The Lead:
North America's oldest race since 1860 -- and Canada's most important -- returns Saturday at Woodbine when the $1 million King's Plate tops a 13-race card that boasts 4 supporting stakes. The mile and one-quarter King's Plate is the Kentucky Derby of sorts for those 3-year-olds foaled in Canada. It goes as Race 11 on the program. The 13 runners consist of 4 from trainer Kevin Attard and 3 via Mark Casse, the barns who've accounted for the past 2 winners of the Plate.
Field Depth:
Grade 3 winner ESSEX SERPENT and Grade 1-placed MY BOY PRINCE (pictured above) are the class of the field, which ranges widely and includes 3 maidens.
Pace:
FRIENDLY GHOST made the front in the Plate Trial while moving sprint-to-route and should be forward again; that same sprint-to-route move could put ROAR OF THE CROWD on the engine Saturday. MY BOY PRINCE figures to get a pressing trip in a large field that really doesn't show much other early interest. This race is advantaged to those near the front.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
#1-JOKESTAR: First of 4 Kevin Attard trainees, the Plate Trial fifth-place finish has won just 1 of 8 starts. Flat late at shorter trips and pedigree / style don't suggest 10 furlongs will be beneficial. Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson won the 2007 Plate.
#2-RAFAROO: Most lightly raced entrant in the field makes his third lifetime start, while still a maiden, but was second in the Plate Trial at 26-1 odds and showed he belonged. Damsire Pleasantly Perfect was a Breeders' Cup Classic winner at the mile and one-quarter trip and there's plenty of ceiling here to improve.
#3-ESSEX SERPENT: Trainer Mark Casse is a 3-time Plate winner, as is jockey Patrick Husbands, and they teamed twice to score this race with Lexie Lou in 2014 and Paramount Prince a year ago. Raced nearly the front throughout in winning the Grade 3 Marine against open company last out, but has pedigree to stay if he can negotiate 8 additional pounds from his last start. Prefer stablemate MY BOY PRINCE, and there's no value in having those run 1-2, so will try to get him out of the ticket.
#4-CAITLINHERGRTNESS: Fillies have captured the late 4 times in the last 10 years, so the Woodbine Oaks runner-up should be respected. Trainer Kevin Attard won this with the filly Moira 2 years ago when teamed with Rafael Hernandez, who seeks a third Plate victory. Filly's last 2 at Woodbine indicate the distance is within reach and she gets a 5-pound weight allowance that helps vs. the boys.
#5-MIDNIGHT MASCOT: Got a solid pace when closing 9 lengths in the Grade 3 Marine for third, but picks up 8 pounds and doesn't project as a 10F type on past races and pedigree. Should be closer to the pace this time and may not have effective late kick for Casse.
#6-FRIENDLY GHOST: Front-running Plate Trial third-place finisher adds another 220 yards to the test after getting away with very easy fractions. Doesn't appear to need the lead, and this improving Outwork gelding has trained well since with room to improve.
#7-MY BOY PRINCE: Morning line favorite could give Mark Casse a fourth King's Plate winner and second straight. He pulled clear late to win the Plate Trial and fired a bullet half-mile local work in his only move since then. His pedigree does not scream mile and one-quarter, the mild concern, but his 6: 5-1-0 Woodbine record and strong third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last year are marks the others just can't match. Strictly the one to beat and should get a cozy trip.
#8-PIERRE: Late-running allowance performer steps up in class and picks up 7 pounds while making his first stakes bid. But the Tapiture colt for Kevin Attard has raced not only in open company in all 4 races, but against older horses in his last 2 starts. Love the damside route pedigree and this arguably is not the rise in class some think it is.
#9-THOR'S CAUSE: Eight-race maiden was never a threat in last year's Coronation Futurity when last against Canadian foals and remains tough to recommend.
#10-BEDARD: Kevin Attard's 6-race maiden has been in open company exclusively and exits 3 straigth runner-up finishes, the past 2 as favorite. Son of Nyquist should handle the distance on pedigree, but has been flat late in his running lines and picks up 8 pounds.
#11-ROAR OF THE CROWD: Sprinter in all 4 starts makes a wild leap in distance, adding 3-1/2 furlongs off his previous long. He'll also pick up a whopping 12 pounds from his allowance third August 1, wheeling back in 16 days. Factors early, likely not late.
#12-NO MORE OPTIONS: Blinkers come off the 2023 Frost King Stakes winner, who has a turf allowance win amongst 5 starts since then. Never like to see equipment changes in main-event kind of races; that's what the preps are for. Decent sort gets '20 Plate winner Daisuke Fukomoto in the irons, but prefer others.
#13-VITALITY: It took this Street Boss gelding 7 starts to break his maiden, finally doing so July 19 when adding Lasix for the first time. Gets to run on Lasix again Saturday, but picks up 8 pounds while having to overcome a wide draw. Closing style and long run to the clubhouse turn likely negate the latter concern, but others appear better.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
Favorite MY BOY PRINCE is 8-8 in the exacta at Woodbine on either surface and gets a great trip set-up.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
At 20-1 in the morning line, PIERRE leaves open-company older horses as a dangerous threat for power barn Kevin Attard.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$60 exacta MY BOY PRINCE with PIERRE. $20 exacta MY BOY PRINCE with RAFAROO and CAITLINHERGRTNESS ($40).
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