The announcement by Woodbine Entertainment’s CEO Jim Lawson that fans will be welcomed back to the track July 1 is good news for the August 22 Queen’s Plate, the 162nd edition of the country’s most famous race. The Plate, as it was last year, was moved due to the Covid-19 pandemic and will be held on a Sunday this year. Owners and trainers of Plate hopefuls will have a couple of stakes race preps heading to the 1 1/4 mile classic including the Plate Trial and Woodbine Oaks (fillies) on August 1.
As has been the case throughout this year, the early Plate favourite WEYBURN continues to race well in the United States and is not likely to come to Canada for the Plate. Chiefswood Stables’ colt was recently second by a neck in the Pegasus Stakes to Mandaloun, earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
Champion 2-Year-Old in Canada GRETZKY THE GREAT returned to Woodbine and had a workout on June 12 on the Tapeta of :47 3/5 for four furlongs. The Nyquist colt was third and fifth in stakes races at Turfway Park in the winter and is possible for the July 11 Queenston Stakes at seven furlongs for Canadian-bred sophomores. His biggest hurdle may be the 1 1/4 mile Plate distance.
STEPHEN, the Coronation Futurity winner who has been training in Ontario since this winter, worked June 6 at Woodbine at 5 furlongs in 1:00 3/5.
He has a scheduled workout on Saturday June 26.
That colt is one of several possible Plate starters for trainer Kevin Attard including HADDASSAH who had a super season debut on the grass against older horses, finishing third with an 85 Beyer Speed Figure on a very firm course. The Ullwelling homebred colt by Air Force Blue had won his debut on Tapeta last year.
Attard ran HARLAN ESTATE (Kantharos – Archeertte by Arch) for the first time since getting him from California where the dark bay raced for trainer Peter Miller on grass. Owned by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson, who missed the playoffs having been injured in January leading to concussion symptoms, and Exline-Border Racing, Harlan Estate moved to the lead late in an allowance race on June 19 in his first Tapeta run.
The colt was edged late by a rallying Tidal Forces but it was the best outing of his career and he earned a 76 Beyer Figure. Harlan Estate was bred by Ivan Dalos.
Exline-Border Racing is a racehorse partnership founded by Ryan Exline and Jeff Border of California. They have won Breeders’ Cup races with Champagne Room and Storm the Court.
And Attard also has his son’s KEEP GRINDING in the mix, TRUFFLE KING for Derek Chin and even H C Holiday for Ivan Dalos, a recent maiden winner.
The New York-based SAFE CONDUCT raced on May 29 in the slop (an off-the-turf Grade 3 stakes race) but had won a turf race before that at Belmont with an 87 Beyer Figure. He is trained by Phil Serpe and is by Bodemeister.
Sam-Son Farms’ TIDAL FORCES (Malibu Moon) is developing well for trainer Gail Cox. The impressive colt won his debut in Florida at nine furlongs on turf while racing greenly. He recently made his Woodbine debut and while he had to be ridden hard for two furlongs, he overcame a wide journey to win an allowance race over Harlan Estate.
The colt has zoomed to #2 on the Canadian Thoroughbred Plate list.
Gail Cox told Woodbine, “He’s a pretty cool guy. He eats well and he’s pretty easy to deal with. He walks over to the paddock calmly. He’s just very professional in everything he does. There are times when you see little signs of immaturity, losing focus a little bit, but I’m really happy with everything when it comes to him.” (Read more about Tidal Forces here.)
Sam-Son also could have DANCE SOME MO in the mix. The Uncle Mo gelding was impressive in a turf win in New York but flopped in his next race for trainer Graham Motion.
Denny Andrews, Krista Cole-Simpson and Northern Dawn Stables’ CANDY OVERLOAD, from the first crop of Ontario stallion Reload, was impressive in his season debut when a flying second in a sprint behind older horse There’s No Joe. This bay gelding is from a mare who won a 5-furlong maiden race but he does get some stamina from his sire and under the second dam, Ministerette.
On June 10, DARRRS Inc.’s PALIO (Twirling Candy – Cat’s Garden by Tale of the Cat) was second in a grass race at Arlington, half a length shy of the winner Fort Moultrie. The colt earned a career-best 80 Beyer Figure according to Daily Racing Form in the one mile event.
Canadian Thoroughbred’s TOP 15
*1. WEYBURN – Second by a neck in the Pegasus Stakes to Mandaloun, 93 Beyer missed Belmont Stakes due to fever, worked 5 furlongs June 6 at Belmont 59.00, a bullet move, 4th Wood Memorial, 85 Beyer, won Gotham, 95;
2. TIDAL FORCES – Won his second career race taking a 1 1/16 mile Tapeta race with a long, wide rally, 77 Beyer Figure; Sam-Son Farms’ homebred won his debut at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Gulfstream with a 70 Beyer Figure
3. GRETZKY THE GREAT – is expected to race at Woodbine, last workout 47 3/5 Churchill Downs May 14 ; 5th Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), 73 Beyer Speed Figure, Turfway Park, third in John Battaglia Stakes, Turfway Feb. 26, 83 Beyer Speed Figure
4. STEPHEN – training at Woodbine
5. SAFE CONDUCT –4th in off-the-turf Grade 3 Penine Ridge run in the slop, 67 Beyer, won turf allowance May 2, 87 Beyer Figure, second in 2021 debut, 1 1/8 miles turf, 75 Beyer Figure.
6. HADDASSAH – 85 Beyer Figure in season debut when third in fast turf race
7. DANCE SOME MO – Uncle Mo gelding had a rocky trip when seventh on June 11 on turf at Belmont but Sam-Son Farms colt won his maiden with an 80 Beyer Figure on the grass at Churchill Downs, 1 1/8 miles turf
8. CANDY OVERLOAD – Reload gelding had a super season debut at 6 1/2 furlongs, closing fast to be second to older horse There’s No Joe with an 84 Beyer Speed Figure; unproven at route distances
9. HARLAN ESTATE – second at 1 1/16 miles in his Canadian and Tapeta debut to Tidal Forces with a 76 Beyer Figure
10 LORENA – Filly debuts on Plate list after smart return win with an 81 Beyer Figure
11. KEEP GRINDING – 73 Beyer Figure in his third place finish in his season debut behind Tidal Forces; son of Tizway
12. HOMBRE – Closing fifth in a smart debut at Belmont.
13. TRUFFLE KING – 2nd in his return in a maiden race on turf with a 69 Beyer Figure
14. CRUDEN BAY – 6th in return spring, 78 Beyer Figure
15. AVOMAN – stakes winner at two turns on turf in 2020, training at Woodbine
*Not expected for Plate
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