WHAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE Saturday is likely what we are going to get in 3 weeks time for the 161st QUEEN’S PLATE.
MOST of the major contenders for the 1 1/4 mile Canadian classic compete in the Woodbine Oaks or Plate Trial August 15 and it would be a mild surprise if a horse other than those pops up and wins the 161st Plate.
However, there are a few other contenders not in action such as TECUMSEH’S WAR, a fast-improving fellow for trainer Catherine Day Phillips.
BEFORE Saturday, August 15’s running of the Woodbine Oaks and Plate Trial Stakes, the Canadian Thoroughbred TOP 12 QUEEN’S PLATE CONTENDERS read like this:
TOP 12 QUEEN’S PLATE CONTENDERS
(set to join list are Tecumseh’s War, Olliemyboy)
*Filly/Oaks contender
1. Halo Again 76, 71, 72 – The Coronation Futurity winner won the July 4 Queenston Stakes at 7 furlongs in steady fashion. Trained by Steve Asmussen for Willis Horton and Winchell Thoroughbreds, he was a $600,000 yearling and is by Speightstown, bred by Anderson Farms.
2. Clayton 88, 83, 88 – What a first attempt at a route distance this colt had recently, posting an 88 Beyer Figure in a big win. This is another Kevin Attard trainee and a colt by Bodemeister who was a sensational debut winner at five furlongs last November.
3. Elusive Knight 82 82,, 82, 72 – Four second-place finishes in succession for this Stronach Stables homebred and he is by top sire Ghostzapper. Trained by Sid Attard. His 2nd dam Ariege is a Grade 1 winner of the Santa Anita Oaks.
*4. Curlin’s Voyage, 87, 87, 83, 63 – is the Champion 2-year-old filly of 2019 and her 2 starts this year were super. She just won the Fury Stakes at 7 furlongs and will likely excel at the 9 furlong trip.
5. Dotted Line 83, 67, 80, 81– This Ontario-sired fellow ran a nice race to be 3rd in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes and won his last three races of 2019 including two stakes races. the Kingarvie and Frost King. The son of Signature Red is trained by Sid Attard.
*6. Merveilleux, 76, 82, 83, 72 – had a letdown in the Grade 3 Selene this past weekend but a wide trip and slow pace did not help her chances.
7. Malibu Mambo 78, 72, 62 – Fifth in his season debut at 7 furlongs, the runner-up from last year’s Coronation Futurity to Halo Again has not had a workout since June 27. He is a Stronach Stables colt trained by Kevin Attard.
8. Mighty Heart 75, 35, 64 – Lawrence Cordes’ homebred by Dramedy was an impressive maiden winner in his local debut, his 3rd career race for trainer Josie Carroll.
*9. Infinite Patience 84, 79, 71 – BC champion was third in her Woodbine debut in the Fury Stakes.
*10. Lasting Union 87, 75, 59 – Allowance winner last week at Delaware is headed to the Oaks for trainer Michael Matz.
11. Edge of Fire 81, 75, 85, 67 – Chiefswood Stables’ well-bred Curlin colt won his debut in February and has been second and third and fourth in recent allowance attempts for trainer Jimmy Jerkens.
12. Golden Wave – 78, 79, 63 – Mickey Demer’s fellow by Atreides was second to Halo Again in the Queenston Stakes. Trained by Mike DePaulo.
Horses such as Malibu Mambo (no works) and Golden Wave (distance) (no works) and Edge of Fire are off the CT list now and the fast-improving TECUMSEH’S WAR has moved up the charts after his big allowance run with an 81 Beyer Figure recently.
It will be interesting to see who has the big efforts Saturday in the pair of Canadian-bred races.
WOODBINE OAKS – CURLIN’S VOYAGE will be the big favourite and a rabbit entered in the race for rival MERVEILLEUX (Bayou Belle) would seem to help her chances from just off the pace also.
Merveilleux, bred by Mike Carroll and owned by Bill and Al Ulwelling, trained by Kevin Attard, will have blinkers on for the first time – will that equipment charge her up more? Other speed contenders are BC-bred INFINITE PATIENCE and recent 9 furlong maiden winner JUSTLEAVEITALONE, whose owner Ron Paolucci paid $12,500 to supplement this Sean Fitzhenry-bred into the field.
It is a fascinating race.
The PLATE TRIAL has just 6 horses and really, only four of them can be considered major Plate players.
CLAYTON, who recently got another owner in DANIEL PLOUFFE, a grocery store owner from Quebec who is a leading owner in Standardbred racing. continues his rise, recently winning at 1 1/16 mile Tapeta allowance with an 88 Beyer Figure over Elusive Knight.
So impressive has this Bodemeister colt been that Rafael Hernandez has left American owned and trained HALO AGAIN to ride Clayton. Hey, Halo Again is 2 for 2 at Woodbine, but he just has not been flashy in his wins and his slightly different galloping stride (high and choppy) is not visually impressive. But the Steve Asmussen-trained colt has won at the 1 1/8 mile distance of the Plate Trial.
ELUSIVE KNIGHT, with a case of seconditis for trainer Sid Attard, and DOTTED LINE, also trained by Sid, are in with a chance to win.
Sid Attard has a 3rd possible Plate contender in recent maiden winner OLLIEMYBOY.
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