All signs are currently pointing to Woodbine Oaks winner LUSTER being entered in the King’s Plate in 13 days time. The Plate draw is on August 11, with the race on the 15th.
The grey filly by Knicks Go, owned by Kentucky’s Gainesway Farm and Andrew Rosen and trained by Josie Carroll, was dominant in her Oaks romp and ran fast, too, posting a 97 Beyer Speed Figure while barely being asked by jockey John Velazquez.
Carroll, a three-time Plate-winning trainer, once with a filly, told Canadian Press on Tuesday that the filly has returned to training and is doing very well. “Truthfully, based on how she came out of that race, barring any unforeseen glitches, we would be heading in that direction,” Carroll said to CP.
The success record of fillies in the Plate is quite remarkable, even considering the number of Canadian-bred three-year-olds in a crop each year.
Seven fillies have won the Plate this century and another five landed in the top three, a few of them close to winning. That is 12 fillies winning or in the top three in the last 25 Plates, or almost 50 percent. In all, 39 fillies have won all 166 Plates.
Canadian Thoroughbred‘s “Top 15 King’s Plate Contenders”, which has been published consistently since March, has had Chiefswood Stables’ MAGICAL FACTOR in the #1 spot for most of the ratings, although since the Oaks, it would appear he may have his work cut out with the filly. Also BRACCHETO, the Manitoba-bred winner of the Plate Trial, who caught Magical Factor that day, is in the same boat.
Luster’s 97 Beyer Figure for her easy Oaks win was higher than the Beyers earned by previous Oaks/Plate winners Moira, Holy Helena and Inglorious. Moira put up a 92 Beyer in her Oaks win and a 97 in her Plate win.
Only one horse has recorded a higher Beyer in an Oaks win since 2000 and that was MILWAUKEE APPEAL (99) in 2009. That gal, owned by C.E.C. Farm, was later third in the Plate to Eye of the Leopard, who ran a 92 to win that day. The great DANCETHRUTHEDAWN posted a 97 Beyer in her Oaks win and a 94 in her Plate win.
And Oaks winners who won the Plate in the same year numbers eight, since the Oaks was inaugurated in 1956.
There are 30 horses nominated to the Plate, but a horse can be supplemented for $25,000 at entry time. It would be hard to imagine many more than 10 would enter the Plate (7th and 8th places get 1 percent of the purse).
The last time the Plate field was less than 10 was in 2007 when Mike Fox beat seven rivals. The lowest odds on a Plate winner this century was 1.40 or 7-to-5 on Wando in 2003 ($3.80 to win).
There was a horse who was 1-to-9 at post time for the Plate not too long ago…who was that? Answer below.
Lists below begin with this year’s probable Plate entrants (plus others who are not being pointed to the race), past Oaks and Plate winners.
Current King’s Plate Contenders from CT
(top Beyer)
1. MAGICAL FACTOR (90)
2. LUSTER filly (97)
3. BRACHETTO (82)
4. HIGHWAYTOTHEMOON (85)
5. MILITARY TIME (81)
6. DON IQUE (74)
7. IMYOURMEDICINEMAN (84)
8. DIXIE LAW – filly (88)
9. CASSON (81) *sprint
10. BAAEED ALYNNA (72)
11. BOLD TIME filly (83)
12. PIPER’S GIFT filly (81)
13. BUIUM (79)
14. HUMORMEASTORY (79)
15. BOND MARKET (71)
Woodbine Oaks Winners This Century (Plate Winners in bold)
