Gary Barber’s fleet colt MY BOY PRINCE made easy work of a tiny field in the $100,000 King Corrie Stakes last weekend, earned an almost-hard-to-believe huge Beyer Speed Figure and kept his status as King’s Plate favourite.
The Cairo Prince grey, trained by Mark Casse, won the seven furlong sprint by more than 6 lengths with a 97 Beyer for a time of 1:23.04. The previous day, My Boy Prince’s stablemate Witwatersrand earned a 94 for winning the 7 furlong Ruling Angel Stakes two seconds faster.
Casse trainee MIDNIGHT MASCOT, winner of the Woodstock Stakes, was third in the King Corrie.
The first Canadian-bred stakes race heading to the Plate is the Queenston Stakes on June 9 – also at 7 furlongs.
It is easy to make comparisons between My Boy Prince and the Casse-trained 2023 Plate winner Paramount Prince. The latter led all the way to win the big race last year and My Boy Prince would be likely trying the same tactics in three months’ time.
Mary Self’s NO MORE OPTIONS (Frac Daddy) is a multiple two-turn winner (on turf) and won on May 19 at 7 1/2 furlongs with a career best 82 Beyer Figure for a time of 1:30.80. Trained by Zeljko Krcmar, No More Options defeated older horses.
PIPER’S FACTOR popped up with a much better effort once he returned to his home track for trainer Kataina Vassilieva. The colt by The Factor, owned and bred by Chiefswood Stable, had two modest outings in Florida but won a 1 1/16 mile allowance/optional claiming race ($32,000) by 2 3/4 lengths on May 19 on the Tapeta, getting an 85 Beyer. His stablemate ROSCAR (Oscar Performance) finished a closing third and earned a 76 Beyer.
Chiefswood’s impressive three-year-old filly WASKESIU, who won the Florida Oaks in March, has not had a workout since then and will be moving down the Top 15 list.
Second favourite on the early Plate list, BABBO, is up to three workouts for trainer Sid Attard.
Top 15 Plate contenders from CT
Horse/Trainer/Recent status
1. My Boy Prince – Mark Casse – won King Corrie Stakes; 3rd Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1)
2. Babbo – Sid Attard – had first workout – Coronation Futurity
3. No More Options – Z Krcmar – won turf optional race; 4th optional/allowance; 3rd Coronation Futurity
4. Piper’s Factor – K. Vassilieva –won allowance/optional; unplaced in 2 starts at Gulfstream – 2nd Coronation Futurity
5. Waskesiu (f) – Bill Mott – 1st Florida Oaks – idle since March
6. Midnight Mascot – Mark Casse – Woodstock Stakes
7. Essex Serpent – Mark Casse – debut win
8. Inudation (f) – K. Attard – working at Woodbine – Princess Elizabeth
9. War Painter (f) Kevin Attard, 2nd allowance/optional, 2nd Princess Eliz.
10. Stormcast (filly) – Mark Casse; 2nd Honey Ryder Stakes, turf, 80 Beyer
11. Ba Dee Yah (f) – La Combe Memporial Stakes FG, 6th Grade 2 Fantasy
12. Jokestar – maiden win 2023, 76 Beyer
13. Kin’s Concerto (f) – J. Carroll –3rd allowance/optional vs. older horses
14. Junior Hot Shot – John Ross, allowance/optional sprint win, 77
15. Frac Dancer – M. DePaulo – sidelined, won Texas Glitter S. at 5 furlongs, Tapeta, GP, Mar. 24 – sprint SW
Upcoming Woodbine 3-year-old stakes
Queenston Stakes, June 9
Marine Stakes (G3), June 29
Fillies
Fury Stakes, June 8
Selene Stakes (G3), June 29
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