Field of 13 chase King’s Plate glory
At 0h58, on August 14, 2024 • By Woodbine
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.
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.
Trained by Kevin Attard, who will also send out Plate starters Caitlinhergrtness, Jokestar, and Pierre, Bedard, 0-3-0 from six starts, has yet to net his first win. But the son of Nyquist heads into his first stakes test off three consecutive runner-up efforts. Bred by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc., the bay gelding will be ridden by apprentice Pietro Moran.
“This is a huge step up, but we know he has the capability to come up with a good one,” said Attard, of the horse named after NHL superstar Connor Bedard. “Hopefully, the stars align, and he runs the type of race we know he can.”
First post for Saturday is 12:25 p.m. (ET), with the featured King’s Plate scheduled as Race 11 (6:10 p.m. ET). The national Plate broadcast will be televised on SportsnetONE and CityTV from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