Year / Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Beyer Speed Figure
2026 – Luster, John Velazquez, J Carroll 97
2025 – No Time, John R. Velazquez, Mark E. Casse 88
2024 – Kin’s Concerto ,Sofia Vives, Josie Carroll *Caitlinghergrtness was 2nd 80
2023 – Elysian Field, Sahin Civaci, Mark E. Casse 83 2nd Plate
2022 – Moira, Rafael Manuel Hernandez, Kevin Attard 92
2021 – Munnyfor Ro, Justin Stein, Kevin Attard 82
2020 – Curlin’s Voyage, Patrick Husbands, Josie Carroll 90
2019 – Desert Ride, Steve Bahen, Neil J. Howard 83
2018 – Dixie Moon, Eurico Rosa Da Silva, Catherine Day Phillips *Wonder Gadot was 2nd 88
2017 – Holy Helena[2], Luis Contreras, Jimmy Jerkens 94
2016 – Neshama, Eurico Rosa Da Silva, Catherine Day Phillips 81
2015 – Academic, Justin Stein, Reade Baker 88
2014 – Lexie Lou, Patrick Husbands, Mark E. Casse 95
2013 – Nipissing, Steve Bahen, Rachel Halden 90
2012 – Irish Mission, Alex Solis, Mark Frostad 77 2nd Plate
2011 – Inglorious, Luis Contreras, Josie Carroll 84
2010 – Roan Inish, David J. Moran, Carolyn M. Costigan 91 3rd Plate
2009 – Milwaukee Appeal, Stewart Elliott, Scott H. Fairlie 99 3rd Plate
2008 – Ginger Brew, Javier Castellano, Brian A. Lynch 90 2nd Plate
2007 – Sealy Hill, Patrick Husbands, Mark E. Casse
2006 – Kimchi, Patrick Husbands, Mark E. Casse 82
2005 – Gold Strike, Jim McAleney, Reade Baker 96 3rd Plate
2004 – Eye of the Sphynx, T Kabel, M Frostad 89
2003 – Too Late Now, R Landry, J Day 81
2002 – Ginger Gold, Sid Attard, R. Dos Ramos 90
2001 – Dancethruthedawn, G Boulanger, M Frostad 97
2000 – Catch the Ring, R. Landry, M Frostad 81
Plate Winners (winning Beyer Figure) / Style / Previous Race / Plate Trial Winner (Beyer)
2026 – Plate Trial 85
2025 – MANSETTI (87) speed Won Marine 79 – Plate Trial 85
2024 – CAITLYNHERGRNTESS (88) stalk – 2nd Oaks 80 – Plate Trial (My Boy Prince. 87)
2023 – PARAMOUNT PRINCE (93) speed – won Trial (81)
2022 – MOIRA (97) – Stalk Plate Trial won by Clayton in (89)
2021 – SAFE CONDUCT (88) – Speed Plate Trial won by Avoman (83)
2020 – MIGHTY HEART (99) – Speed Ran a 92 to win the Oaks in last start
2019 – ONE BAY BOY (94) – Speed Plate Trial won by Pay for Peace (71)
2018 – WONDER GADOT – Rally Plate Trial won by Telekinesis (88)
2017 – HOLY HELENA (96) – Stalk Ran a 94 to win the Oaks in last start
2016 – SIR DUDLEY DIGGS (85) – Stalk Plate trial won by Amis Gizmo (83)
2015 – SHAMAN GHOST (85) – Rally Ran an 86 to win the G3 Marine in last start
2014 – LEXIE LOU (91) – Rally Ran a 95 to win Oaks
2013 – MIDNIGHT ARIA (101) – Speed Plate Trial won by Dynamic Sky (88)
2012 – STRAIT OF DOVER (98) – Speed Ran a 93 to win Marine (Listed) in last start
2011 – INGLORIOUS (99) – Rally Plate Trial won by Check You Soul (90)
2010 – BIG RED MIKE (92) – Speed Ran a 91 to win Plate Trial in last start
2009 – EYE OF THE LEOPARD (92) – Stalk Ran an 85 to win Plate Trial in last start
2008 – NOT BOURBON (93) – Press Ran an 88 to win Plate Trial in last start
2007 – MIKE FOX (90) – Rally Plate Trial won by Jiggs Coz (88)
2006 – EDENWOLD (94) – Speed Plate Trial won by Pipers Thunder (81)
*Answer – Alydeed was 1-to-9 for the 2003 Plate and he won easily.
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