Oaks, Plate: Of Red Wine and Shine

The Marine Stakes and Selene Stakes on June 27 at Woodbine, both Grade 3 route races for 3-year-olds, likely told us a lot about what is to come in the Woodbine Oaks and King’s Plate.

In a rare year where there are very few top Canadian bred 3-year-olds, in particular on the male side, the Plate on August 15 will struggle for a strong field. But that does not take away from the fun story of Manitoba bred BRACHETTO (a red wine grape), who upset the Marine at 18 to 1 under Ryan Munger.

Owned and bred by Dr. Ross and Brenda McKague, Brachetto has jumped up to the second on the Canadian Thoroughbred King’s Plate list with his gritty win in his first try at 1 1/16 miles. The son of Vekoma – Colorino by Include came from last-place and some six lengths behind under Ryan Munger to edge second favourite Magical Factor and jockey Kazushi Kimura, who was in town for the weekend. The time of 1:44.93 was good for a 90 Beyer Figure.

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The pair were 3 1/2 lengths clear of Casson, owned by Conrad Farms, who had won the King Corrie Stakes at seven furlongs and was testing a route distance on Tapeta for the first time.

All of Brachetto’s previous races, including two last year, had been sprints. He won his maiden in his 2026 debut and was third in the 7 furlong Queenston Stakes to Highwaytothemoon coming to the Marine.

While Brachetto showed good power to reel in Magical Factor, owned by Chiefswood Stable, the latter was a handful for Kimura from pre-race to during the race. The gelded by The Factor was bouncing around before the race and eager during the running. Kimura decided to let the gelding charge to the lead likely earlier than he wanted but he had been holding him hard for some time.

Trained by Rachael Halden, Magical Factor remains on top of the Plate contenders list on this site.

Brachetto is a true blue Manitoba bred as he was one of the last horses born on the McKague’s Farm in Brandon. The colt is from the mare Colorino, bought by Ross for $30,000 as a weanling at the 2005 Keeneland November Breeding sale. Colorino won four races, all on Woodbine’s Polytrack, and earned almost $200,000 (US).

Colorino has had nine foals to race including Phil Kives Stakes winner Marselan and R.C. Anderson Memorial Stakes winner Viognier. The mare had a Frosted colt, Refosco, in 2025.

Ross McKague, 79 and a retired veterinarian, was part of the a group that founded the Manitoba Jockey Club in 1993 and he has been an important voice in Canadian racing for decades.

Filly Shines in Selene

LUSTER, by Knicks Go, rebounded from a third place finish in the Ruling Angel Stakes, her first loss, to win the Grade 3 Selene Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in a slightly faster time than the Marine. A grey filly owned by Antony Beck’s Gainesway Farm and Andrew Rosen and trained by Josie Carroll, Luster was very convincing in her 1 3/4 length victory with Fraser Aebly riding.

Her time of 1:44.04 was good for an 85 Beyer Figure.

Luster was bred by Toronto’s Ravi Sugrim and Joannie Daas. The dam of Luster, Ruby Frost, has a Frac Daddy 2-year-old at Woodbine for the breeders.

Katie’s Grace was the surprise of the race as she rallied from well off the pace to be second for Chivalry Thoroughbreds and Hubert Vester. Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, Katie’s Grace is by Indepoendence Hall and she was bred by Northern Dawn Stable and Sandy Giffen.

Dixie Law, one of the leaders of the 3-year-old filly division, was a nose from second.

Both the Marine and Selene left some questions for handicappers, based on the move to 1 1/8 miles and 1 1/4 miles for these horses in the Oaks and Plate respectively.

*On Sunday, BAAEED ALYNNA broke his maiden in his season debut. Trained by Kevin Attard, the colt by Good Magic was third in the Display Stakes in his lone start as a juvenile. Owned by Tagermeen Racing, the colt ran 7 furlongs in 1:25.65.