The 152nd running of Canada’s oldest thoroughbred race horse Queen’s Plate with the leading trio
Queen’s Plate shares the repute of being Canada’s oldest thoroughbred horse race. The first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown since 1995 has been contesting 17 starters. This time around the race is contesting 17 contenders in line with the same tradition
on June 26th, 2011.
The race will be held over the Polytrack surface of the Woodbine race track and has a purse of $1million, run over a distance of 10 furlongs.
The field is being led by the trio, Check Your Soul, Queen’splatekitten and Inglorious.
Check Your Soul has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favourite. He will be beginning from post 13.
The post positions were finalised by Woodbine Authorities, who adopted the two-tier method for drawing post positions. The method involves conducting a random draw for determining the order of selection and contestants who then choose their own post positions.
This is the largest field drawn since 1999 which was won by the Canadian champion 3-year-old Woodcarver.
Check Your Soul, the 3-year-old brown colt is trained by Roger Attfield, had the fifth choice in the selection process. He along with the colt’s rider, Patrick Husbands, selected post 13.
Attfield commented on his choice of this post, saying “I’d rather be near the outside, so Patrick can see what’s going on in the race early”.
Patrick Husbands won the 2003 Queen’s Plate while he was aboard Wando.
Check Your Soul races for owner and breeder, Charles Fipke. A multiple stakes winner, he will be attempting to earn a ninth Queen’s Plate win for Roger Attfield.
Attfield last got hold of a win in the Queen’s Plate in 2008 with Not Bourbon, who incidentally belonged to Fipke.
The colt, Perfect Soul, did not race as a 2-year-old but has been victorious in three of his four starts this year.
He recently scored a win in the June 5th, 2011, Plate Trial and was also victorious in the May 1st, 2011, Wando Stakes.
Patrick Husbands was aboard her in the Wando Stakes and the Plate Trial.
Check Your Soul made his final preparations for the race by breezing the five furlongs in a time span of 1 minute and 1 second.
Attfield satisfied with his workout said, “He’s still growing, He’s starting to thicken out now. He was a big, tall gangly boy there last year, and I can see a change in him every month now. He’s getting stronger and widening out on me. He’s going to be
a good 4-year-old as well”.
Queen’s Plate has Queen’splatekitten installed as the 7-2 second choice by Woodbine oddsmaker, Ernie Perri.
She drew the ninth post but her trainer, Todd Pletcher, selected post 14. She will be ridden by John Velazquez.
Queen’splatekitten races for Mill House. The son of Kitten’s Joy has savoured three wins in his six career-tries which include a victory at the Marine Stakes held on May 21st, 2011.
Speaking of the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks’ winner, Inglorious, the news is that she got herself installed as the 9-2 favourite on the morning line.
Inglorious is conditioned by Josie Carroll. The daughter of Hennessy will be aiming to become the 34th filly to win the Queen’s/King’s Plate since 1860.
She also aims for another honour to win both the Oaks and the Plate.
Carroll commented on the filly’s form and her upcoming race, saying “I’m very, very happy with where we’ve drawn”.
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