Donver Stable’s Inglorious, the only filly in the field of 17 three-year-olds, charged down the stretch to win the $1 million Queen’s Plate, Canada’s most famous race, by two and one-half lengths over 61-1 longshot Hippolytus, Sunday at Woodbine.
Ridden by Luis Contreras and trained by Josie Carroll, Inglorious, the 9-2 third choice, became the 34th filly to win the ‘Gallop for the Guineas’ since 1860 and the fifth to win both the Woodbine Oaks and the Plate, joining Flaming Page (1962), La Lorgnette (1985), Dance Smartly (1991) and Dancethruthedawn (2001).
“This is great, she’s amazing. Everything is just amazing,” said the 25-year-old Contreras, Woodbine’s leading rider. “I wasn’t in a hurry off the start. I was watching the film before the race. I followed the favourite (Check Your Soul) and it worked out. She gave me everything. That’s the main thing about her, she likes to win.”
The early pace in the mile and one-quarter classic for Canadian-foaled three-year-olds was set by Oh Canada, while being pressed by Curgone and Okiyama, as the trio took the field through a first quarter in :23.86, the half in :47.66 and three-quarters in 1:12.35.
However, the pacesetters began to tire and it was Hippolytus and jockey Tyler Pizarro who came around them to take the lead, while being challenged by Check Your Soul and Bowman’s Causeway as those three straightened for home.
Hippolytus briefly pulled away from his pursuers but suddenly Inglorious burst on the scene from fourth and set sail on the leaders, swallowing them up with every stride. The daughter of Hennessy-Noble Strike caught Hippolytus inside the sixteenth pole and drew away for the impressive score.
Runner-up Hippolytus finished two lengths clear of 15-1 Pender Harbour, who closed well in the stretch to nose out Bowman’s Causeway and the 4-1 second choice, Queen’splatekitten for third.
Meanwhile, Check Your Soul, the Plate Trial winner who was trying to give his trainer, Roger Attfield, a record ninth Plate, faded to seventh in late stretch, six and one-half lengths behind Inglorious, as the 9-5 choice.
It was the first Plate triumph for Donna and Vern Dubinsky (Donver Stable) of Sherwood Park, Alberta and for Contreras, with his first mount. But it was the second Plate triumph for Carroll, who became the first female conditioner to win the Plate back in 2006 with Edenwold.
“It feels overwhelming,” said Carroll. “I thought we had a shot when he (Contreras) got on (favourite) Check Your Soul’s back, then half way down the lane I thought we had a big shot. I was nervous but confident that she would run her race. If she was good enough, she would win.”
“It’s amazing, isn’t it? I’m thrilled to death, I still can’t believe it,” added Vern Dubinsky. “Just before the finish line (I thought we were going to win). This is a dream and I still don’t believe it yet.”
Inglorious came into the Plate as the field’s leading money winner, with $650,000 after her three-quarter length score on June 5 in the Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser. With her Plate victory, she also remained unbeaten on Woodbine’s Polytrack, now a perfect five for five.
The Queen’s Plate is the first leg in the Canadian Triple Crown. The second leg is the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, at one mile and three-sixteenths on July 17 at Fort Erie on the main dirt track, while the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes, at one mile and one-half on the grass, August 7 at Woodbine, comprises the third and final leg.
There have been seven Triple Crown winners since the concept was inaugurated in 1959, the first being New Providence in 1959, the latest being Wando in 2003.
Now, only Inglorious has a chance to join that illustrious group, as she earned $600,000 for the win to become the newest Canadian-bred millionaire.
Inglorious paid $11, $6.40 and $4.70, combining with Hippolytus ($41.30, $22.20) for a $415.20 (9-15) exactor. A 9-15-5 (Pender Harbour, $8.70 ) triactor returned $5,554.50, while a $1 Superfecta [9-15-5-16 (Bowman’s Causeway)] was worth $22,375.35.
The betting handle on the Queen’s Plate card was $8,768,145, an all-sources Woodbine record (except for Breeders’ Cup 1996). The Plate race itself drew $2,973,265, also a single race Woodbine record (except for the individual Breeders’ Cup races in 1996).
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