No Clear Favourite for the Queen's Plate Stakes
Early Plate Favourite El Brujo is Defeated in the Plate Trial Stakes
Jun 1, 2009
Eye of the Leopard, ridden by Eurico Rosa Da Silva, lived up to his classy breeding by winning the Plate Trial Stakes on May 31. The colt is by leading sire A.P. Indy and out of Woodbine Oaks winner and Canadian Champion Eye of the Sphynx, by Smart Strike. He came four wide and was fully extended to catch Southdale, ridden by Emma-Jane Wilson, at the wire. Rapid Release was third. The distance was nine furlongs on Polytrack.
Eye of the Leopard’s first start was an eighth-place finish at Keeneland April 15, but he broke his maiden on May 10 at Woodbine. He is trained by Mark Frostad and is bred and owned by Sam-Son Farm.
Southdale did not race at two. He ran third at Keeneland in his first start in April, then won at seven furlongs at Woodbine. He is by Street Cry (IRE), the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, and is trained by Ian Black.
Rapid Release, trained by eight-time Queen’s Plate winner Roger Attfield, had his best outing in four tries with his third-place finish in the Plate Trial. He is by Action This Day, a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner.
Pre-race favourite El Brujo, trained by Malcolm Pierce, was not at his best. He tired and finished ninth after winning the Achievement and Queenston Stakes at Woodbine this year. He is a son of Candy Ride (ARG), an undefeated multiple Grade I winner at distances from six to 10 furlongs.
Probable Entries in the Queen’s Plate
Active Duty won the Coronation Futurity in 2008 at Woodbine, but two starts at Keeneland were unsuccessful for the Mark Casse trainee. The son of Deputy Commander was third in the Queenston Stakes back at Woodbine and fourth in the Plate Trial. He is bred to go at least 10 furlongs.
Mr. Foricos Two U won at Woodbine on May 27 and is now two-for-four. Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, he is by Porto Foricos, a stallion who did not distinguish himself on the track but who beautifully bred. He sired My Vintage Port, Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, in his first crop.
Gallant put in a good effort on the same day as the Plate Trial to break his maiden for trainer Mark Casse. However, he has not been nominated for the Queen’s Plate. He took the $78,700 maiden special weight event by a nose over longshot Stardust Ziggy, the only colt in the race that is nominated for the Plate. Gallant is a grey colt by the promising sire Aptitude.
Possible Longshots in the Queen’s Plate
Eastern Promise, if he runs, will carry the Earle Mack colours. The son of Grand Slam was bred by Dave Wilmott’s Kinghaven Farm. The Kinghaven-bred Square Eddie, the early Plate favourite by Smart Strike, was injured prior to the Kentucky Derby. He may not be ready to run by Plate Day.
Bucephalus, by Cape Canaveral, has finished third, fourth and sixth in his three stakes efforts this spring. So far, he has not matched the form that won him the Clarendon Stakes at two in his second lifetime start. Cape Canaveral was a sprinter who never won at more than seven furlongs.
My Bad, trained by Nick Gonzales, could be the dark horse. He has three wins and has been out of the money only once in six career starts. He is by Endeavor, a young son of champion Capote (by Seattle Slew).
The Queen's Plate on Woodbine's Polytrack is the first jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown, which is run on three different surfaces and three distances. The other two races are the Prince of Wales Stakes (dirt) and 1-1/2-mile Breeders' Stakes (turf).
