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Amis Gizmo is the favorite for the 154th Queen's Plate on Sunday.

Date: 06/29/16

Results are here!

The post positions for Sunday's $1 million Queen's Plate Stakes were selected during a special breakfast ceremony on Wednesday morning. Connections, media, and officials gathered in the trackside tent instead of the walking ring, a change for this year. This year marks the 157th 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 Plate is the premier race for Canadian-foaled 3-year-olds and the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. Colts and geldings carry the standard weight of 126 pounds while filly Gamble's Ghost, second as the favorite in the Woodbine Oaks gets a 5 pound allowance.

Drawing the selection order with Racing Secretary Stu Slagle, jockey Sandy Hawley, and track announcer Robert Geller.

In what has become an annual "state of the industry" address, Woodbine chairman and CEO Jim Lawson spoke about how the industry is in much better shape than it was 3 years ago with the cancellation of the racetrack slots program. He discussed the various ways the track seeks to introduce the younger generation, potential new fans, to the sport by adding additional entertainment on Queen's Plate day headlined by a Hedley concert after the races, and eventually developing the underused land around the track to include a new concert venue in partnership with a major concert promoter. He did not mention that for the first time in 15 years Woodbine will charge admission, $22.50 ($17.33 US) on Plate day.

Selection order is determined using a double-blind random draw of numbered pills and entry forms. After using the "draft" draw for 15 years, Woodbine brought back the traditional double-blind draw for this year's Plate. Retired Hall of Fame jockey Sandy Hawley, winner of four Queen's Plates, randomly drew the entry sheets out of the box, handing these to track announcer Robert Geller while racing secretary Stu Slagle drew the 13 numbered balls.

Some of the Queen's Plate jockeys pose with the trophy after the draw. From left to right they are: David Moran, Patrick Husbands, Rafael Hernandez, Sheena Ryan, Simon Husbands, Gary Boulanger, Luis Contreras, Emma-Jayne Wilson, Eurico Rosa da Silva, and Alan Garcia.

Amis Gizmo is the lukewarm 3-1 morning line favorite. After going 4 for 4 as a juvenile, he rebounded from a disappointing 5th place effort in the Wando Stakes to rally to a convincing win in the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial. Owned and bred by Ivan Dalos, Amis Gizmo was unbeaten in four starts at two and suffered his first defeat in the Wando. Carroll said of the Trial win, "He relaxed very well, which is what we've been really working on with him." Regular rider Luis Contreras will be in the irons in post 10 for trainer Josie Carroll. Carroll also trains 6-1 fourth choice Gamble's Ghost in post 13 with new rider Patrick Husbands aboard. She said, “I have two horses with two different styles of running. I think Amis Gizmo will be fairly forwardly placed, and Gamble’s Ghost is a closer. Hopefully their posts will play to one or both of their strengths.”

Leavem in Malibu is the 7-2 second choice in the morning line and drew post 4, making his stakes debut off an allowance win on May 29. Regular rider Gary Boulanger gets the call for trainer Mark Casse, who said, “Honestly, for the cards we’ve been dealt, with our late start, I don’t think you could have accomplished much more. I’m real happy with where’s he’s at, and what he’s done. We’re ready. I think he’s got enough speed that he can be forwardly placed; I’d rather not be real far back. Hopefully he can save some ground in the first turn, and start sorting things out down the backside.”.

The Queen's Plate draw board with Chelsea who hung the names.

The 5-1 third choice is Shakhimat, winner of the Coronation Futurity but beaten as the heavy favorite in the Plate Trial. Emma-Jayne Wilson will be in the saddle out of post 6 for trainer Roger Attfield. Attfield said, “We know he loves to be on the lead, but we’ve been training him to come from off the pace. It’s going to be up to Emma, really. If there’s two or three that want to go out there and really ding along I think he can sit off them. And if it doesn’t happen that way he can go to the lead. He’s in very good order, so that part’s okay. Other than that it’s another day at the races.” It is worth noting that no Coronation Futurity winner has gone on to win the Plate since Attfield-trained Norcliffe in 1976. That was Attfield's first of 8 Plate winners, and he looks to surpass Harry Giddings Jr. should he win number 9 on Sunday.

Post time for the Plate will be 5:36pm ET on Sunday July 3 and the race will be televised on CTV and TSN2 in Canada from 4:30 - 6:00. The full card will be simulcast to many locations throughout North America, and be broadcast on TVG in America and HPI in Canada. The Plate will be carded as race 10 and there are 4 stakes races on the undercard. The stakes quintet begins wih the $100,000 Charlie Barley for 3-year-olds at 1 mile on the turf, followed by the $200,000 Dance Smartly (G2) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the turf, the $150,000 Singspiel (G3) for older horses at 1 1/2 miles on turf, and the $200,000 Highlander (G2) for older horses sprinting 6 furlongs on turf.

Below are the entries for the 2016 Queen's Plate with post positions, morning line odds, trainer, jockey, and a link to a full profile from Woodbine. Free past performances are available here from BRISnet.com (look for Shakhimat.)

Executive Chef George Correia provided the food for the draw. The Queen's Plate Trophy

• Queen's Plate official site - from Woodbine
• Woodbine main page
• Woodbine News and Notes - updated frequently
• 2015 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Shaman's Ghost
• 2014 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Lexie Lou
• 2013 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Midnight Aria
• 2012 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Strait of Dover
• 2011 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Inglorious
• 2010 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Big Red Mike
• 2009 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Eye of the Leopard
• 2008 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Not Bourbon
• 2007 Queen's Plate Results - the winner was Mike Fox
• 2006 Results - the winner was Edenwold
• 2005 Results - the winner was Wild Desert
• 2004 Results - the winner was Niigon
• 2003 Results - the winner was Wando who went on to win the Triple Crown
• 2002 Results - the winner was T J's Lucky Moon
• 2001 Results - the winner was Dancethruthedawn
• 2000 Results - the winner was Scatter the Gold
• 1999 Results - the winner was Woodcarver

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