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The Queen's Plate Entries

Updated: 6/24/01

Update: Post positions and past performances
Results!

This year marks the 142nd running of the Queen's Plate, Canada's premier race for 3 year olds at a mile and a quarter with a purse of $1,000,000 Canadian. Unlike the past few years, this year's field will be less than full, with only 10 horses entered. The last time the field was that small was in 1991.


The Queen's Plate trophy
The name of the race is a bit of a misnomer since the trophy isn't even a plate but a gold cup about a foot high with a beaver on top. King Charles II began awarding silver plates as racing prizes in the seventeenth century, but as variety was sought in the prizes, other pieces of silver and eventually other metals were used.

The race is known as the "gallop for the guineas" as the purse also includes an extra 50 Guineas to the winner (about $108) in the form of a draft from the Royal Privy Purse which is presented by the Queen's representative at the race. Minting of guineas was discontinued in England during the reign of George III whose forebear, George I, had instituted the gift of 50 guineas in racing, a tradition that remains though the guineas do not. This year the Queen's representative will be Lt. Governor of Ontario Hilary Weston.

Despite the race being restricted to Canadian breds, some very nice horses have won in the past including Northern Dancer, Kennedy Road, With Approval, Izvestia, Dance Smartly, and Awesome Again. Last year the race was won by Scatter the Gold, a 3/4 sibling to last year's Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. This year, Scatter the Gold's full sister Dancethruthedawn will attempt to beat the boys as her mother, Dance Smartly, did in 1991.

Dancethruthedawn won the Labatt Woodbine Oaks on June 9 after a troubled trip in the Kentucky Oaks and, based on her breeding and the class of her competition in Kentucky, she should be one of the favorites despite making her first start against males and stretching out in distance on two week's rest. Trainer Mark Frostad said, "She'll go the mile and a quarter. There's no problem getting the distance."


Win City with trainer Robert Tiller, jockey Constant Montpellier, and owner Frank DiGiulio Jr.
Win City won the Plate Trial on June 2, drawing off to win by 3 3/4 lengths for his third win in a row, all in stakes company. Trainer Bob Tiller said, "His breeding didn't really suggest mile and a quarter but I've certainly changed my mind on that. He acts like a distance horse, likes to run after horses and chase them down."

Millennium Allstar, co-owned by Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Curtis Joseph, finished second to Win City his last two starts, and is hoping to finally pass his nemesis this Sunday. "His biggest problem is that he needs to have horses to run at," said trainer Sue Leslie. "He can't make the lead at the top of the stretch and hold on. He'll simply wait for the other horses."

Post time for the Queen's Plate is Sunday at 5:08pm ET as the ninth race on the card at Woodbine. It will be shown live on Sportsnet in Canada from 4:00 - 5:30pm ET, on TRN across North America and online from Woodbine's website.

Queen's Plate info online:

The Contenders

Asia
Post Position 1

 Owner:   Arosa Farms
Trainer:   Jim Cheadle
Jockey:   Aaron Gryder
Foaling Date:   5/29/98 (filly)
Breeding:   Sky Classic - Alleged Triumph x Alleged
Dosage Info:   DP = 5-2-12-4-1 DI = 1.18 CD = 0.25
Race Record:   3 M-0-0 ?
Note:   Best finish is 4th. 7th last out in a maiden special weight.

Brushing Bully
Post Position 9

 Owner:   Stronach Stable
Trainer:   Tino Attard
Jockey:   David Clark
Foaling Date:   5/11/98
Breeding:   Broad Brush - Assombrie x Timeless Moment
Dosage Info:   DP = 4-19-16-0-1 DI = 3.44 CD = 0.63
Race Record:   6 2-0-1 $118,415
Note:   Winner of the Display last year placed 3rd in the Plate Trial for his second start of the year.

