History Lesson: The Plate Trial Stakes' initial running took place in 1944 at the old Woodbine Racetrack, downtown Toronto, at a distance of six furlongs. The race has since been run a variety of different lengths from six furlongs to the current mile and an eighth. The prep race has produced many Queen's Plate winners, but only one over the last sixteen years (Not Bourbon '08)and holds, what seem to be, unbreakable records; twelve wins E.P. Taylor's Windfield Farms, nine wins by hall of fame jockey Avelino Gomez, and George J. McCann's nine wins as a trainer. The current race record time is held by two horses in a time of 1:50.00. (Alydeed '92 and Northface '96)
Plate Trial Stakes 2009: As usual, this prep for the plate will answer some questions of the potential Queen's Plate runners. Can some of the sprinters go the distance? and are some of these runners as good as their last races would suggest? The competitors in this season edition are very tough and should 'duke it out' from wire to wire. There is a good mix of speed, endurance, and tactical maneuverability needed to win this race, just who will put it all together on this day? Will it be Southdale, Eye of the Leopard, the Canadian runner from France Eastern Promise, or Thor's Piper? These are just a few of the talented individuals going for the $150,000 purse.
Here is a look at the field by post position:
1 El Brujo by Candy Ride (Arg) out of Enchanted Spell (Devil's Bag) Own: Windways Farm, Trainer: Malcolm Pierce, Jockey: Patrick Husbands
2 Rapid Release by Action This Day out of Bail Money (St. Juvite) Own: Dolantori Racing, Trainer: Roger Attfield, Jockey: Jono Jones
3 Eastern Promise by Grand Slam out of Light Show (Pleasant Colony) Own: Earle I. Mack, Trainer: Mark Frostad, Jockey: Justin Rose
4 Active Duty by Deputy Commander out of Punchbowl (Two Punch) Own: Woodford Racing LLC, Trainer: Mark Casse, Jockey: Corey Fraser
5 Southdale by Street Cry (Ire) out of Pinafores Pride (Saint Ballado) Own: Roderick Ferguson, Trainer: Ian Black, Jockey: Emma-Jayne Wilson
6 Bucephalus by Cape Canaveral out of May Time (Cure the Blues) Own: Knob Hill Stables, Trainer: Kevin Attard, Jockey: Tyler Pizarro
7 Keino West by Kissin Kris out of Vanetta Hill (Crown Attorney) Own: Track West Racing Inc., Trainer: Steve Attard, Jockey: Gerry Olguin
8 Thor's Piper by Thunder Gulch out of Lone Piper (Dehere) Own: Chiefswood Stable, Trainer: Eric Coatrieaux, Jockey: James McAleney
9 Costalivin by Tomahawk out of Sylky Market (Market Control) Own: Jam Jar Racing, Trainer: John Ross, Jockey: Chantal Sutherland
10 Eye of the Leopard by A.P. Indy out of Eye of the Sphynx (Smart Strike) Own: Sam-Son Farms, Trainer: Mark Frostad, Jockey: Eurico Rosa Da Silva
The Skinny: This race is loaded with Canadian talent. Though past winners over the past while have not gone on to win the Queen's Plate other runners of the race have. The Plate Trial is exploding with ten top colts and geldings all of which were foaled in Ontario. Let's see if we can narrow it down to a winner.
Start with the ship-in from France. Mark Frostad will take over the training duties of the Earle Mack owned Eastern Promise. The well-bred colt had been racing in France to start his career where he would break his maiden last December in a seven and a half-furlong event over polytrack. The son of Grand Slam has not gone two-turns yet and this will be a big test in his North American debut to see what his future has in store. Eastern Promise has been second or better in four of five lifetime starts, with earnings of $36,136. The purse earnings don't sound impressive, but, his May 27 work of five furlongs in :59.4/5 is and was the best on the Woodbine poly that day. Still, looking elsewhere.
The other Frostad trainee is Eye of the Leopard, quite possibly the most well-bred horse in this race. The bay colt would get a win around two-turns in his Woodbine debut and second career start on May 10th against maiden allowance company. He would go on to post a 75 Beyer in the two and three-quarter length victory. This will be his first race against winners and will show what Eye of the Leopard is made of. Like his chances, as breeding alone suggests he can win at the distance and the fact that he has improved drastically from his first contest in Keenland back on April 15th. Don't leave him out of your exotics.
