Queen’splatekitten, trained by Todd Pletcher, made his return to Woodbine an impressive one, taking Saturday’s $171,600 Marine Stakes, and solidifying his status as a major contender for next month’s Queen’s Plate.
Eurico Rosa da Silva rode the dark bay son of Kitten’s Joy, who broke his maiden with a 5 ¼-length score at the Toronto oval in December, to victory as the 3-5 favourite. This time the margin, also contested at 1 1/16 miles, was three lengths, timed in 1:44.53.
For Pletcher, it was his second consecutive Marine score (Exhi in 2010). For da Silva, it could be the road towards winning his third consecutive “Gallop for the Guineas,” having taken the 2009 edition with Eye of the Leopard and last year’s Plate with Big Red Mike.
Queen’splatekitten, who finished second over the Woodbine turf in his career bow on October 30, came into the race off a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 16.
Da Silva was patient with Queen’splatekitten, keeping him in touch with the leaders through early fractions of :24.77 and a half in :49.72, before engaging the frontrunners just prior to the turn for home.
“He gives you such a nice feeling,” said da Silva, who was also aboard for the initial lifetime triumph. “He’s a very relaxed horse. I just pressed him a little bit in the turn for him to catch up with them. He ran a very wonderful race.”
Owned by Mill House, Queen’splatekitten, the 5-1 second choice in the Queen’s Plate Winterbook, now has three wins and two seconds from six career starts.
“He’s more mature now,” said da Silva. “He’s there for the business. When I took him to the gate, his mind was set to get the job done.”
The $1 million Queen’s Plate, set for Sunday, June 26 at Woodbine, is the most prominent event on the Canadian horse racing calendar.
The critical Plate Trial is scheduled for June 5, while the Victoria Park Stakes is on June 12.
The last horse to win the Marine en route to a Plate victory was eventual Triple Crown champion, Wando, in 2003.
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