Field of 13 chase King’s Plate glory
At 0h03, on August 17, 2024 • By Woodbine Communications
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.
My Boy Prince, Canada’s champion 2-year-old male, has won three straight races heading into the Plate. Owned by Gary Barber (who co-owns 2023 Plate champ Paramount Prince with Mike Langlois) and trained by Mark Casse (the conditioner of Paramount Prince), the son of Cairo Prince-Hopping Not Hoping brings a 6-2-1 record from 10 engagements into Saturday’s 1 ¼-mile Plate.
“He just doesn’t give a hoot about much,” noted Casse, of the $115,000 sale-topper at the 2022 CTHS Canadian Premier Yearling Sale. “You sure wouldn’t look at him and think that he’s some superstar. He saves it all for on the track.”
Essex Serpent, bred and owned by Manfred and Penny Conrad (the couple also owns Plate hopeful Midnight Mascot), has crafted a mark of 2-1-0 from three starts for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. The son of Honor Code-Eileen’s Girl arrives at the $1 million classic off a sharp score in the Marine Stakes (G3) on June 29. The bay gelding will be ridden by three-time Plate victor Patrick Husbands.
“He came out of his race in good order,” said Casse. “He’s trained great since the Plate Trial. He’s a big, strong, homebred horse.”
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).
