Nipissing records final breeze head of Queen's Plate

Chiefswood Stable's homebred Nipissing, an

impressive winner of the Woodbine Oaks​ on June 9, will look

to capture another Canadian classic next Sunday in the C$1 million

Queen's Plate.

Regular rider Steve Bahen, who captured the 2002 Queen's Plate with 82-1 long

shot T J's Lucky Moon, was aboard Nipissing for her final breeze on Sunday

morning in advance of the Plate, covering a half-mile in :48 over Woodbine's

Polytrack.

"It was very easy for her," he said. "She galloped out

strongly and you have to tell her to pull up."

Nipissing won the Princess Elizabeth and South Ocean Stakes

in a perfect two-year-old campaign under the

guidance of trainer Rachel Halden and Bahen, but her biggest win to date came

last out in the Woodbine Oaks.

Nipissing, a daughter of the late 2004 Queen's Plate champ

Niigon, was piloted perfectly by Bahen in the Oaks, who settled the

long-striding bay into a

stalking position before pouncing to victory in the 1

1/8-mile filly classic.

"In the Oaks, we wanted to be a little closer," noted

Bahen, who rallied Nipissing to a second-place run in the Selene in the

filly's Woodbine return on May 19.

"In the start before (the Selene), she was a little too

far back (in the Ashland at Keeneland). We wanted to get outside and have a clean trip (in the Oaks), and we

got her to that position."

Nipissing demonstrated an impressive turn of foot through

the stretch in the Oaks, en route to a three-quarter length win, while stopping the clock

in 1:50.34 to best the 1:50.59 posted by Dynamic Sky in the Plate Trial

held one race earlier on the same card.