Trainer Mark Casse, who won his first Queen’s Plate last year with filly Lexie Lou, holds a strong hand for Sunday’$150,000 Plate Trial Stakes at Woodbine, a traditional prep for Canada’s most famous race, the $1-million Queen’s Plate, scheduled for July 5.
Casse sends out five runners, including the two favourites Danzig Moon and Conquest Curlinate, in the 72nd edition of the Plate Trial, at one mile and one-eighth on Polytrack for Canadian foaled three-year-olds, which will be televised live on TSN as part of a special one and one-half hour presentation on Woodbine Oaks day. Post time for the Plate Trial is 5:10 p.m., while the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, for Canadian-bred three-year-old fillies, goes at 5:45 p.m.
All 13 Plate Trial starters carry 126 pounds, the same weight they’ll carry if they proceed to the mile and one-quarter Queen’s Plate. Since 1944, 25 Plate Trial winners have gone on to win the ‘Gallop for the Guineas’.