Spirit of Caledon an interesting longshot in Queen's Plate 2017

Spirit of Caledon will be a longshot in Sunday’s $1-million Queen’s Plate, but the improving bay will look to follow in the footsteps of his famous father, Mike Fox, who took Canada’s race at odds of 15-1 in 2007.

With seven career starts, Spirit of Caledon will be one of the more experienced runners in the field, having posted a win and a third while collecting $41,850 in purse money.  Although winless in four juvenile starts, he was worse than fifth just once while keeping good company. 

"He's had some real tough trips. Especially as a two-year-old. He's been unlucky," said Parente.

That consistency earned Spirit of Caledon a winter trip to Florida, racing once, without much luck. With a solid winter’s foundation, Spirit of Caledon set aside the trouble line of his Gulfstream Park debut and, on May 14 of this year, graduated with an impressive rallying effort in a 1 1/16-mile maiden optional claiming event.  

"He's a big strong horse.  That day he got the overland route but he didn't mind it and showed that he can run a little bit," said Parente.

Last time out, the improving bay found racing room late and landed third in an optional claiming route won by Plate rival Watch Me Strut. The effort marked a big step forward for the sizable gelding earning a career-best 72 Beyer Speed Figure.

On June 24, he breezed five furlongs in :59.40 on the main track under jockey Jerome Lermyte and was supplemented to the Queen’s Plate at a cost of $25,000.   “It was perfect, just what we wanted,” said trainer and part-owner Pat Parente, who said he caught Spirit of Caledon galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 and pulling up through seven furlongs in 1:25.60. "He went inside a horse that was breezing, cut to the rail, and showed Jerome he's got a little bit of race in him.”

1 / Channel Maker / Rafael Hernandez / Bill Mott / Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, Wachtel Stable & Gary Barber / 4-1

2 / Guy Caballero / Jose Ortiz / Catherine Day Phillips / Sean & Dorothy Fitzhenry / 10-1

3 / Holy Helena / Luis Contreras / James Jerkens / Stronach Stables /3-1

4 / Spirit of Caledon / Jerome Lermyte / Pat Parente / Copper Water Thoroughbred Company Ltd., Centennial Farms (Niagara) Inc. & Pat Parente / 50-1

5 / Inflexibility / Javier Castellano / Chad Brown / Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William H. Lawrence / 10-1

6 / King and His Court / Gary Boulanger / Mark Casse / Wachtel Stable & Gary Barber / 5-1

7 / State of Honor / Patrick Husbands / Mark Casse / Conrad Farms / 8-1

8 / Malibu Secret / Alan Garcia / Malcolm Pierce / Sam-Son Farm / 20-1

9 / Megagray / Jesse Campbell / Mike Keogh / Gustav Schickedanz / 30-1

10 / Vaughan / Slade Callaghan / John Mattine / RCC Racing Stable Ltd. / 50-1

11 / Aurora Way / Julien Leparoux / Stu Simon / Chiefswood Stable / 6-1

12 / Tiz a Slam / Eurico Da Silva / Roger Attfield / Chiefswood Stable / 10-1