The second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, celebrated its 76th running on Sunday at Fort Erie Racetrack, across the Niagara River from Buffalo, NY. A field of 7 Canadian-foaled 3-year-olds contested this 1 3/16 mile main track feature under sunny skies with temperatures in the upper 80's. Unfortunately Queen's Plate winner Inglorious skipped the race to run in the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga instead, so there will not be a Triple Crown sweep this year, the last one being Wando in 2003. Plate Trial Stakes winner Check Your Soul was the 3-2 favorite off his disappointing 7th place finish in the Queen's Plate as the favorite. Plate Trial runner-up and Plate 4th place finisher Bowman's Causeway was the 2-1 second choice over 4-1 third choice Pender Harbour, third in the Plate last out.
12-1 Oh Canada was sent to the front by jockey Krista Carignan to set easy fractions of 24.41, 47.85, and 1:12.32 while as many as 1 1/2 lengths in front of Hippolytus and Welloiledmachine who stalked him second and third. Favorite Check Your Soul broke awkwardly, swinging to the far outside and trailed by 6 lengths early on. Entering the stretch, Oh Canada continued to lead through 1 mile in 1:36.90, but Pender Harbour, 4th early, came out 4 wide for room on the turn, followed by Bowman's Causeway. The pair rallied down the center of the course, and in the final strides, nailed the pacesetter for a tight photo. Pender Harbour outfinished Bowman's Causeway by a nose in 1:55.74 over the fast track, and they were 1/2 a length ahead of Oh Canada third. Check Your Soul never recovered from the poor start and finished last beaten 14 3/4 lengths.
