Meet The 161st Queen’s Plate Horses and People

A quick look at the horses expected to be entered in the Queen's Plate, edition 161, Saturday Sept. 12 at Woodbine, the Canadian classic.

HALO AGAIN, a top contender for the 161st Queen's Plate - Michael Burns photo

By: Jennifer Morrison | September 8, 2020

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you're listening to an article from canadian thoroughbred.com. meet the 161st queen’s plate horses and people by: jennifer morrison |. post position draw coming up wednesday september 9 at 10 a.m. woodbine.com. check back for updates! it’s fillies vs. the boys and ontario, alberta and american owners with the top 3-year-old canadian-breds ready to go for $1 million september 12 at woodbine in north america’s longest continually run horse race! advertisement scroll to continue with content probable field for the 161st running of the $1 million queen’s plate. horse – trainer – owner(s) last 2 beyer speed figures. belichick – josie carroll – nk stable and lnj foxwoods. -bred by sean and dorothy fitzhenry of toronto, belichick is by belmont stakes winner lemon drop kid and was a $300,000 yearling purchase in 2018 at keeneland by solis/litt agents. the colt, named for the famous football coach, races for americans larry, nanci and jaime roth of lnj foxwoods and nk racing which is nancy favreau and kathy psoinos. – improving maiden after 2 starts, 65, 63. clayton – kevin attard – donato lanni & daniel plouffe – plate trial winner 89, 88. – the plate trial winner has come to hand nicely for trainer kevin attard. while still showing his inexperience, this son of bodemeister has all the tools. bred by bernard and karen mccormack, he is owned by montreal-born donato lanni and standardbred owner daniel plouffe. curlin’s voyage (filly) – josie carroll – hill ‘n’ dale equine holdings & windsor boys racing – woodbine oaks winner, 93, 87. – bred by her co-owner john sikura, a canadian living in kentucky, this big filly is also owned by the windsor boys, a group of friends from, you guessed it, windsor. she is by curlin, one of the world’s leading sires and her trainer josie carroll has won 2 plates. dotted line – sid attard – norseman racing stable 3rd plate trial 88, 83. -ontario sired dotted line is by owner howard walton’s own stallion signature red. trainer sid attard seeks his first plate win. f f rocket – keith dickey – frank fletcher racing operations – maiden winner 61, 61. – this is a pretty colt by curlin – mekong delta bred by ted burnett’s josham farms. owner frank fletcher, from little rock, arkansas has car dealerships, restaurants, a hotel, and racehorses and you can follow his horses on the frank fletcher racing site page on facebook. he currently owns the fleet graded stakes winning filly in new york frank’s rockette. -ff rocket, recently won his maiden at presque isle downs in erie with a 61 beyer figure. the colt was bought in florida in 2019 as a 2-year-old for $525,000. glorious tribute – barbara minshall – bruce lunsford – 4th plate trial 83, 69. – bruce lunsford has raced horses at woodbine for many years and also races in the us. in fact, the kentuckian had the second favourite for this year’s kentucky derby, art collector, but the horse had to be scratched due to a minor injury. barb minshall has trained for lunsford for several years; stacked deck was among the graded stakes winners raced here for lunsford. halo again – steven asmussen – winchell thoroughbreds & willis horton racing – 2nd plate trial 88, 81. – willis horton, a custom homebuilder from arkansas, and the winchell family, ron and his mother joan, own this big burly colt bred by david anderson’s anderson farms in st. thomas. horton raced belmont stakes winner will take charge among others while the winchell family, first under founder verne, has raced many champions including gun runner. ron winchell lives in las vegas. top us trainer steve asmussen trains. holyfield – catherine day phillips – kingfield racing stable, roderick ferguson & anderson farms ontario – maiden winner 76, 64. – this is a canadian-owned and bred fellow who has a story to tell about his early life (yes, he has part of his ear missing). holyfield was bred by david anderson and rod ferguson and races for them and trainer catherine day phillips. the uncle mo gelding has improved with each race this year. merveilleux (filly) – kevin attard – al and bill ulwelling – 3rd woodbine oaks 89, 76. -tough filly merveilleux is owned by minnesota’s bill and al ulwelling who have been supporting ontario racing for a few years. one of their big stars, pumpkin rumble, was recently retired to longrun thoroughbred retirement and has since been adopted. mighty heart – josie carroll – lawrence cordes – maiden winner 80, 74. – he has just one eye but that was a nifty maiden win by mighty heart earlier this year. he was bred by his owner lawrence cordes, who has been racing horses in ontario for 20 years and he previous big horse was turkish, winner of the valedictory stakes. his sire dramedy, winner of the elkhorn stakes on turf at keeneland, had his first crop of foals race in 2019 and is now in saudi arabia. olliemyboy – sid attard – jmj racing stables – maiden winner 68, 66. – jmj racing stables is owned by dennis narlinger of california and the stable is run by son michael. their first grade 1 winner was a canadian-bred, interpol, who won the 2015 northern dancer stakes at woodbine for trainer sid attard. sid has the family’s 3yo union rags colt set to try the plate. sweepin hard (supplement) – daniel vella – borders racing stable – maiden winner 61, 50. – a son of ontario sire conquest curlinate, sweepin hard was made eligible for the plate for a supplemental fee of $25,000 following his win in just his 2nd career race on aug. 16. trained by dan vella, who won the plate with basqueian, sweepin hard is owned by hazel bennett of calgary, alberta. hazel is a retired investment advisor and volunteers, well, works, with retired racehorses and training them for new careers. tecumseh’s war – catherine day phillips – ilium stables – maiden winner, 81, 67. angelo freda and his son james are in love with horse racing. angelo, who lives in connecticut, is a financial advisor and author. james is an attorney. their first horse purchase was tecumseh’s war a son of summer front bred by the everatt family in st. thomas. for more on the fredos. truebelieve – cole bennett – centennial farms (niagara) – allowance winner 61, 77. – domenic dilalla of niagara-on-the-lake, has raced horses at woodbine for several decades under his stable name centennial farms (niagara) inc, named for his centennial homes company. he purchased truebelieve from breeder laurel byrne in orangeville.

