Ontario-bred Grade 3 stakes winner MESSIER will not be coming to Woodbine for the 163rd Queen’s Plate on August 21.
Donna Barton Brothers, client relations for Starlight Racing, one of the colt’s owners, updated Canadian Thoroughbred Monday morning.
“Messier is not going to run in the Queen’s Plate,” said Barton Brothers, a former jockey and current television analyst.
Messier, bred by Sam-Son Farms in Milton and a $470,000 yearling purchase in 2020 by a group that, in addition to Starlight Racing, includes SF Racing, Madaket Stable, Robert Masterson and others, most recently competed in the Kentucky Derby. He finished 15th after forcing the sizzling pace. Prior to that race Messier was second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby to Taiba. Tim Yakteen has been training Messier for a suspended Bob Baffert.
In February, Baffert sent out Messier to win the Grade 3 Robert B Lewis Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles. Last November the son of Empire Maker won the Grade 3 Bob Hope stakes at 7 furlongs.
Messier has been #1 on Canadian Thoroughbred‘s TOP 15 Queen’s Plate Contenders list since early spring.
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