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Woodward Stakes Day Mohawk Million Night Woodbine Mile Summer & Natalma Stakes Prince of Wales Stakes |
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 Stanley House is the second choice on the morning line at 4-1 and will break from post 1. |
Date: 08/16/2023
The post positions for Sunday's $1 million King's Plate Stakes were selected during a special breakfast ceremony on Wednesday morning at the Trackside Clubhouse on the outside of the far turn of the main track, before a crowd of owners, officials, media, and horsemen. This year marks the 164th edition of the Plate, the oldest continuously-run stakes race in North America, which is run at 1 1/4 miles over the Tapeta surface at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. The race was run as the Queen's Plate during the reigns of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II, but with the latter's passing in September, the race reverts to the King's Plate moniker, in honour of the current monarch, King Charles III. The monarch gives the winner a prize of 50 guineas taken from the Royal Privy Purse, a tradition that began with the inaugural running in 1860 under Queen Victoria. The Plate is the premier race for Canadian-foaled 3-year-olds and the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, and this year a full field of 17 plus two also-eligibles made final entry. Colts and geldings carry the standard weight of 126 pounds while fillies Elysian Field and Wickenheiser each carry 121 pounds. With the large field the auxiliary gate will be used; at Woodbine for 1 1/4 mile races, the inside 3 posts break from the auxiliary while the remaining 14 use the standard gate, with horses loading into the gate 2 at a time.
 Drawing the post positions with director of Thoroughbred racing Tim Lawson (left) and TSN personality Jennifer Hedger. |
With the return to the traditional double blind draw (the "draft draw" had been used since 1999), Woodbine director of Thoroughbred Racing, Tim Lawson, drew the numbered balls while TSN personality Jennifer Hedger drew the entry sheets. Hedger and Darren Dutchyshen, who regularly co-host SportsCentre on TSN, will host the Plate broadcast on TSN and CTV for the first time on Sunday. Hedger has been involved as a co-owner of Thoroughbreds at Woodbine.
 Some of the King's Plate jockeys pose with Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson. Left to right in foreground: Eswan Flores, Sahin Civaci, Daisuke Fukumoto, Jose Campos, Jim Lawson, Gary Boulanger, Patrick Husbands. In the gate: Kazushi Kimura, Rico Walcott, Declan Carroll, Emma-Jayne Wilson, Rafael Hernandez (hidden) |
The second choice is Stanley House at 4-1. He broke his maiden on March 25 at Gulfstream Park and then came home to Woodbine to finish second in an allowance on May 6, win an allowance on June 18, and then disappointed in 6th as the even money choice in the Plate Trial on July 23. Trainer Mike DePaulo said, "I liked him when we bought him (for $120,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling sale). It was a bit of a gamble because he is from a first-year sire and the first foal out of the mare, so you were basically just looking at an athlete. We had him broke in Ocala with Mike Cooke and he liked him all along. Any time this horse did something, he did it well. He’s always had a lot of class and showed ability in every work he had." Javier Castellano, who rode him at Gulfstream Park, regains the ride on Sunday and drew the rail.
 Trainer Kevin Attard has 6 entered: Philip My Dear, Velocitor, Silent Miracle, Midnight in Malibu, Moon Landing, and also-eligible Enjoythesilent |
The 6-1 third choice is Kaukokaipuu, which means "Wanderlust" in Finnish. Despite failing to win as a juvenile, he finally broke his maiden on May 20 in his ninth try. Trainer Ted Holder put him in the Queenston Stakes which he won easily, following that up with a close second in the Marine Stakes (G3), earning him a spot in the Plate. Holder said, "His pedigree says that (distance) is not a problem. (Sire) Mr Speaker (by Pulpit) was a mile and a quarter, to mile and a half horse on all surfaces, and he is out of a granddaughter of Radiant Ring who is tested at the classic distances in the early to mid-90s." Regular rider Rico Walcott retains the mount from post 15.
The 8-1 fourth choice is Elysian Field, one of two fillies entered and coming off her win in the Budweiser Woodbine Oaks after finishing second in the Fury Stakes. Trainer Mark Casse said, "Coming into a race like this, some horses are thriving and getting better, and that would describe her." Regular rider Sahin Civaci retains the mount from post 2.
 The King's Plate draw board with post positions. |
Post time for the Plate will be 5:39pm ET, carded as race 10 on Sunday August 20 and the race will be televised on CTV and TSN in Canada from 4:30 - 6:00PM ET. The full card will be simulcast to many locations throughout North America as well as Bet365.net, and be broadcast on TVG in America and HPI in Canada. There are 4 stakes races on the undercard. Kicking off the Sunday stakes quintet is the $125,000 Catch a Glimpse Stakes, race 6 at 3:03PM, for two-year-old fillies sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Race 7 at 3:43 is the $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes (G3) for older horses sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta. The $125,000 Soaring Free Stakes, race 8 at 4:23, features two-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. Immediately before the Plate is Race 9 at 4:58, the $200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for older fillies and mares. 2022 Queen's Plate winner and Canadian Horse of the Year Moira drew post 8 for this race, with Rafael Hernandez back aboard for trainer Kevin Attard.
Below are the entries for the 2023 King's Plate with post positions, trainer, jockey, and morning line odds. Free past performances are available here from BRISnet.com. (look for Kalik)
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| Post | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | M/L Odds |
| 1 | Stanley House | Mike De Paulo | Javier Castellano | 4-1 |
| 2 | Elysian Field (f) | Mark Casse | Sahin Civaci | 8-1 |
| 3 | Philip My Dear | Kevin Attard | Daisuke Fukumoto | 30-1 |
| 4 | Twin City | Stuart Simon | Gary Boulanger | 30-1 |
| 5 | Morstachy's | Renico Lafond | Leo Salles | 50-1 |
| 6 | Kalik | Chad Brown | Kazushi Kimura | 3-1 |
| 7 | Velocitor | Kevin Attard | Justin Stein | 30-1 |
| 8 | Wickenheiser (f) | Kevin Attard | Rafael Hernandez | 12-1 |
| 9 | Silent Miracle | John Mattine | Ryan Munger | 30-1 |
| 10 | Midnight in Malibu | Sid Attard | Adam Beschizza | 30-1 |
| 11 | Touch'n Ride | Layne Giliforte | Jose Campos | 12-1 |
| 12 | Cool Kiss | Mike De Paulo | Emma-Jayne Wilson | 30-1 |
| 13 | Paramount Prince | Mark Casse | Patrick Husbands | 10-1 |
| 14 | Twowaycrossing | Roger Attfield | Antonio Gallardo | 30-1 |
| 15 | Kaukokaipuu | Ted Holder | Rico Walcott | 6-1 |
| 16 | El Cohete | Mike De Paulo | Eswan Flores | 50-1 |
| 17 | Moon Landing | Kevin Attard | Luis Contreras | 20-1 |
| AE | Enjoythesilent | Kevin Attard | Luis Contreras | |
| AE | Runaway Charlie | Mike Doyle | Keveh Nicholls |
 The King's Plate trophy |
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