Post position draw coming up Wednesday September 9 at 10 a.m. Woodbine.com

Check back for updates!

It’s fillies vs. the boys and Ontario, Alberta and American owners with the top 3-year-old Canadian-breds ready to go for $1 million SEPTEMBER 12 at Woodbine in North America’s longest continually run horse race!

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PROBABLE FIELD FOR THE 161ST RUNNING OF THE $1 MILLION QUEEN’S PLATE

Horse – Trainer – Owner(s) Last 2 Beyer Speed Figures

Belichick – Josie Carroll – NK Stable and LNJ Foxwoods

-Bred by Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry of Toronto, Belichick is by Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid and was a $300,000 yearling purchase in 2018 at Keeneland by Solis/Litt agents. The colt, named for the famous football coach, races for Americans Larry, Nanci and Jaime Roth of LNJ Foxwoods and NK Racing which is Nancy Favreau and Kathy Psoinos.

– improving maiden after 2 starts, 65, 63

Clayton – Kevin Attard – Donato Lanni & Daniel Plouffe – Plate Trial winner 89, 88

– The Plate Trial winner has come to hand nicely for trainer Kevin Attard. While still showing his inexperience, this son of Bodemeister has all the tools. Bred by Bernard and Karen McCormack, he is owned by Montreal-born Donato Lanni and Standardbred owner Daniel Plouffe.

Curlin’s Voyage (filly) – Josie Carroll – Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings & Windsor Boys Racing – Woodbine Oaks winner, 93, 87

– Bred by her co-owner John Sikura, a Canadian living in Kentucky, this big filly is also owned by the Windsor Boys, a group of friends from, you guessed it, Windsor. She is by Curlin, one of the world’s leading sires and her trainer Josie Carroll has won 2 Plates.

Dotted Line – Sid Attard – Norseman Racing Stable 3rd Plate Trial 88, 83

-Ontario sired Dotted Line is by owner Howard Walton’s own stallion Signature Red. Trainer Sid Attard seeks his first Plate win.

F F Rocket – Keith Dickey – Frank Fletcher Racing Operations – maiden winner 61, 61

– This is a pretty colt by Curlin – Mekong Delta bred by Ted Burnett’s Josham Farms. Owner Frank Fletcher, from Little Rock, Arkansas has car dealerships, restaurants, a hotel, and racehorses and you can follow his horses on the Frank Fletcher Racing Site page on Facebook. He currently owns the fleet graded stakes winning filly in New York Frank’s Rockette.