Rapid Release is sent out by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield. The chestnut colt had raced his entire two-year-old season in Great Britain where he would post a record of 7-1-3-1. Since coming to North America, Rapid Release has raced in three conditoned allowance races, each going at a distance of a mile and a sixteenth. He has picked up a cheque in each of those races, but, was a fair distance out of the winners. The Attfield trainee has posted decent Beyer figures since being on this side of the pond, but nothing to brag about. The Plate Trial will be his fourth start of the '09 campaign and will be the furthest contest of his career. Not much to go on here, though Attfield has a knack for getting his horses to win at the right time.
Chiefswood Stable's chestnut gelding, Thor's Piper, is a very interesting individual. The son of Thunder Gulch broke his maiden this year in his third career start, May 18th over the polytrack at the Toronto oval, at a mile and a sixteenth. He would post an improved 73 Beyer driving to a short neck win at the wire. Expect him to be very competitive in this event, looking to make a strong bid down the homestretch. He has not put up a work since April 24th, but you can be sure conditioner Eric Coatrieaux and journeyman Jimmy McAleney will have this guy ready for the Plate Trial. Good chance here.
Trainer John Ross sends out Costalivin, a proven horse at two-turns and against winners. This big Tomahawk colt was a winner last time out against non-winners of two allowance company and came through nicely down the homestretch. He'll get a jockey change for this event, but it shouldn't be a factor as seasoned veteran Chantal Sutherland picks up the reins. Costalivin's two lifetime wins come at a mile and a sixteenth, which should indicate that he'll love the extra distance in the Trial. He has been improving in his Beyer figures as well and will look to continue doing so here, in his third start of his '09 season. Should get great value on this day, best bet for the price anyway.
Active Duty is another proven horse against winners. Mark Casse's trainee was the winner of the Coronation Futurity as a two-year-old at a distance of a mile and an eighth. He would also start of the '09 campaign with a game third place effort in an optional-claiming allowance at Santa Anita. This season at Woodbine, Active Duty would finish third in the Queenston Stakes going seven furlongs in an all out chase at the leaders. He should benefit from the distance in the Plate Trial, getting back to where he runs best. Casse is one of the best conditioners on the grounds and will have this horse ready to go. Outside chance.
Keino West comes into the Plate Trial as a longshot. He has started the '09 season off pretty much trying to get fit. He has raced in two sprints which do not fit his running style. He is a router through and through and we should see his best effort of the year in this race. Steve Attard knows his guy likes distance and will look to get him back to form, as Keino West did win at a mile and a sixteenth to break his maiden in '08. Expect a better race here, but you may want to stay away from the windows with this guy.
El Brujo is sent out by Malcolm Pierce. He is two for two in his '09 campaign and looks to his first two-turn event of the season. He should take a fair bit of money on the tote board as the fans should see that he can run in a route. He was runner-up to rival Active Duty in last year's Coronation Futurity at a mile and an eighth, and Pierce and leading jock Patrick Husbands will have this horse up to the challenge once again. El Brujo is looking like a much more mature and stronger individual this season and should be very tough here. Certainly like his chances, hot outfit, top jock, two '09 stakes wins and a very determined horse looking to silence any critics.
Ian Black brings a very good looking and talented colt into the Plate Trial, in Southdale. The son of Street Cry has only two lifetime starts, but has picked up a cheque in each of them, with a third and a first place finish. Yet to go two-turns, Southdale is bred for the distance and should improve from his maiden win, where he posted a fantastic 89 Beyer figure in the five and a quarter length romp, over the Woodbine poly. Expect big things here, may be an early favorite and should not be left out. Jockey Emma Wilson has been a hot of late and will get the best out of Southdale, to date, in here.
Knob Hill Farms colt Bucephalus is a very tough competitor and will be making his third start of the '09 season in the Plate Trial. This will be his first lifetime route race and will answer some questions as to whether or not he stays in sprints or goes on to the Queen's Plate. He finished fourth in the Queenston Stakes back of rivals El Brujo and Active Duty and will try to get back to the win column for the first time this year. He has not posted very credible Beyers this season with both races resulting in the high sixties. Not sure what to expect, but, gut feeling says he's a sprinter not a router.
My Picks: 5-9-4
Please feel free to leave your comments and picks for the 67th running of the Plate Trial Stakes.
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