The Canadian Triple Crown continues on Tuesday, September 13 at Fort Erie racetrack with the 87th running of the Prince of Wales Stakes worth $400,000.
For the second consecutive year, the Queen’s Plate winner will not be in the second jewel of the Crown. MOIRA, the sensational filly who romped in the Plate on Woodbine’s Tapeta by seven lengths, has not been nominated. Last year, Plate winner Safe Conduct, a confirmed grass horse, bypassed the Wales, which is run at 1 3/16 miles on dirt.
The team behind Moira – X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables and SF Bloodstock plus trainer Kevin Attard – appear to have settled on giving their star filly a little break and then racing her on the grass for her next start. That next race could be the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on October 8. Moira has also been invited to the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 15.
That leaves a nice prize up for grabs for the seven nominated boys for the Wales. Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer’s HALL OF DREAMS (Lemon Drop Kid – Hallnor by Horse Chestnut (SAf) is the probable favourite since he was the closest one to Moira in the Plate. The lanky chestnut, bred by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, was second beaten seven lengths but rallied well under Patrick Husbands.
Mark Casse trains Hall of Dreams and he has also nominated Heste Sport’s SIR FOR SURE (Sligo Bay (Ire) – Serena’s Rose by My Way Only), who was third in the Plate and winner of the Plate Trial.
Speedy IRONSTONE, fourth in the Plate, is a talented fellow by Mr. Speaker and will no doubt try to lead all the way in the Prince of Wales. The grey, trained by William Armata will no doubt be a super sprinter one day, was a neck ahead of another Wales nominee, DANCIN IN DA NILE, in the Plate. The Sam-Son Farms colt is trained by Gail Cox.
HUNT MASTER (Hunters Bay) and DUKE OF LOVE (Cupid) were seventh and eighth in the Plate respectively and are also on the list of nominations for the Wales.
The seventh nominee is the maiden COLLABORATIVE (Malibu Moon) who was recently sixth in a $40,000 maiden claiming race at Woodbine.
Final entries for the race close on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 11 a.m. The final field will be determined at noon that day at the Prince of Wales Stakes draw, which can be watched via live stream here.
Race day highlights include two additional stake races that are part of the Ontario Sired Heritage Series, the Lake Erie Stakes and the Rondeau Bay Stakes, closing with nine and 12 nominations respectively, both running for a $100,000 purse. The $30,000 Molson Cup and Le Cinquieme Essai Cup will also take place that day.
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