The Woodbine Oaks takes place in about eight weeks and as is customary at this time of season, the contender list is wide open. The King’s Plate, August 16, is also a crapshoot as we await the next possible races for the contenders.
PLATE UPDATE
SCORCHING, the Cup and Saucer and Simcoe Stakes winner from 2024, had his first workout of the year after finally returning to training. The son of Mo Town became ill in New York when preparing for the Withers. He worked 3 furlongs in 39 breezing on May 17 for trainer John Charalambous.
Scorching’s rival ASHLEY’S ARCHER, who was disqualified from a narrow win in the Cup & Saucer, had a quick workout on May 11, 47 breezing, a bullet. The Mark Casse trainee raced twice in the US on dirt over the winter with modest results.
TOM’S MAGIC, trained by Mike Stidham, had a dull run on the grass in the Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland (and troubled-filled also) and he is getting set to try the grass again in the $400,000 Penn Mile on May 31 at Penn National. The son of Triple Crown winner Justify from Dixie Chicken, the dam of Dixie Moon, the 2018 Woodbine Oaks winner, is being pointed to the Plate.
NOTORIOUS GANGSTER, owned and bred by Mark Dodson, has been working well since his super finish in the Woodstock Stakes. No doubt the Queenstown or Marine Stakes (G3) will be next.
Faber had a decent run at Turfway Park when a close second and he is working at Woodbine for trainer Kevin Attard.
The CT list has added the unraced Nyquist colt MONTERREY since he is trained by Brad Cox and is working steadily at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
The fillies are once again worth a look for the Plate. LOVE AND POETRY had a messy trip at Churchill Downs on turf recently, but is stakes-placed in the US. Shifty ran an 85 Beyer Figure when she took her season debut, but she has to prove herself at longer distances.
DEWOLF has had any number of impressive workout times this spring, including his latest 58 and change for five furlongs with Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness.
From the US, Reeves Thoroughbreds’ MYTHICAL MAN is working at Saratoga and the promising SOUPER TUSCAN is in Florida.
Mythical Man is a two-time winner on the grass for trainer Danny Gargan and he is a son of Mucho Macho Man out of a Ghostzapper mare. Souper Tuscan is by Vino Rosso and is owned by Entourage Stable and C2 Thoroughbreds,
CT’s Leading King’s Plate and Woodbine Oaks Contenders
1. Notorious Gangster – Trained by Josie Carroll, won Coronation Futurity, fast-closing second in Woodstock
2. Mansetti – Trained by Kevin Attard, won the Woodstock Stakes
3. Tom’s Magic – Trained by Mike Stidham, won Fair Grounds stakes race, troubled in Transylvania Stakes last start, Penn Mile next
4.. Scorching – Trained by John Charalambous, won Cup and Saucer, back to working
5. Ashley’s Archer – Trained by Mark Casse, second in Tampa Bay allowance in ’25 debut
6. Dewolf – Trained by Kevin Attard, stakes winner at two, second in Coronation, sizzling spring workouts
7. Faber – trained by Kevin Attard/William Morey, 2nd Turfway, 74 Beyer, steady workouts
8. Love and Poetry (f)– trained by Cherie Deveaux, 2nd LaCombe Memorial on turf, FG
9. Shifty (f) – Catch a Glimpse S., 3rd Grade 3 Grey, strong sprint win in seasonal bow
10. Aristella (f) – won Princess Elizabeth, Rachel Halden, trainer, fair effort in Ruling Angel S.
11. Mythical Man – Reeves Racing, Danny Gargan trainee showed promise at two, working at Saratoga
12. Royal Presence – Chiefswood – promising maiden, Bill Mott
13. Souper Tuscan – in Florida, 2nd to Mansetti in debut, C2 Thoroughbreds new co-owners
14. Street Princess (f) – Maiden winner at two turns for Kevin Attard
15. Monterrey – unraced, Brad Cox working this colt at Indianapolis
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