Final workouts for the major Queen’s Plate contenders will happen this weekend at Woodbine, several on Sunday morning, August 14, including THE MINKSTER, IRONSTONE, and RONDURE.
The 163rd Queen’s Plate is on August 21 (Sunday) at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles on Tapeta.
*The LONG-RANGE FORECAST for Plate day is sparkling; sunny with cloudy breaks, 26 degrees Celcius (about 82F), with a feel-like of 32 Celcius. The mornings have been cooler and the stifling heat from last week seems to be behind us in Ontario.
*Assuming there are no longshot ‘surprise’ entries in the Plate, there are 11 probable starters on the Plate list from information gathered by Canadian Thoroughbred.
The ‘big three’ – RONDURE, the filly MOIRA and THE MINKSTER – will take the bulk of the betting support based on their performances and post positions will be drawn on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, a double draw for the Saturday and Sunday races.
*AWESOME FATHER: Taking a look at the sires of the Plate contenders, there are many similarities between this year’s group and past Plate winners.
In fact, 5 of the 11 probable entries are from the sire line of 1997 Plate winner AWESOME AGAIN, who also won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1998. The Frank Stronach-owned horse, who passed away in 2020, is a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
Most notably, Adena Springs’ superstar stallion GHOSTZAPPER ($75,000 stud fee, standing in Kentucky) is once again well represented. The son of Awesome Again has sired two Plate winners already: Shaman Ghost in 2015 and Holy Helena in 2017. Ghostzapper’s daughter MOIRA, a sensational winner of the Woodbine Oaks with a 92 Beyer Speed Figure, is a major contender to become the 38th filly to win the longest continuously run stakes race on the continent.
Moira’s 2-year-old full brother Runaway Charlie is working at Woodbine.
Ghostzapper is also the grandsire of SHAMATEUR, who is a son of Plate winner and Ontario sire Shaman Ghost, and HUNT MASTER, a son of Ghostzapper stallion HUNTERS BAY, who was pensioned from stud duty in 2019.
The Minkster is a son of the late ENGLISH CHANNEL, a stallion who has been very successful in Canada, and he sired 2012 Plate winner STRAIT OF DOVER. Interestingly, The Minkster, like Strait of Dover, is trained by Dan Vella, a 2-time Plate winner.
The Minkster’s 2-year-old half-brother Fajardo is training with Darwin Banach at Woodbine.
Ontario stallion SLIGO BAY (Ire), who is retired from stud duty, is the sire of Plate Trial Stakes winner SIR FOR SURE, trained by Mark Casse for Hester Sport. Casse, a two-time Plate-winning trainer, won the 2014 Plate with the Sligo Bay (Ire) filly LEXIE LOU. Like Ghostzapper, Shaman Ghost and Hunters Bay, Sligo Bay is an Adena Springs (Frank Stronach) stallion.
Current leading American stallions have offspring expected to run in this year’s Plate.
INTO MISCHIEF ($250,000 stud fee), number 2 in North America this year, is the sire of CAUSIN’ MAYHEM, a homebred for Chiefswood Stable. Into Mischief’s leading earner this year is the top horse in the U.S. right now, LIFE IS GOOD.
The late PIONEEROF THE NILE, 12th in North America by progeny earnings currently, is the sire of Sam-Son Farms’ homebred DANCIN IN DA’NILE, whose dam is by Awesome Again.
OXBOW ($7,500 fee), yet another son of Awesome Again, is the sire of one of the leading older horses this year, HOT ROD CHARLIE, and his son Rondure could be favoured in the Plate. Rondure’s 2-year-old half-brother Gem Quality (Souper Speedy) is training at Woodbine).
LEMON DROP KID is retired from stud duty but his son Belichick was second in the 2020 Plate to Mighty Heart. Lemon Drop Kid’s stretch-running son HALL OF DREAMS is a Plate hopeful for Casse. Hall of Dreams has a 2-year-old half-brother in training at Woodbine – Serenading Hall by Seattle Serenade.
CUPID ($5,000 fee) is a young sire who stands for $5,000 in Kentucky and he is a son of world-class stallion Tapit. Cupid’s son DUKE OF LOVE is getting a lot of interest in this year’s Plate after a troubled run in the Plate Trial.
And MR. SPEAKER ($5,000 fee) stands in Texas and the $1 million earner and Grade 1 winner of the Belmont Derby is the sire of IRONSTONE, who is from the Unbridled’s Song mare Casey’s Dreamin. Ironstone is inbred 3×3 to Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled. Ironstone’s 2-year-old half-brother Mesa Spirit, is currently working toward his debut for trainer Mark Casse.
PROBABLE F IELD (sire), owner, trainer, notes, Jockey if available
1. Rondure (Oxbow) – Borders Racing Stable, Katerina Vassilieva, Marine Stakes winner, 95 Beyer Speed Figure – Flavian Prat
– Jockey Flavian Prat won the 2019 Plate with One Bad Boy, Borders and Vassilieva seek first Plate win
2. Moira (Ghostzapper) –X-Men Racing, Madaket Stable, SF Bloodstock, Kevin Attard, Woodbine Oaks romp, 92 Beyer Figure – Rafael Hernandez
– Oaks winners are tough on Plate, Kevin Attard seeks first Plate
3. The Minkster (English Channel) – Sea Glass Stable, Dan Vella, won Queenston with an 86 Beyer, heat exhaustion when 6th Plate Trial – David Moran
– Buffalo owners Ray and Debbie Burke seek first Plate winner, Vella has won twice, used to train Rondure
4. Sir for Sure (Sligo Bay (Ire)) – Heste Sport, Mark Casse, Won Plate Trial, 83 Beyer – Declan Carroll
– Longtime owners/breeders Rene and Darlene Hunderup seek first Plate win
5. Duke of Love (Cupid) – MyRacehorse, Josie Carroll, troubled 4th in Plate Trial, 76, 2nd Marine, 86 Justin Stein
– Horse has some 700 owners through microshare syndicate, Josie has won 2 Plates
6. Hall of Dreams (Lemon Drop Kid) – Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch-Leonard Schliefer (Pantofel Stable), Mark Casse, 2nd in Plate Trial – 79 Beyer Patrick Husbands
7. Ironstone (Mr. Speaker) – Tequesta Racing and Jupiter Leasing, William Armata, 3rd Marine Stakes, 85 Beyer Kazushi Kimura
– $7,000 purchase by Adrian Meli and his mom Helen Bruno, seek first Plate win, William Armata’s dad Vito won Plate with TJ’s Lucky Moon
8. Causin’ Mayhem (Into Mischief) – Chiefswood Stable, Todd Pletcher, 3rd Trial, 76, maiden win, 84 – Antonio Gallardo
– trainer Todd Pletcher won 1998 Plate with Archers Bay
9. Dancin in Da’Nile (Pioneerof The Nile) –Sam-Son Farms, Gail Cox, 5th Trial, 3rd in turf race, 84 Beyer,
– Sam-Son Farms down to just a handful of runners as it closes up business
10. Shamateur (Shaman Ghost) – Stronach Stables, Sid Attard, 2nd turf optional, 73 Beyer
-trainer Sid Attard seeks first Plate win
11. Hunt Master (Hunters Bay) –Openwood Farm (Susan Rasmussen), Angus Buntain, 2nd optional 78, won seven furlong optional; Emma-Jayne Wilson
– jockey Wilson has won Plate, Mike Fox, Susan Rasmussen, Angus Buntain seek first Plate win
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