince – Mark Casse – won Queenston, won King Corrie Stakes; 3rd Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1)
2. No More Options – Z Krcmar – 3rd in Queenston, won turf optional race; 4th optional/allowance; 3rd Coronation Futurity
3. Piper’s Factor – K. Vassilieva –won allowance/optional; unplaced in 2 starts at Gulfstream – 2nd Coronation Futurity
4. Essex Serpent – Mark Casse – 2nd in Queenston, debut win
5. Inudation (f) – K. Attard – working at Woodbine – Princess Elizabeth
6 Dazzling Move (f) – Laurel winner, 83 Beyer
7. War Painter (f) Kevin Attard, won allowance/optional June 6, 2nd allowance/optional, 2nd Princess Eliz.
8. Midnight Mascot – Mark Casse – Woodstock Stakes
9. Babbo – Sid Attard – 7th Queenston Coronation Futurity
10 Stormcast (filly) – Mark Casse; 2nd Honey Ryder Stakes, turf, 80 Beyer
11. Ba Dee Yah (f) – Tom Amoss 3rd Panthers Staes Prairie Meadows, La Combe Memorial Stakes FG, 6th Grade 2 Fantasy
12. Jokestar – Kevin Attard 2nd on 2024 debut, maiden win 2023, 81 Beyer
13. My Girl Della (f) Kevin Attard- 76 Beyer winning maiden
14. Roscar -Rachel Halden 6th Queenston, 3rd rout race
15. Bowman’s Run – Kevin Attard – second in debut
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