Canada’s iconic race, the CA$1 million King’s Plate, was postponed due to ferocious rain that hit Woodbine last Saturday. Now transferred to Friday, Aug. 23, the 165th edition of the King’s Plate retains its field as originally drawn.
The first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown features My Boy Prince, so far the leading performer of his generation who hopes to retain that status against 12 rivals.
My Boy Prince ranked as his nation’s champion two-year-old male last season, and the Mark Casse pupil brings a three-race winning streak into the Plate. Although the son of Cairo Prince has swept his local preps, he was more workmanlike in the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial than in his prior sprints. My Boy Prince’s rearing at the start didn’t help, but his latest performance does prompt a question going into the biggest test of his life as the 7-5 morning-line favorite.
For those probing for vulnerabilities at that price, Casse offered a potentially significant comment.
“He didn’t change a whole lot from two to three,” the dual Hall of Famer said. “I thought he’d grow up a little bit more as he was maturing — he’s not a very big horse — but as far as his progression, he was so good at two that he didn’t need to progress a whole lot at three, but I think he’s matured a little bit. He’s learned to settle a little better.”
My Boy Prince will try to become the fourth Plate winner for both Casse and owner Gary Barber. They teamed up with Lexie Lou (2014), Wonder Gadot (2018), and Paramount Prince (2023), who is co-owned by Barber.
Regular rider Sahin Civaci, aboard for all six of My Boy Prince’s wins, will guide the colt from post 7.
Casse has two more chances in Essex Serpent, the 2-1 second choice, and Midnight Mascot, listed at 10-1. Both race for Manfred and Penny Conrad.
Essex Serpent just defeated open company in the June 29 Marine (G3), advancing his record to 2-for-3. The form was subsequently upheld by runner-up Cameo Performance, who came back to win Ellis Park’s prep for the Nashville Derby.
Essex Serpent’s only loss was a troubled second behind stablemate My Boy Prince two starts back in the seven-furlong Queenston S. But the step up to 1 1/4 miles in the Plate figures to suit Essex Serpent well; the homebred is by Honor Code and out of a Medaglia d’Oro mare.
Interestingly, Casse characterized Essex Serpent as “bigger,” “stronger,” “tougher,” and “more of a rogue” than My Boy Prince.
If Essex Serpent can topple his stablemate, he would give jockey Patrick Husbands a record-tying fourth Plate victory.
Midnight Mascot, a rallying third to Essex Serpent in the Marine, is more exposed with eight starts. The $200,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase might also be a question mark at the distance as a son of Army Mule. However, Midnight Mascot is out of a full sister to 2013 Plate hero Midnight Aria, and he picks up Kazushi Kimura.
Aside from My Boy Prince, others exiting the Plate Trial are runner-up Rafaroo, third-placer Friendly Ghost, fifth Jokestar, and sixth No More Options.
Rafaroo is a twice-raced maiden, but he’s closed for second in both starts. A full brother to 2019 Saratoga Special (G2) winner Green Light Go, who was a sprinter/miler, Rafaroo has a running style suited for 1 1/4 miles. He’s one of two entrants for Stronach Stables and trainer Harold Ladouceur. His stablemate, recent maiden winner Vitality, is by Street Boss and out of an Awesome Again mare descended from champion turf mare Perfect Sting.
If Rafaroo or Vitality spring an upset, it would mark a fifth win for the Stronach family. Frank Stronach campaigned Basqueian (1994) and Awesome Again (1997), while Shaman Ghost (2015) and Holy Helena (2018) raced for Stronach Stables.
Friendly Ghost is likewise eligible to move forward from the Plate Trial, considering that he was stretching out from a sprint maiden and tried to lead throughout. By Outwork and out of a Ghostzapper mare, the gelding nicknamed Casper hails from the family of 2017 Plate runner-up Tiz a Slam.
Trainer Kevin Attard, whose star filly Moira conquered the 2022 Plate in track-record time, will try to beat the boys again with Caitlinhergrtness. Named for basketball phenom Caitlin Clark, Caitlinhergrtness was just denied late in the Woodbine Oaks. The well-bred daughter of Omaha Beach doesn’t have a Moira-level resume, as her 12-1 price on the morning line indicates. But she does keep the same jockey, Rafael Hernandez.
Attard has three other outsiders: Pierre and the maiden Bedard, who make their stakes debuts in the Plate, along with Jokestar.
Like Jokestar, Pierre is owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling. Pierre’s useful placings in open-company allowances imply that he can hold his own among Canadian-breds. His half-brother Harlan Estate, who was seventh in the 2021 Plate, went on to place second in the Prince of Wales S. and ultimately developed into a graded stakes performer.
Bedard has yet to emulate his NHL namesake, Connor Bedard. Failing to break his maiden in six tries, he was most recently second to Vitality. But the $300,000 son of Nyquist is owned by Moira’s connections.
Rounding out the field are class-challenged Roar of the Crowd and Thor’s Cause. Roar of the Crowd appears to be in over his head, but at least he has a pedigree angle: His half brother is Canadian champion Pender Harbour, who won two-thirds of the Canadian Triple Crown after placing third in the 2011 Plate.
The four stakes on the undercard were also brought back on Friday. Casse holds a strong hand in most of them.
Casse will send out the morning-line favorites in both 6 1/2-furlong turf stakes for juveniles, Mensa in the CA$150,000 Soaring Free S. and undefeated Bullet in the companion CA$150,000 Catch a Glimpse S. for fillies.
The Casse-trained Filo di Arianna, hero of the CA$200,000 King Edward (G2) in 2022, is odds-on to regain his title from defending champion War Bomber. Casse also has Like the King, a course-and-distance allowance winner.
The CA$150,000 Bold Venture (G3) is the one likeliest to elude Casse, as Robert Tiller’s champion sprinter Patches O’Houlihan looks tough to dethrone. Casse opposes with longshots First Empire and Capture the Lion.
