Woodbine Oaks, King's Plate Updates; Faves Race in NY

Canadian Thoroughbred’s top contenders for the July 23 Woodbine Oaks and August 20 King’s Plate are entered to race in major stakes events on Saturday, July 8 at Belmont Park.

MISSION OF JOY has drawn the rail in the $500,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) at 1 1/4 miles on the grass, race 8 at the New York track. The Kitten’s Joy filly, bred by Sam-Son Farms and owned by RyZan Sun Racing and Madaket Stable, comes off a strong win in the Grade 3 Regret Stakes on turf at Churchill Downs. Trained by Graham Motion, Mission of Joy has won four of six races.

As the Oaks is just 15 days later, it is unlikely Mission of Joy would ship north for the Oaks but perhaps she could be seen for the Plate.

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KALIK, winner of three straight turf races including the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont on June 3, is a top contender in the $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) at 1 1/4 miles on turf. The chestnut colt by Collected, trained by Chad Brown for Robert LaPenta and eFive Thoroughbreds, was bred by Peter Berglar and Anderson Farms and has been atop the Canadian Thoroughbred Plate list for several weeks.

More Oaks News

Boardshorts Stable’s ANCIENT PEACE had the ‘Work of the Day’ on XBTV.com when she sped 5 furlongs in 59.80 on Canada Day. The daughter of War Front was second in the Summertime Oaks (G2) on June 3 at Santa Anita Bred by Sam-Son farms, the John Sadler-trainee could be headed to the July 22 San Clemente at Del Mar. So who might we see in the lineup for the Oaks on July 23?

TICKER TAPE HOME, yet another filly bred by Sam-Son Farms, will be one of the favourites based on her win in the Fury Stakes on June 10 for Live Oak Plantation. The speedy daughter of Medaglia d’Oro – Journey Home by War Front has won two of eight races for trainer Mark Casse, both at 7 furlongs. Her three outings at route distances on turf and dirt, resulted in off-the-board finishes. She comes in with an 85 Beyer Speed Figure from her Fury win and she had a 5 furlong workout at Woodbine on July 2 in 1:01.20.

Robert Marzilli’s homebred filly TITO’S CALLING will get a lot of attention on Oaks day as she was third last weekend in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes which went in fast time. Tito’s Calling and jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson rallied wide into second into the stretch run but was caught late and landed third while winner Solo Album, an American-bred, romped by more than six lengths. Tito’s Calling is a daughter of Society’s Chairman from the First Dude mare Unstablenthemornin. Ross Armata, Jr. is currently training Tito’s Calling for a suspended Mike DePaulo. The filly earned a career best 81 Beyer Figure in the Selene.

American trainer Chad Brown, who sent Turf King (Ire) to Woodbine to win the Marine Stakes (G3) last weekend, is sending BIG BRASS BED to the Oaks. The Nyquist filly, owned by Peter Brant, won a maiden race on turf at Monmouth Park in May but then had a troubled run when fourth in an allowance race at Belmont on June 22. The filly was bred by Anderson Farms, Ont.

Highly-regarded WICKENHEISER continues to work steadily for trainer Kevin Attard. The long-striding filly was second against the boys on June 4 with a 76 Beyer Figure. Bred by Sean Fitzhenry and owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, Attard and Clay Scherer, Wickenheiser is by Lemon Drop Kid and she is a half-sister to Breeders’ Stakes winner Belichick and Wonder Where Stakes winner Season Ticket.

Other Oaks contenders include ELYSIAN FIELD (Hard Spun) and ME AND MY SHADOW (Violence), who were second and third in the Fury Stakes for trainer Casse. Debut winner DELPHIA, trained by Attard, is also on the short list of Oaks players.

