Safe Conduct seeks 2 legs of Canadian Triple Crown in Breeders' Stakes

Safe Conduct, who won the 162nd edition of the Queen’s Plate in August, takes on a competitive group of 11 rivals Sunday at Woodbine in the US$316,000 Breeders’ Stakes, third jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown.

Trained by Philip Serpe, Safe Conduct headlines the final leg of the tri-surface series for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, which concludes on Woodbine’s world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course with the longest leg at the distance of 1 1/2-miles. Sunday’s card also features the Grade 3 US$118,500 Ontario Fashion Stakes, a six-furlong Tapeta test for fillies & mares, 3-year-olds and up.

A son of Bodemeister, bred by Mitchell Kursner and owned by WellSpring Stables, Safe Conduct didn’t contest the $400,000 Prince of Wales at 1 3/16 miles over Fort Erie’s dirt course on September 14, a race won by Al and Bill Ulwelling’s Haddassah.

“We would love, love, love to win the Canadian Triple Crown, but we weighed it out and we thought that we would rather have a fresh horse to run a mile-and-a-half, than to take a chance running him on the dirt and then he goes backwards and we’re not even coming,” said Serpe.

Although he hasn’t raced over the E.P. Taylor, Safe Conduct is no stranger to turf, having posted a record of 2-1-0 mark from four starts on the grass, including a 16-1 maiden-breaking victory last August at Saratoga.

The bay colt sports a record of 3-1-0 from seven career starts heading into the Breeders’.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Plate, Safe Conduct will have Emma-Jayne Wilson in the irons on Sunday.