-FF Rocket, recently won his maiden at Presque Isle Downs in Erie with a 61 Beyer Figure. The colt was bought in Florida in 2019 as a 2-year-old for $525,000.

Glorious Tribute – Barbara Minshall – Bruce Lunsford – 4th Plate Trial 83, 69

– Bruce Lunsford has raced horses at Woodbine for many years and also races in the US. In fact, the Kentuckian had the second favourite for this year’s Kentucky Derby, Art Collector, but the horse had to be scratched due to a minor injury. Barb Minshall has trained for Lunsford for several years; Stacked Deck was among the graded stakes winners raced here for Lunsford

Halo Again – Steven Asmussen – Winchell Thoroughbreds & Willis Horton Racing – 2nd Plate Trial 88, 81

– Willis Horton, a custom homebuilder from Arkansas, and the Winchell family, Ron and his mother Joan, own this big burly colt bred by David Anderson’s Anderson Farms in St. Thomas. Horton raced Belmont Stakes winner Will Take Charge among others while the Winchell family, first under founder Verne, has raced many champions including Gun Runner. Ron Winchell lives in Las Vegas. Top US trainer Steve Asmussen trains.

Holyfield – Catherine Day Phillips – Kingfield Racing Stable, Roderick Ferguson & Anderson Farms Ontario – maiden winner 76, 64

– This is a Canadian-owned and bred fellow who has a story to tell about his early life (yes, he has part of his ear missing). Holyfield was bred by David Anderson and Rod Ferguson and races for them and trainer Catherine Day Phillips. The Uncle Mo gelding has improved with each race this year.

Merveilleux (filly) – Kevin Attard – Al and Bill Ulwelling – 3rd Woodbine Oaks 89, 76

-Tough filly Merveilleux is owned by Minnesota’s Bill and Al Ulwelling who have been supporting Ontario racing for a few years. One of their big stars, Pumpkin Rumble, was recently retired to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement and has since been adopted.

Mighty Heart – Josie Carroll – Lawrence Cordes – maiden winner 80, 74

– He has just one eye but that was a nifty maiden win by Mighty Heart earlier this year. He was bred by his owner Lawrence Cordes, who has been racing horses in Ontario for 20 years and he previous big horse was Turkish, winner of the Valedictory Stakes. His sire Dramedy, winner of the Elkhorn Stakes on turf at Keeneland, had his first crop of foals race in 2019 and is now in Saudi Arabia.

Olliemyboy – Sid Attard – JMJ Racing Stables – maiden winner 68, 66

– JMJ Racing Stables is owned by Dennis Narlinger of California and the stable is run by son Michael. Their first Grade 1 winner was a Canadian-bred, Interpol, who won the 2015 Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine for trainer Sid Attard. Sid has the family’s 3yo Union Rags colt set to try the Plate.

Sweepin Hard (supplement) – Daniel Vella – Borders Racing Stable – maiden winner 61, 50

– A son of Ontario sire Conquest Curlinate, Sweepin Hard was made eligible for the Plate for a supplemental fee of $25,000 following his win in just his 2nd career race on Aug. 16. Trained by Dan Vella, who won the Plate with Basqueian, Sweepin Hard is owned by Hazel Bennett of Calgary, Alberta. Hazel is a retired investment advisor and volunteers, well, works, with retired racehorses and training them for new careers.

Tecumseh’s War – Catherine Day Phillips – Ilium Stables – maiden winner, 81, 67

Angelo Freda and his son James are in love with horse racing. Angelo, who lives in Connecticut, is a financial advisor and author. James is an attorney. Their first horse purchase was Tecumseh’s War a son of Summer Front bred by the Everatt family in St. Thomas. For more on the Fredos

Truebelieve – Cole Bennett – Centennial Farms (Niagara) – allowance winner 61, 77

– Domenic Dilalla of Niagara-on-the-Lake, has raced horses at Woodbine for several decades under his stable name Centennial Farms (Niagara) Inc, named for his Centennial Homes company. He purchased Truebelieve from breeder Laurel Byrne in Orangeville.