Single family dwells among 13 entries for Queen’s Plate

Thirteen hopefuls, including four Kevin Attard trainees, will vie for top prize in the $791,415 Queen’s Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, on Sunday at Woodbine.

But the 4-1 morning-line favorite, Keep Grinding, is trained by Tino Attard, Kevin’s father. The dark bay son of Tizway is 5: 1-1-1 and owned by Kevin’s teenage son Joshua owns the colt.

“I am very excited, and it’s also very nerve wracking, that’s for sure,” Joshua Attard said. “He always tries, if you watch all his races, he never gives up and I know on Sunday he’ll show up.”

The 162nd edition of the Queen’s Plate, North America’s oldest continually run race, will be run at 1 1/4 miles on the Woodbine Tapeta. It is the curtain raiser for the tri-surface series for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

Seeking his first Plate triumph, Attard’s starters include Munnyfor Ro, winner of the Woodbine Oaks on Aug. 1. To be ridden by Justin Stein for owner Raroma Stable, the daughter of Munnings will look to follow in the hoof steps of other fillies who have notched the Oaks-Plate double, a list that includes Inglorious (2011), Lexie Lou (2014) and Holy Helena (2017).

Munnyfor Ro, sporting a 9: 2-2-2 mark, is in good order heading into the race.

“She’s here and we’re excited,” Attard said. “We waited to see how she came out of the (Woodbine Oaks). She seemed to handle the race really well in the Oaks. She had a good work in the interim.”

Attard’s three other hopefuls are Haddassah, Harlan Estate and H C Holiday.

Owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, Haddassah will be ridden by Canadian Hall of Famer Gary Boulanger, who won the 2001 Queen’s Plate with Dancethruthedawn.

“He’s indicated to me that he should (get the distance),” Attard said. “Obviously, we’re hoping to get him relaxed early, and I think that will be the key.”

Owned by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson's ERJ Racing as well as Exline-Border Racing, Madaket Stables and Clay Scherer, Harlan Estate began his career in California before making the trek north to Woodbine. The son of Kantharos will have Woodbine’s leading rider Kazushi Kimura in the irons.

“He’s named after my favorite wine in Napa (Harlan Estate),” Johnson said. “His sire is Kantharos. He is out of an Arch mare, which is a big stamina influence in his pedigree.”

H C Holiday, a son of Ami’s Holiday, will look to deliver owner-breeder Ivan Dalos his first Queen’s Plate crown. Luis Contreras, the first rider to win all three Canadian Triple Crown races with different horses, gets the call Sunday.

“We’re pretty excited,” said Colleen Dalos of Tall Oaks Farm. “My father has been in the business over 40 years, and I think we’ve had four shots at this Plate. We’ve hit the board three times; we have three seconds. This is what we covet. Everybody wants to win on their home turf and their home ground. It means everything to us to win a Plate.”

Hall of Fame conditioner Sid Attard, seeking his first Plate victory, rests his hopes on Stronach Stables’ homebred Riptide Rock, a chestnut son of Point of Entry. The gelding won his most recent start on July 16 at Woodbine.

Avoman, trained by Don MacRae, who co-owns with La Huerta Inc. (Jim and Graeme Bruce), arrives at the Plate off a win in the Plate Trial Stakes. Antonio Gallardo, who moved his tack to Woodbine in July, will be aboard again Sunday.

Dance Some Mo is one (Tidal Forces is the other) of two Sam-Son Farm silk bearers contesting this year’s “Gallop for the Guineas.” Trained by Graham Motion, the son of Uncle Mo will be making his stakes debut in the Plate. Patrick Husbands, who guided Wando to Canadian Triple Crown glory in 2003, gets the call again.

Trained by Carlos Grant for owners Fieldstone Farms and Jecara Farms, Derzkii, third in the Plate Trial, sports a record of 9: 2-2-2. Jason Hoyte will be aboard the son of Frac Daddy.

Owner-breeder Garland Williamson’s Go Take Charge will look to break his maiden in the Plate. Trained by Breeda Hayes, the son of Will Take Charge arrives at the $1 million event off a second-place finish July 24 at Woodbine.

American champion jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will guide Phillip Serpe trainee Safe Conduct on Sunday. The bay son of Bodemeister, owned by WellSpring Stables, will be making his first appearance in Canada, having contested his past three races at Belmont Park, including a win May 2.

Anderson Farms Ontario, William Carr and Donald Ferguson will take their shot at a Plate win with Take a Chance, a bay son of Munnings who won his most recent start. The victory came July 11 at Woodbine. Keveh Nicholls will ride.

The tandem of trainer Gail Cox and owner Sam-Son Farm, who teamed with El Tormenta to win the Woodbine Mile in 2019, will look for another big win, this time with Tidal Forces. The son of Malibu Moon will have champion rider Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard.

In 2003 Wando was the seventh and most recent horse to sweep the Canadian Triple Crown. The $316,566 Prince of Wales, run at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Fort Erie on Sept. 14, is the second leg. The $316,566 Breeders’ Stakes, at 1 1/2 miles over the turf at Woodbine on Oct. 3, concludes the series.

Post time for the first race is Sunday at 12:25 p.m. EDT. The Queen’s Plate is scheduled as race 10 at 5:42 p.m. EDT.