Tidal Forces a contender to the Queen’s Plate
At 0h04, on August 18, 2021 • By WOODBINE
Some contenders are set to contest the 162nd running of The Queen’s Plate, slated for this Sunday at Woodbine. The Queen’s Plate is the first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
Sam-Son Farm will have a pair of chances, namely, Tidal Forces, and Dance Some Mo, to add a sixth Queen’s Plate trophy to its impressive collection of horse racing hardware.
Listed at 50-1 in the Queen’s Plate Winterbook, Tidal Forces, trained by Gail Cox, earned himself a nickname early on his career.
“We call him Brutus,” noted Cox. “As a young horse, he had this huge neck, a big, fat, wide neck. As he’s grown up, he’s certainly lengthened out a bit and become much more refined. He’s really quite beautiful. He’s a pretty cool guy.”
Unraced at two, Tidal Forces debuted in April at Gulfstream Park and galloped away with a win. Next time out, in mid-June at Woodbine, he was back in the winner’s circle. In his final race before the Plate, the Marine Stakes on July 11, he was fifth.
One thing Cox won’t have to worry about with her Plate charge is any pre-race jitters.
“When you’re walking out to the track with him, you’d almost think he’s lazy. He kind of wanders out and wanders back. But when you turn around to gallop him, he’s quite powerful. That’s just the type of horse you love to have, one who can turn the dial from laid-back to all business.”
Cox, who teamed with Sam-Son Farm and El Tormenta to win the 2019 edition of the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, is thrilled to have Tidal Forces in her barn.
Praise for the dark bay, who will have champion jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard Sunday, flows easily for the veteran conditioner.
“He eats well and he’s pretty easy to deal with. He walks over the paddock calmly. He’s just very professional in everything he does. There are times when you see little signs of immaturity, losing focus a little bit, but I’m really happy with everything when it comes to him.”
