Owners have made the June payment for the King’s Plate and Woodbine Oaks for their Canadian-bred three-year-olds; 51 horses remain eligible for the Plate and 36 fillies are still eligible for the Oaks.
The Plate had two supplements – Live Oak Plantation’s COPPER GHOST, a gelding by Ghostzapper – Heartofthematter by Medaglia d’Oro, bred by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. and trained by Michael Trombetta. Copper Ghost was second in his second career race when moving out to 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta. He earned a 74 Beyer Speed Figure. The other supplement was Stronach Stables’ ROYAL ENTRY.
Belmont Stakes winner trainer DANNY GARGAN could have a Plate starter in MYTHICAL MAN, owned by Reeves Racing, who campaigned the gelding’s sire Mucho Macho Man.
Bred by Adena Springs, Mythical Man won second time out in his career, last October on the grass at Aqueduct. He came back in December and won an optional event at one mile on the turf with a 68 Beyer Speed Figure. Mythical Man has been working steadily at Saratoga on the dirt with his most recent prep coming June 12, four furlongs in 49. You can watch his May 25 workout here.
Meanwhile, one of the current Plate favourites on the Canadian Thoroughbred list, TOM’S MAGIC, has not been lucky finding his next race. The son of American Triple Crown winner Justify from Dixie Chicken was going to race in a turf stakes race at Penn National until it got rained out. Tom’s Magic was entered for the Pennine Ridge Stakes at Saratoga last weekend, and it also got rained out. Trainer Mike Stidham and the ownership group of CJ Thoroughbreds and Mo Speed Racing have decided to send the colt to Monmouth Park in New Jersey for the $100,000 Tale of the Cat Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the grass on June 22.
Ben Haggin at Woodford Racing told Canadian Thoroughbred that the stakes-placed filly LOVE AND POETRY could come to town for the Oaks in July. The Hard Spun offspring was recently a troubled third in an allowance race on grass at Churchill Downs. She had a workout on June 9 at Keeneland. Haggin said the decision whether to ship north would be made by trainer Cherie DeVaux.
There are many fillies who not only are Oaks contenders, but also Plate contenders. The Fury Stakes was won impressively by Winterberry, owned by D.J. Stable, but the Frosted filly is a speedy type who seems to run best when she is loose on the lead.
Meanwhile, stakes winner SHIFTY, who was 2-to-5 in the Fury, was curiously hard held off the slow pace and she never mounted a bid, leaving backers with torn tickets.
Arriving this week from Florida was SOUPER TUSCAN (Vino Rosso), who had a super debut at Woodbine last September for Entourage Stable (of Pink Lloyd glory). Entourage, which includes Frank DiGiulio Jr., sold part of the bay colt to C2 Thoroughbreds, the Cornett brothers who race White Abarrio. Saffie Joseph trains Souper Tuscan whose dam Ciuri, by Souper Speedy, won the 2016 Lady Angela Stakes for Entourage and trainer Bob Tiller.
Souper Tuscan is entered in a maiden race at Woodbine on Sunday, race 8, meeting fellow Plate eligible GLOBECREST, who is working well for trainer Mark Casse.
CT’s Leading King’s Plate and Woodbine Oaks Contenders
1. Notorious Gangster – Trained by Josie Carroll, won Coronation Futurity, fast-closing second in Woodstock, won Queenston, 80 Beyer
2. Mansetti – Trained by Kevin Attard, won the Woodstock Stakes, trouble in Queenston
3. Tom’s Magic – Trained by Mike Stidham, won Fair Grounds stakes race, troubled in Transylvania Stakes last start, Monmouth June 22
4. Scorching – Trained by John Charalambous, won Cup and Saucer, back to working, up to half a mile
5. Ashley’s Archer – Trained by Mark Casse, second in Tampa Bay allowance in ’25 debut, idle since May 11 work
6. Faber – Trained by Kevin Attard/William Morey, 2nd Turfway, 74 Beyer, solid second in 2 turn return
7. Love and Poetry (f)– trained by Cherie Deveaux, 2nd LaCombe Memorial on turf, FG
8. Shifty (f) – Catch a Glimpse S., 3rd Grade 3 Grey, strong sprint win in seasonal bow in Fury S.; 3rd in Fury
9. Mythical Man – Reeves Racing, Danny Gargan trainee showed promise at two, working at Saratoga
10. No Time (f) – Posted a 79 Beyer Figure winning an allowance race at Woodbine
11. Copper Ghost – 2nd maiden race, 1 1/16 miles to an older horse
12. Dewolf – Trained by Kevin Attard, stakes winner at two, second in Coronation, flopped in Queenston
13. Souper Tuscan – In Florida, 2nd to Mansetti in debut, C2 Thoroughbreds new co-owners; racing Sunday, Woodbine
14. Aristella – Fourth Fury, trained by Rachel Halden
15. Monterrey – Unraced, Brad Cox working this colt at Indianapolis
More News
