162nd Queen's Plate: North America's Leader Irad Ortiz on Safe Conduct

SUNDAY MORNING WORKOUTS:

TIO MAGICO worked 5 furlongs for Gail Cox and Sam-Son Farms in 59 seconds according to head clocker Ernie Perri. A decision will be made soon on whether the speed gelding will be entered in the Plate.

RIPTIDE ROCK, whose 88 Beyer Figure from a sprint win is a huge number compared to the Beyers of all Plate contenders, worked 7 furlongs in 1:25 4/5 for trainer Sid Attard who trains the Point of Entry chestnut for Stronach Stables.

Others with ‘maintenance’ works according to Perri were H C HOLIDAY, HARLAN ESTATE and TRUFFLE KING

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Wellspring Stables Ontario-bred Safe Conduct, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, breezed five furlongs solo in 1:01.40 Friday on the Oklahoma training turf in preparation for the $1 million Queen’s Plate, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Ortiz, Jr. leads all jockeys in North American by wins and had a memorable trip to Woodbine on one of his last visits north when he won both Grade 1 ‘Win and You’re In Stakes’ for juveniles in the fall of 2019, the Summer on Decorated Invader and the Natalma on Abscond.

The historic Queen’s Plate, a 10-furlong Tapeta test for Canadian-bred sophomores, is slated for August 22 at Woodbine Racetrack. Ortiz, Jr., winner of the last three Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey, will ship to Woodbine for the race.

Trainer Phil Serpe said he was pleased with the breeze by Robert Vukovich’s colt.

“He looked great. His gallop out was in 1:13 and they got him seven-eighths in 1:25 and a couple,” Serpe said. “They caught him his last quarter in 23 and 2. You don’t need to do much better than that.”

A gate-to-wire maiden winner at second asking traveling 1 1/16-miles on the Saratoga turf last August, Safe Conduct followed with a prominent second in a nine-furlong optional claimer on the Gulfstream Park turf in March to launch his sophomore season.

In May, at odds of 38-1, Safe Conduct bested Public Sector in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming event on firm Belmont turf.

Serpe said Safe Conduct’s last two starts have come in less-than-ideal settings, returning on short rest to finish a distant fourth in the off-the-turf Grade 3 Pennine Ridge contested at nine furlongs on May 29 over a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track ahead of an eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational over good turf.

His next engagement will see Safe Conduct try Tapeta for the first time.

“There’s nothing I can do about whether he likes the surface or not. He didn’t like the slop and he didn’t like soft turf, so hopefully he’s going to like Tapeta,” Serpe said. “As far as the mile and a quarter, he’s the type of horse that will do that. He’s got a great, long stride on him.”

Serpe said Safe Conduct will train up to the Queen’s Plate and will ship to Woodbine next Friday.

“He gets a tremendous amount out of his gallops in the morning,” Serpe said. “There will be mornings where he’s going 14 seconds a clip out there. He loves to train and he’s been that way since he was a 2-year-old. He’ll ship up a week from today.”

Ortiz, Jr. will ride in four stakes on the Queen’s Plate card, including recent Grade 3 Caress winner Caravel, who worked a half-mile in :50.86 Friday for trainer Graham Motion on the Oklahoma dirt training track, in the Grade 1, $350,000 Highlander at six furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course; and also aboard a pair of Chad Brown trainees in Etoile [Grade 2, $175,000 Dance Smartly] and Nevisian Sunrise [Grade 3, $150,000 Ontario Colleen].

“Irad, along with being a great rider, is a possessed rider,” Serpe said. “He loves to win and not just at Saratoga, but at Belmont and in Florida and everywhere else, whether it’s on a 20 claimer or a stakes horse.”

Safe Conduct was bred by Toronto’s Mitch Kursner and CanadianThoroughbred.com will meet up with him this week.

*David Anderson, Bill Carr, Don Ferguson and trainer Catherine Day Phillips will take a chance in the Plate with TAKE A CHANCE, who will be supplemented for $25,000 to the Canadian classic. The Munnings colt, bred by Rod Ferguson and bought by Anderson and partners for $150,000 at the 2021 April Horses of Racing Age sale at Keeneland, worked five furlongs in :59 3/5 with jockey KEVEH NICHOLLS on August 14. Nicholls will ride in the Plate.

Take a Chance is the first horse owned Bill Carr, a businessman from St. Thomas, Ontario.

EMMA-JAYNE WILSON rides TIDAL FORCES for Sam-Son Farms.

Canadian Thoroughbred’s QUEEN’S PLATE POSSIBILITIES

17 are allowed to compete with earnings deciding field if overflow.

1. HADDASSAH (Air Force Blue); Worked 1:11 breezing Aug. 8.Set slow pace in Grade 3 Marine, not his preferred style and was third 81, 82, 79

2. HARLAN ESTATE (Kantharos) – Steadily ground out allowance win at 1 1/8 miles in modest time but is showing improving form, 78, 76, 73

3. SAFE CONDUCT (Bodemeister) – Irad Ortiz named will ensure betting support; exits tough races on tough surfaces in New York, question on Tapeta surface. Owns 87 Beyer Figure on turf. 76, 74, 87

4. MUNNYFOR RO (Munnings) – Strong win in Oaks, 82 Beyer, would have to be supplemented, 82, 75, 77 – could be favoured

5. KEEP GRINDING (Tizway) – Well named, tries hard, second in Grade 3 Marine 84, 73, 76

6. AVOMAN (Old Forester) Won Plate Trial, will face hotter pace in Plate 82, 83, 70

7. DANCE SOME MO (Uncle Mo) – Led late in Harlan Estate’s allowance win, missed by a nose 78, 63, 80

8. TIDAL FORCES (Malibu Moon) Lost for first time in Grade 3 Marine when he forced slow pace, not his preferred style 80, 77, 70

9. H C HOLIDAY (Ami’s Holiday) 4th in recent allowance/optional to older horses with 81 Beyer Figure, 77, 81, 72

10. TIO MAGICO (Uncle Mo) – Front running type sped to big win in Queenston at seven furlongs 86, 69, 59

11. HOMBRE (Tourist) – Big maiden win and 83 Beyer Figure on July 4 for trainer Barclay Tagg 79, 83, 76

*12. PALIO – turf allowance winner at Colonial Downs, 80 Beyer Figure 80, 80, 52

13. TRUFFLE KING – maiden was second by 3/4 in Plate Trial but disqualified 81 69, 69

*14. COLLECTIVE FORCE – maiden was arguably best July 31, would have to be supplemented, 73, 70, 52

15. TAKE A CHANCE – won maiden at 1 1/16 miles on the pace with 73 Beyer Figure

16. RIPTIDE ROCK – fast fellow posted a big Beyer Figure of 88 in sprint win, questionable in route races

17. DERZKII – set pace in Plate Trial, faded and interfered with late

18. GO TAKE CHARGE – maiden from Hillsbrook Farm

(*not confirmed)

Tags: 162nd Queen's Plate, Irad Ortiz Jr., Phil Serpe, Safe Conduct,

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162nd Queen’s Plate: North America’s Leader Irad Ortiz on Safe Conduct

The field for the Plate continues to hover around 17 as owners and trainers are set to enter their Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

SUNDAY MORNING WORKOUTS:

Canadian Thoroughbred’s QUEEN’S PLATE POSSIBILITIES

More News

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