Three-year-old filly Inglorious was today installed the early 4-1 favorite for the 152nd edition of the Queen’s Plate.
Last year, Big Red Mike led from wire to wire to defeat Sam-Son Farm’s Hotep to take the winner’s share of the $1 million purse. The Nick Gonzalez trainee was 12-1 in the Winterbook.
Fillies have had great success in Canada’s most important horse race. The last filly to complete the task was Dancethruthedawn in 2001. More recently, such heroines as Ginger Brew and Milwaukee Appeal have come within a few feet of winning the coveted ‘Gallop for the Guineas.’
It is a rare occurrence when a filly has the credentials to stand out from her male rivals months before the Plate, when the Winterbook is crafted. The last filly to sport the favorite’s role was La Prevoyante in 1973.
Inglorious showed immediate promise as a two-year-old, giving trainer Josie Carroll the confidence to start her in an added-money event in her first career start, the six-furlong Fanfreluche Stakes. Even though she broke slowly, the bay filly finished strongly and won the event by 1 3/4 lengths.
The daughter of Hennessy made her first two-turn attempt about six weeks later and won the Ontario Lassie Stakes in runaway fashion.
The Donver Stable charge stamped herself as the current Plate favorite, and a top five contender for the Kentucky Oaks, by rallying to be second in the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 19. After a slow start, she finished just 1 1/4 lengths behind Kathmanblu, one of the continent’s leading sophomore fillies.
“That’s pretty neat. We’re delighted because she’s a great filly,” said Carroll. “She came out of her last race in great shape and she’s tentatively pointed for the Fair Grounds Oaks, but we have some other options as well.”
Carroll became the first female trainer to capture the Queen’s Plate when Edenwold won the event in 2006. Currently riding Inglorious is one of North America’s top female riders, Chantal Sutherland.
“She’s the type of horse you dream of riding,” said Sutherland. “The decision to run in the Queen’s Plate will be up to Josie and Donver Stables, who are great owners. All I know is that she will be able to handle the distance and the demand of the day. She is total class and takes everything in stride.”
“People that I’ve spoken with here in California are talking about how well she ran in New Orleans,” she added.
The Queen’s Plate is set for June 26 at Woodbine. The race will air on CBC in High Definition.
The Winterbook’s second-choice is the aptly-named Queen’splate Kitten, from the stable of Todd Pletcher. The son of Kitten’s Joy broke his maiden impressively at Woodbine on December 3 before being sold to his current connections. Last month, the long-striding colt prevailed in a turf allowance at Gulfsteam Park despite a wide trip.
Rounding out the top-five list are Patrick Biancone pupil Bowman’s Causeway (6-1), who broke his maiden in a tough 1 1/8-mile contest, also at Gulfstream Park, Sensational Slam (8-1), another Pletcher trainee that captured multiple sprint stakes at Woodbine last Summer, and Pender Harbour (10-1), an open-length winner of the Kingarvie Stakes trained by Mike DePaulo.
The 87th edition of the Winterbook, which was compiled by Adam Hickman of Woodbine’s Communications department, offers early odds on all 109 three-year-olds, 101 colts, geldings and ridglings, as well as eight fillies, nominated to the 2011 Canadian Triple Crown.
Racing fans can also participate in the Plate chase by playing the 11th annual Queen’s Plate Fantasy Challenge at http://www.queensplate.com/. The contest, which launches later in the spring, is free, with prizes available to be won.
A recap of the Top Ten and the entire list of Queen’s Plate nominees and their Winterbook odds follows.
Top 10 in the Winterbook
Inglorious (f) – 4-1
Queen’splatekitten – 5-1
Bowman’s Causeway – 6-1
Sensational Slam – 8-1
Pender Harbour – 10-1
Hothersal – 12-1
Roxy Gap (f) – 12-1
Celtic Conviction – 15-1
Strike Oil – 15-1
Eternal Rule – 18-1
Queen’s Plate nominees (109)
Anna May Capri (f) – 150
Big Bruce – 125
Bigstormbrewin’ – 25
Bissix Hill – 60
Black N Beauty – 30
Blackstone Bay – 25
Blindsidehit (f) – 45
Bobcaygeon – 75
Bob’s Tale – 150
Born to Boogie – 45
Bowman’s Causeway – 6
Calius – 75
Call Time – 125
Celestial Fire – 75
Celtic Conviction – 15
Chant My Name – 45
Check Your Soul – 75
Classic Chaffee – 200
Clean House – 150
Control – 35
Creeping Barrage – 200
Crown’s Path – 200
Curgone – 30
Curiosity Seeker – 150
Delawana – 75
Denialer – 100
Diego Bay – 40
Do the Math – 125
E Assault – 200
East High Street – 100
Eliana Querida (f) – 100
Enduring Star – 30
Eternal Rule – 18
Excellency – 150
Eyes of Blue – 125
Ghost Gunner – 45
Ghost Time – 60
Good Better Best – 30
Gran Tsar – 150
Grand Style (f) – 20
Head Honcho – 25
Hippolytus – 30
Holy Crusader – 40
Hothersal – 12
I Want You To Know – 100
Ice Danger – 50
Ice Pilot – 60
Imhotep – 25
Inglorious (f) – 4
Justin’s Tapit – 100
Kurogane – 35
Lisvernane (f) – 35
Maple Leaf Kitten – 45
Maritime Missile – 50
Mays Treasuretrove (f) – 150
Merchant of Menace – 125
Molinaro Chef – 200
Molinaro Departure – 125
Molinaro FT Sassy – 200
Molinaro Handsome – 150
Molinaro Remarks – 150
Most Unusual – 125
Mystery Man – 125
Nanaimo – 125
Oban – 40
Occasional View – 50
Oh Canada – 25
Ojibway Signal – 20
Okiyama – 50
One Big Gator – 75
Opening Meet – 100
Orocomo – 100
Padmore Village – 40
Pass Partout (f) – 40
Path to Home – 125
Pender Harbour – 10
Perfect Prospector – 100
Piamento – 75
Put It on Hold – 75
Queen’splatekitten – 5
Readyman – 60
Real Dingo – 125
Red Ace – 35
Reigners Lane – 150
Report Card Time – 40
Roxy Gap (f) – 12
Runaway Whiz – 100
Salvatorio – 200
Sandy Gully – 50
Sardonicus – 50
Sensational Slam – 8
Sir Berringer – 200
Sir Mcintyre – 75
Song River – 150
Soul of Gold – 150
Speed Ring – 20
Storm Light – 150
Strike Oil – 15
Stunning Split – 35
Super Strike – 125
Superbull – 60
Timber Thunder – 60
Top Prospect – 45
Top the Podium – 60
Welloiledmachine – 40
Withdrawal – 60
Wonder Phil – 75
Yankee Bailey West – 100
Yoho – 50
(f): denotes filly
*for horses already nominated, a sustaining payment of $1,500 must be made by May 1 to be kept eligible for the race
*for horses not currently nominated, a $5,000 late nomination payment can be made by May 1 to be eligible for the race
*for horses not nominated before May 1, a $25,000 ($15,000 + $10,000 entry fee) supplemental payment can be made at time of final entry to be eligible for the race
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