It is still five months away, but it’s a good time to take a first look at possible King’s Plate (previously known as the Queen’s Plate) contenders. There have been some Canadian-bred three-year-olds racing this winter in the U.S. but most sophomores are just getting in their first workouts of the new year.
The 164th King’s Plate will race under the name of HRH King Charles III following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth last year. The last time the most famous race in Canada was called the King’s Plate was in 1951. The winner was E.P. Taylor’s Major Factor.
This year’s Plate will be run on August 20 and is the first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown.
This Saturday, March 25, Canadian Thoroughbred’s leading King’s Plate contender MOON LANDING (Nyquist – Fragrance by Malibu Moon) could be racing for a purse of $700,000 in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park in Florence, KY. The bay colt, a maiden winner last year at Woodbine for Robert LaPenta, eFive Racing Thoroughbreds, and Madaket Stables was fourth in a turf allowance race at Gulfstream on Jan. 14 and then fourth in the John Battaglia Stakes at Turfway on March 4. He may also be supplemented to the Rushaway Stakes on the same day for $250,000.
The colt was trained by Kevin Attard for those three races but will be saddled by Mike McCarthy for the 1 1/8 mile Jeff Ruby. Moon Landing earned an 84 Beyer Speed Figure in his latest when he made a wide, premature run to the leaders. He was bred by Anderson Farms Ontario, Inc. and Rod Ferguson Farms, Ltd. and was a $200,000 yearling purchase.
The exact same ownership group (Robert Lapenta, eFive Racing Thoroughbreds and Madaket Stables, LLC) also have KALIK (Collected – Coronation Street, by Street Cry (Ire)) , a maiden special weight winner on March 17 at Gulfstream on the grass course. Trained by Chad Brown, Kalik earned an 82 Beyer Figure for his narrow win in the one mile grass race. It was his first race since October when he was second in a turf maiden race at Aqueduct. Anderson Farms and Peter Burglar bred Kalik, also a $200,000 yearling purchase.
Al and Bill Ulwelling’s GOLD MAGIC, the sensational debut winner at Gulfstream earning an 87 Beyer Figure, had a messy second start last week and landed fourth in an allowance race. Kevin Attard trains the Good Magic – Golden Amber by Gemologist colt who was bred by Saintsbury Farms.
PHILIP MY DEAR, who is likely going to be named the Champion 2-year-old Colt of 2022 at the April 13 Sovereign Awards, has recorded two workouts at Nelson Jones Training Center recently. The dark bay Ontario-sired fellow by Silent Name (Jpn) – Involuntary by City Zip, won three of five races as a juvenile, including the Cup and Saucer Stakes. He was a closing third behind stablemate VELOCITOR (Mor Spirit – Polar Plunge, by Successful Appeal) in the Coronation Futurity. Velocitor is owned and was bred by the Ulwellings and both of these colts are trained by Attard.
Second in the Coronation Futurity with a troubled trip was TWIN CITY (Klimt – Minnie Apple Is, by Harlan’s Holiday), a gelding owned by Russ, Roy and Brent McLellan and Stuart Simon.
CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED‘S TOP 15 KING’S PLATE HOPEFULS
- Moon Landing (Nyquist) Lapenta, eFive Racing, Madaket Mike McCarthy/Kevin Attard
- Kalik (Collected) Lapenta, eFive Racing, Madaket Chad Brown
- Philip My Dear (Silent Name (Jpn)) Raroma Kevin Attard
- Gold Magic (Good Magic) A. and B. Ulwelling Kevin Attard
- Twin City (Klimt) R. , R., and B. MClellan, S. Simon, Stuart Simon
- Poulin In O T (Reload) Steve Owens, Empress Stable Steve Owens
- Mission of Joy (filly) (Kitten’s Joy) Ryzan Sun, Madaket Graham Motion
- Velocitor (Mor Spirit) A., B. Ulwelling Kevin Attard
- Ancient Peace (filly) (War Front) Boardshorts Graham Motion
- Paramount Prince (Society’s Chairman) M Langloi, G Barber M Casse
- One Bay Hemingway (Danger Bay) Norseman Racing Sid Attard
- Mo Tourist (Tourist) A., B. Ulwelling Kevin Attard
- Jumpin Junie (filly) (Midnight Lute) Sea Glass Stable K Vassilieva
- Dream Jereem (Astern (Aus)) Derek Chin K Attard
- Lanigan (Tonalist) Chiefswood R Halden
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