Queen's Plate Winner Safe Conduct to By-Pass Ontario Derby

Safe Conduct wrote his name into the history books in August with a game head score in the $1 million Queen’s Plate, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at 10 furlongs over Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

And while the handsome dark bay colt needs just one more start in Canada to be eligible for the Sovereign Award for Champion 3-year-old colt, it appears he will not be entered in the upcoming Ontario Derby (G3) on Halloween, October 31. Trainer Phil Serpe has indicated that the Gio Ponto Stakes on Nov. 26 is the colt’s next goal.

Trained by Phil Serpe, the Bodemeister sophomore followed his Plate win with a fading eighth in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown contested over a yielding E. P. Taylor Turf Course.

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“He just doesn’t want any part of soft ground,” Serpe said to NYRA. “It had rained a lot up there and he just wasn’t getting a hold of the track.”

Safe Conduct has kept good company through his sophomore season, winning a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer over firm Belmont turf in May by 2 1/2-lengths over Public Sector, who has won his last three starts in graded company including Saturday’s Grade 2 Hill Prince at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Safe Conduct exited that effort to finish fourth in the off-the-turf Grade 3 Pennine Ridge in May and faded to eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational in July over good going.

Serpe said he is hopeful Safe Conduct will find firm footing in the $150,000 Gio Ponti, a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomores on November 26 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

“If you look back at his last race on a firm turf, it was an impressive race. He flew home. That’s the type of race we’re looking forward to seeing him running on the grass,” Serpe said. “We were very happy to win Canada’s biggest race. There’s a lot of prestige behind it. I’d love to see him come back now and get his turf races sorted out.”

Safe Conduct worked a half-mile in :51.69 Sunday over the Belmont inner turf.

“He went a nice easy half, but he did it well,” Serpe said.

So the title of Champion 3-year-old in Canada is up for grabs. The Prince of Wales was won by Haddassah and the Breeders’ Stakes won by longshot British Royalty.

Western Canadian sophomores UNCHARACTERISTIC and TONY’S TAPIT would seem to be in contention for the honour. Uncharacteristic won the Grade 3 Canadian Derby and the Manitoba Derby while Tony’s Tapit, who is nominated for the Ontario Derby, has won eight races this year including three stakes races.