Friday Night Previews
It's King's Plate weekend in Toronto while, at Hastings, there are seven tough puzzles to solve on Friday night ahead of a ten-day break for the PNE annual summer fair
BECKETT’S BEST had OUR BLOKE and FRASER LANDING just behind him when winning narrowly last month after being stepped-up in class for the second time this season. He did it the hard way, too, coming three-wide around the turn and challenging down the centre of the course and he holds a leading chance again tonight on what would be his fourth win of the campaign. However, HORATIO could not have been more impressive last time, taking it up approaching the home turn and scooting clear to win by eight lengths. He steps back up in class here but looks a big danger on the back of that confidence-boosting first win.
WESTMINSTER remains a maiden on a technicality after being disqualified from ‘first’ on his racecourse debut back in May. He was the winner on merit that day and has been kept exclusively to Stakes company in his three runs since. Although fifth in the Sir Winston Churchill Derby Trial last time, he was beaten less than a length in a group finish with the best sophomores on the premises and will be tough to beat if able to repeat that. MONEYSHOT finished just behind the group containing Westminster, only levelling off late after doing much of the hard work on the front end. He’s also been keeping tough company this season and shouldn’t remain a maiden too much longer. BLUEGRASS LENT was just a head behind RHUMBABA on his excellent racing debut and had STATION ONE in his rear-view mirror. He has to go on the shortlist.
The Hastings Racing Club’s flag bearer FINDING WAYS returns to the level at which he won back in May. He couldn’t land a blow on Bold Arch and co last time, although that may just have come a bit quick for him after he split Bold Attach and Pursue just a week earlier and a repeat of that effort would put him close to his third win of the season. BACK SHACK hasn’t missed the board all year and he had STAR ENTRY behind when chasing home Cerebro last time. Cerebro franked the form when following-up with an allowance win next time and it’s hard to see Back Shack missing the frame here.
MERRY BLUE drops onto the bottom rung for the first time at Hastings after finishing second in a marginally tougher event last time. She had PETERSON LANDING behind her for the third time this season in that contest and, while this is a return to 6½ furlongs, she looks an obvious candidate. B C CHRISTIE has made the frame in four of her five most recent starts and shouldn’t be too far away again, while PENALTY TO RANGERS led gate-to-wire last time in what was her best performance of the season and she comes into the equation if she can repeat the standard.
MY COLLEGE FUND makes his first appearance for new connections since being claimed after a bold second-place finish last time. That was his first time on the bottom rung of the class ladder and he returns to the same level this evening. FORT LANGLEY drops back in distance after an unsuccessful attempt at a mile-and-three-eighths last time. He had My College Fund just behind when they met over today’s distance back in May and the veteran looks to be a leading candidate again. BETTER TONE lines up on the back of a nice victory over subsequent winner Accordingly. The 8½ furlongs suits him well and he should be thereabouts again as long as they go quickly enough to give him something to run at late.
BROKE AN BROKEN returns to this level for the first time since winning a similar event last summer. He wasn’t beaten far when fourth behind Buttonwood Tree and subsequent winner Neighbor two starts ago and a repeat of that would give him a leading chance here. ROOKIE YEAR drops down a level and should be a major threat in shallower waters although, following a couple of lacklustre efforts, he will need to show he has rediscovered the form that saw him beat Broke an Broken last October. With five third-place finishes and a win in six outings this season, FRANKIE MACHINE remains a credit to the flying Steve Henson barn and it’s hard to see the veteran missing out on the fun again tonight.
LUCY TREASURE began her Hastings’ adventure with two solid third-place finishes in deeper waters than she encounters here. She’ll need to shake off a couple of ordinary performances of late but would be a tough nut to crack at this level if able to recapture that early-season form. ANIMA is clearly not the most straightforward of charges and makes just her second start of the year after finishing tailed off on her season debut in July. However, she’s won five times at this distance and certainly has a chance if able reconjure the form that saw her hit the board five times last year. ICE BREAKER rarely runs a bad race but has had 10 goes at the 6½ furlongs without winning, while TEXAS HUMOR finished fourth, just behind Ice Breaker, over a mile-and-sixteenth last time. However, the start before, she split Silk Stilettos and subsequent winner Richards Command over today’s distance and shouldn’t be too far away tonight.
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King’s Plate Preview
TORONTO, August 13, 2024 – Thirteen sophomores, including champion and multiple stakes winner My Boy Prince, will contest the $1 million King’s Plate, first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, highlighting an outstanding stakes-filled Saturday card of racing at Woodbine.
The 165th edition of The King’s Plate, North America’s oldest continually run race, contested at 1 ¼ miles on the Woodbine all-weather course, is the first event in the tri-surface series for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.
Wando, bred and owned by the late Gustav Schickedanz, was the last horse to accomplish the feat, in 2003, while becoming the seventh to record the unique triple. The $400,000 Prince of Wales, run at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Fort Erie on September 10, is the second leg. The $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, at 1 ½ miles over the world-renowned E.P. Taylor turf at Woodbine on September 29, concludes the series.
The King’s Plate breakfast festivities, including the post-position draw, were co-hosted by Woodbine TV personality/commentator/handicapper Jeff Bratt and Woodbine track announcer Robert Geller and held at Woodbine’s Trackside Clubhouse. The event was attended by many of the race’s connections, and included remarks from Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment.
This year’s running of The King’s Plate features a blend of stakes winners and longshot hopefuls, along with high-profile owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys. The lone filly, Caitlinhergrtness, will carry 121 pounds, while all other starters carry 126 pounds.
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Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Friday, August 16
