Woodbine's champion jockey will ride Midnight Mascot in the 165th King's Plate, one of about eight solid contenders for the race.
Mark Casse
The Florida-bred ridgling trained by Mark Casse took the race for two-year-olds on Friday afternoon at Woodbine.
Plus news on the new claiming rule, weekend wagering and the current contenders for the August 17 King's Plate.
The speedy grey has been the King's Plate favourite throughout the year and gets his biggest test on the way to the race in the Trial.
Impressive juvenile winners in the US, Mensa and Bullet, and a host of beginners add to a fascinating weekend at Woodbine.
Paramount Prince is a darling of the Canadian scene while his trainer piles on stakes wins throughout the continent.
Essex Serpent won the Grade 3 Marine on June 29 and seeks to become the 7th horse since 1989 to win both the Marine and King's Plate.
The gritty stakes-winning sprinter Dancing Duchess won the Alywow overnight stakes at Woodbine on June 22 for Tracy Farmer.
Speedy Gary Barber colt withstood a stern pace battle and then drew off from his rivals under Sahin Civaci for another stakes win.
The Fury Stakes, an early stepping-stone to the Woodbine Oaks, was won by a Mark Casse-trained filly for owner Gabe Grossberg.
Palazzi has found that he loves Woodbine best and he upset an oddly-run bet365 Eclipse Stakes on June 1st on Super Stakes Saturday.
With the return of grass racing and better weather, the patience shown by the race office has paid off with big fields.
The champion two-year-old colt of 2023 returned to his home track and easily won the King Corrie Stakes at seven furlongs.
Woodbine celebrated Patrick Husbands' 30 years of race riding on May 18 and he answered with the stakes win.
King's Plate hopefuls Piper's Factor and Roscar perform well, while the first juvenile race goes to an Ontario-bred.