Dancethruthedawn
Post Position 10

 Owner:   Sam-Son Farm
Trainer:   Mark Frostad
Jockey:   Gary Boulanger
Foaling Date:   3/6/98 (filly)
Breeding:   Mr. Prospector - Dance Smartly x Danzig
Dosage Info:   DP = 20-10-20-0-0 DI = 4.00 CD = 1.00
Race Record:   7 4-0-1 $543,691
Note:   Daughter of champion Dance Smartly won the Woodbine Oaks last out and is easily the class of the field. Can she beat the boys on two weeks rest?

Dawn Watcher
Post Position 5

 Owner:   D. Morgan Firestone
Trainer:   Cliff Hopmans
Jockey:   Richard Dos Ramos
Foaling Date:   3/14/98
Breeding:   Numerous - Dawnelo x Alleged
Dosage Info:   DP = 9-2-11-2-0 DI = 2.20 CD = 0.75
Race Record:   7 1-1-3 $61,135
Note:   Third last out in an allowance in his first start against winners.

Highland Legacy
Post Position 8

 Owner:   Empress Stable
Trainer:   Steve Owens
Jockey:   Patrick Husbands
Foaling Date:   3/4/98
Breeding:   Highland Ruckus - Nonfiction x Lord Avie
Dosage Info:   DP = 5-3-2-0-0 DI = 9.00 CD = 1.30
Race Record:   9 4-2-1 $390,861
Note:   Four time winner at 2 has been well-beaten in both starts this year.

Lucky Scarab
Post Position 2

 Owner:   Sam-Son Farm
Trainer:   Mark Frostad
Jockey:   Todd Kabel
Foaling Date:   2/17/98
Breeding:   Kris S. - Queen of Egypt x Vice Regent
Dosage Info:   DP = 3-4-17-2-0 DI = 1.48 CD = 0.31
Race Record:   5 1-2-2 $57,810
Note:   Always in the money with a strong late rally but only just broke his maiden last start.

Millennium Allstar
Post Position 3

 Owner:   Curtis Joseph, Don Meehan, & Sue Leslie
Trainer:   Sue Leslie
Jockey:   Robert Landry
Foaling Date:   4/10/98
Breeding:   Meadowlake - Cargo x Caro
Dosage Info:   DP = 8-9-7-0-0 DI = 5.86 CD = 1.04
Race Record:   7 2-4-1 $230,820
Note:   Can the son of speedy sprinter Meadowlake overcome the distance limitations in his pedigree?

Sik
Post Position 4

 Owner:   Sunny Acres Farms
Trainer:   Frank Passero Jr.
Jockey:   Daniel David
Foaling Date:   1/24/98
Breeding:   Tethra - Jeannie Mae x Prince Aries
Dosage Info:   DP = 2-4-2-0-0 DI = 7.00 CD = 1.00
Race Record:   4 M-1-0 $8,220
Note:   Maiden was just claimed last out for $40,000.

Thatsthebottomline
Post Position 6

 Owner:   Victor & Rosanne Deschenes & Wags Nags
Trainer:   Robert Martin
Jockey:   Ray Sabourin
Foaling Date:   5/7/98
Breeding:   Concern - Tudor Art x Smarten
Dosage Info:   DP = 4-8-6-0-0 DI = 5.00 CD = 0.89
Race Record:   4 2-0-1 $74,898
Note:   Unraced at 2, has shown a versatile running style with one wire-to-wire victory and one rallying from last.

Win City
Post Position 7

 Owner:   Frank DiGiulio Jr. & the Estate of Frank DiGiulio
Trainer:   Robert Tiller
Jockey:   Constant Montpellier
Foaling Date:   4/21/98
Breeding:   Slew City Slew - Winsfordan x Domasca Dan
Dosage Info:   DP = 4-0-4-0-0 DI = 3.00 CD = 1.00
Race Record:   6 4-0-1 $315,678
Note:   Plate Trial winner last out generally runs a stalking to pressing type race and always tries.

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Graphic courtesy of Woodbine. All photos by Cindy Pierson and Terence Dulay.

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