The excitement for Canadian Thoroughbred horsepeople comes in the form of racetrack meetings beginning in the coming weeks. Woodbine is set for this weekend – but you couldn’t blame anyone for dreaming of the big Canadian races later this summer.
The signature races for Canadian-bred horses are the King’s Plate and Woodbine Oaks for three-year-olds, and just like the Kentucky Derby (G1), it is fun to begin picking out the early candidates.
MAGICAL FACTOR (The Factor), trained by Rachel Halden for Chiefswood Stable, announced his presence on the Plate trail with a big maiden victory on the grass at Keeneland in Lexington, KY on April 11. The bay gelding, making his third career start, flew to a 3 3/4 length win in 1:41.47 for the 1 1/16 miles, earning an 80 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form. Last year’s Plate was won by Mansetti with an 87 Beyer.
Magical Factor raced on the dirt first time out in a race at Gulfstream in January. He came back to race on the grass, but was burned out in a wild pace battle traveling 1 1/8 miles. In this third race, Magical Factor rated off the pace before making his winning move late on the final turn. The gelding is one of a host of promising three-year-olds for the Chiefswood Stable, a group that includes the fillies Piper’s Gift, Just In Touch and Cool Times and the colts, Powell River and Blind River.
Magical Factor is a son of Malibu Stakes (G1), Pat O Brien Stakes (G1) and Rebel Stakes (G2), etc. winner The Factor, by War Front. Magical Factor’s second dam, Magical Affair, was bought by Chiefswood as a yearling for $1.55 million. The daughter of Giant’s Causeway was second in the Edgewood Stakes and a two-time winner. Her eight named foals include four winners as well as Think Magic, a placed daughter of Malibu Moon, the dam of Magical Factor.
Another big winner last week was Oaks contender LUSTER (Knicks Go), who remained unbeaten with a grass win at Keeneland. Trained by Josie Carroll for American owners Gainesway Farm and Andrew Rosen, Luster was bred by Ravi Sugrim and Joannie Dass and sold as a weanling for $50,000, later for $80,000 as a yearling. The filly won her debut last summer on the Woodbine inner turf and posted a five-length win at Keeneland with a 75 Beyer Figure.
Half of the Canadian Thoroughbred Top 16 list are fillies and many of them are well into their racing or training of 2026. Piper’s Gift had a five furlong prep at Woodbine on April 11 and Dixie Law worked half a mile the same day. American-based fillies Luv Your Neighbor and Belle of the Barn have been racing this winter.
Canadian Thoroughbred‘s TOP 16 King’s Plate Contenders
1. MAGICAL FACTOR
2. FIRE AND WINE
3. COOL TIMES – filly
4. CORSIA VELOCE – filly
5. LUSTER – filly
6. MILITARY TIME
7. LUV YOUR NEIGHBOR – filly
8. BLIND RIVER
9. PIPER’S GIFT – filly
10. JUST IN TOUCH – filly
11. DIXIE LAW – filly
12. BELLE OF THE BARN – filly
13. BAAEED ALYNNA
14. GHOSTWRITTEN
15. BUIUM
16. MAD WORLD
Magical Factor’s race at 7:28 of full card video below:
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