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Honourary drawmaster and hockey legend Gordie Howe at the 150th Queen's Plate post position draw.  • Queen's Plate Barbeque  • Queen's Plate Results

Date: 06/18/09

RESULTS ARE HERE!

The post positions for Sunday's $1 million Queen's Plate Stakes were selected during a special breakfast ceremony on Thursday morning. Due to cold wet weather all week, the connections, media, and officials gathered at the trackside tent for the proceedings rather than the walking ring where the draw is usually held. This year marks the 150th edition of the Plate, the oldest continuously-run stakes race in North America. It is the premier race for Canadian-foaled 3-year-olds, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, and is contested at 1 1/4 miles over the Polytrack at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. Colts and geldings carry the standard weight of 126 pounds while fillies Milwaukee Appeal and Tasty Temptation each get a 5 pound allowance.

Honorary Drawmaster Gordie Howe helps draw the post position selection order with track announcer Dan Loiselle and racing secretary Steve Lym.

Like at the Kentucky Derby, selection order is determined using a double-blind random draw of numbered pills and entry forms. This year, hockey legend Gordie Howe assisted racing secretary Steve Lym and track announcer Dan Loiselle in drawing the selection order. "Mr. Hockey" is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, and one poll ranked him #3 behind Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.. Gordie Howe finished in the top five in scoring for 20 straight seasons, and is the only pro player to have played in 6 different decades, from 1946-1980 as a regular, and then playing one shift for the minor-league Detroit Vipers in 1997 at the age of 70 to set the record. Howe talked about his early playing days, where he earned his reputation as a tough competitor who could both score and fight.

Dan Loiselle with trainer Mark Frostad and owner Rick Balaz of second choice Eye of the Leopard.

After a 5 minute discussion period, a representative for each horse has 90 seconds to come up on stage to select the post, by hanging the owner's colors on the board. Track announcer Dan Loiselle briefly interviewed the trainer or owner who made the selection.

Plate Trial winner Eye of the Leopard got first choice of posts and trainer Mark Frostad picked 7 as the 4-1 second choice on the morning line. Rick Balaz, representing owner Sam-Son Farm said, "We never get overconfident but we're pretty happy. Mark's done a great job with the horse and he looks fantastic. If he improves at all off the Plate Trial we'll be in great shape." Regular rider Eurico Rosa da Silva will be in the irons in the 1 1/4 mile classic.

Trainer Scott Fairlie of favored filly Milwaukee Appeal is interviewed after he choses post #4

Woodbine Oaks winner Milwaukee Appeal will attempt to become the first filly to take the Plate since Dancethruthedawn. Trainer Scott Fairlie did not make public his decision to run, for a $25,000 supplement, until entry day when he selected post 4 for the 3-1 morning line favorite. Asked what led him to enter, he said, "Well, the million dollars was a big part of it, but the main thing was the filly. Just wanted to make sure she was 100%, looked at her every day and she's been great." Asked if she will be in the first flight of horses, Fairlie said, "Very possible , depends on the pace, she's very easy to ride with good tactical speed." Stewart Elliott, who rode her to victory in the Oaks, will be aboard again on Sunday.

Post time for the Plate will be 5:36pm ET on Sunday June 21 and the race will be televised on CBC in high definition from 4:30 - 6:00, as well as simulcast to many locations throughout North America. The Plate will be carded as race 9, and there are two stakes races on the turf for older horses on the undercard, the $200,000 Highlander Stakes (G3) at 6 furlongs and the $150,000 Singspiel Stakes (G3) at 1 1/2 miles. Free past performances are available from BRISnet.com and full profiles for each horse are available here.

Queen's Plate Poll Who will win the Queen's Plate? Active Duty Bucephalus El Brujo Eye Of The Leopard Flip for the Coin Keino West Milwakee Appeal Mr. Foricos Two U Rapid Release Reservoir Shut It Down Stardust Ziggy Tasty Temptation

Queen's Plate morning line favorite Milwaukee Appeal winning the Woodbine Oaks.

The post positions for the 2009 Queen's Plate

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