There are just 25 days until the most prestigious race in Canada, the King’s Plate, worth $1 million and restricted to Canadian bred three-year-olds. The 165th Plate, at 1 1/4 miles, is on August 17 on Woodbine’s Tapeta surface and is the big event of the Ontario Thoroughbred calendar.

Following the runnings of the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, the filly equivalent of the Plate, and the Plate Trial, it looks like a field of 10, maybe 12, will be assembled for the Plate.

Trainer Mark Casse said on Future Stars Forecast podcast Tuesday evening that reigning champion jockey KAZUSHI KIMURA, currently riding at Del Mar, will return to Woodbine to ride one of his Plate starters, MIDNIGHT MASCOT (Army Mule). Midnight Mascot is one of two Plate hopefuls for Manfred and Penny Conrad of Wellesley, ON who have yet to win the Plate. Patrick Husbands will ride their homebred gelding ESSEX SERPENT in the Plate.

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