Shaman Ghost carries winning form into Queen’s Plate; Attfield
keen on Danish Dynaformer
His first three races didn’t produce the desired results, but Shaman Ghost
“Winning form is the best form and he’s won three in a row,” trainer Brian
The bay colt battled down the lane to capture the Marine by a half-length and
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“We were a little wide into the first turn as we were carried out a little
bit,” Hernandez said of the Marine. “I wanted to make one run and turning for
home I tried to go between horses, but I had no room. It took me a little bit of
kick, but this is a good horse. I took him out in the clear and he was gone.”
Lynch, seeking his first Plate triumph, had unwavering faith his charge would
turn things around.
“You could just see with every work, with every day that went by, he was
figuring it all out,” Lynch noted. “Sometimes, it’s just a question of time for
particular horses. I’ve always liked him and I always thought he’d turn out to
be a good one.”
Fifteen Ontario-bred three-year-olds are being pointed toward the 1 1/4-mile
Danish Dynaformer, a three-time winner from six starts, will be partnered by
The 75-year-old Attfield, a native of Newbury, England, has added new
“They both wore it all winter,” Attfield explained. “I’ve got all their works
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Both trainer and technology agreed on the success of the duo’s final Plate
prep.
“With both of these horses, the E-Trakka results were really excellent.
They’re in great shape and I just need to keep them happy and healthy for the
rest of the week,” Attfield said.
Danish Dynaformer won the Plate Trial comfortably by nearly a length, but
stablemate Billy’s Star endured a troubled trip and wound up sixth after
swerving to avoid the ill-fated Danzig Moon, who fell down the back straight.
“I can’t believe he (Billy’s Star) wasn’t a bit body sore after his last
race, he got cranked hard to avoid the fallen horse,” Attfield said. “Eurico
actually used him right after the incident quite a bit to get back in the race
and that was probably his run there, but he still made a bit of a run in the
lane. He’s had other races with trouble and then major trouble in the Trial, but
he’s training really well and it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran a big race in
the Plate.”
Danish Dynaformer continues to impress Attfield.
“He’s a really nice horse, no question about it,” Attfield said. “He’s got a
big turn of foot and a huge cruising speed. He cruises in the morning with 14
1/2s and 15s (eighths of a mile) consistently and you’d still be able to sit
down and work him a half-mile if you wanted to. He’s a very versatile horse.”
Tucci Stables and trainer Nick Gonzalez teamed up to win the 2013 Queen’s
Plate with the front-running Midnight Aria, a 17-hands tall son of Midnight
Lute. The band is back together for the 2015 Plate with Easy Indygo (Marchfield),
a much smaller individual blessed with a versatile running style.
“We always kind of liked him,” said Martha Gonzalez, wife and assistant to
the trainer. “The distance won’t be a factor as he’s always ran on very well.
It’s a last minute decision, but the horse is doing well, so why not. Two turns
is what he really wants. He’s pretty versatile. He can be on the front end or he
can sit back too. He’s got both angles covered. He’s a handy little
horse.”
A maiden winner in his juvenile finale, Easy Indygo has dropped all three
starts this season, but does exit a pair of placings versus allowance rivals in
his last two outings, including a neck third last time out on June 6. Emma-Jayne
Wilson will take over from Justin Stein, who sticks with Oaks winner Academic
(Henny Hughes).
“I think Emma will suit the horse,” Gonzalez said. “He’s one of those horses
that will do what you ask him to do. Emma’s a pretty aggressive rider and in
that final eighth of a mile you need someone who is a very strong finisher.”
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