WOODBINE OAKS CONTENDERS

1. Mission of Joy – races July 8 Belmont Oaks (G1)
2. Ancient Peace – California based, 59.80 workout July 1 for 5 fur. at Santa Anita
3. Ticker Tape Home – Fury Stakes winner, 85 Beyer
4. Tito’s Calling – 3rd in Grade 3 Selene, 81 Beyer Figure
5. Big Brass Bed –troubled 4th in recent turf race at Belmont, 76 Beyer
6. Wickenheiser – closing 2nd vs. older horses June 4, 76 Beyer
7. Elysian Field – 2nd Fury Stakes
8. Delphia – debut winner
9. Me and My Shadow – 3rd Fury
10. Witch Hazel – 4th turf race vs. older July 1

164th KING’S PLATE news and contenders

Two major contenders for the King’s Plate, according to Canadian Thoroughbred‘s leaderboard, had big efforts last weekend.

Locally-based colt KAUKOKAIPUU was just edged by American invader Turf King (Ire) in the Marine Stakes (G3) on July 1 despite lugging in and bumping his rival hard and getting accidentally tapped in the face by the whip. Kaukokaipuu, by Mr. Speaker, earned a career best 84 Beyer Speed Figure. He is trained by Ted Holder for the Culpepper Island Syndicate.

In New York, the flashy colt NORTHERN INVADER stretched out in distance and moved to turf for his third career race and won his maiden by eight lengths in 1:33.60 for a 94 Beyer Figure. Bred by Anderson Farms and Peter Berglar and races by David Ingordo and West Point Thoroughbreds, the son of Collected might not be Plate bound, however. Trainer Cherie Devaux told the NYRA media office that the Hall of Fame Stakes (G2) at Saratoga on the grass would be next for the colt. That race is on August 4.

On the local front, STANLEY HOUSE remains a top Plate contender. The Army Mule colt won an allowance/optional event over older horses on June 18 and is likely headed to the July 23 Plate Trial.

An interesting three-year-old colt, OTTAWA, had a career debut last weekend in a tough allowance race against older horses. The son of Violence, trained by Josie Carroll, was well bet off fast workout times and while he faded late after a slow start, he earned an 81 Beyer Figure in that quick race.

SAMMY STONE won his maiden with blinkers off on July 1, taking a one mile grass race with a 76 Beyer Figure, so he sneaks on the list.

TOP 15 KING’S PLATE CONTENDERS – July 5

1. Kalik (Collected) – Lapenta, eFive Racing, Madaket Chad Brown – races July 8 Belmont Derby
2. Mission of Joy (filly) (Kitten’s Joy) – Ryzan Sun, Madaket, Graham Motion – races July 8 Belmont Oaks
3. Stanley House (Army Mule) – J. & D. Russell – R Aramata, Jr/Mike DePaulo – awaits Trial
4. Northern Invader (Collected) West Point Tbdrs, David Ingordo – Cherie DeVeaux -Aug 4 – Hall of Fame S.
5. Kaukokaipuu (Mr. Speaker) Culpper Island Syndicate Ted Holder – 2nd Marine
6. Ancient Peace (War Front) (filly) Boardshorts Stable, John Sadler – California based
7. Philip My Dear (Silent Name (Jpn)) – Raroma Stable – Kevin Attard – awaits Trial
8. Gold Magic (Good Magic) – Al and Bill Ulwelling – Kevin Attard – 3rd allowance
9. Tiburon (Good Magic) WinStar Farm, Siena Farm Kevin Attard – maiden winner
10. Enjoythesilent (Silent Name (Jpn) Lanni Bloodstock and Daniel Plouffe, Kevin Attard – maiden winner
11. Ticker Tape Home (Medaglia d’Oro) Live Oak Plantation Mark Casse – Oaks July 23
12 Tito’s Calling (Society’s Chariman) Zilli Racing R Armata, Jr 3-rd Selene (G3)
13. Twin City (Klimt) McLellan, Simon Stuart Simon – unplaced Marine S.
14. Ottawa (Violence) LNL Foxwoods, Jungle Racing, NK racing Josie Carroll, 6th allowance
15. Sammy Stone (Oscar Performance) Willow Pond Stable Catherine Day Phillips – turf maiden win July 1