Woodbine undercard: Historic 1st could come in E. P. Taylor

Trainer Kevin Attard is relishing a rare opportunity for his 2024 King’s Plate winner to go from great to legendary Saturday in the 70th running of the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares at Woodbine. A victory would make Caitlinhergrtness the first Plate winner to double in the E. P. Taylor.

“I thought that was an interesting tidbit and obviously would love more than anything to accomplish that feat,” Attard said. “It would be pretty special considering she won the King’s Plate.”

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The US$542,711 E. P. Taylor, run over 1 1/4 miles on the turf, is a win-and-you’re-in qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

The King’s Plate undercard also includes the King Edward (G2) and the Bold Venture (G3). The E. P. Taylor is the seventh race Saturday with a scheduled post time of 4:14 p.m. EDT.

The E. P. Taylor is being contested on King’s Plate day rather than its usual September slot in order to accommodate scheduled upgrades to the turf course. The date change provides the potential for good karma for Attard and the 4-year-old Caitlinhergrtness’s owner WinStar Farm.

Last year, Caitlinhergrtness became the second filly in three years to win the Plate. She was the sixth female winner in the last 14 years.

Named for basketball star Caitlin Clark, Caitlinhergrtness will contest a field of seven that includes four-time Grade 1 winner She Feels Pretty, winner of the 2023 Grade 1 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes at Woodbine, also a win-and-you’re-in race. She Feels Pretty subsequently finished third in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. She will be ridden in the E. P. Taylor by John Velázquez.

The field also includes U.K. import Diamond Rain, who comes to Woodbine off a victory in the Hoppings Fillies (G3) at Newcastle. Diamond Rain is trained by Charlie Appleby and will be ridden by William Buick.

As for Caitlinhergrtness, a victory would be the first Grade 1 triumph. She was a close third in October at Keeneland in her only other Grade 1 start, the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup won by her E. P. Taylor rival She Feels Pretty.

“I thought (Caitlinhergrtness) ran well in the QE,” Attard said. “We were on the lead that day. I was a little surprised by that, but she was comfortable up there. And the winner of that race is arguably the best turf horse in North America right now. ... We were outgunned for second, but the winner was in a race of her own that day. But we were in the hunt with the rest of the pack, so there’s no disgrace in (Caitlinhergrtness’s) effort there.”

A winner of US$800,222 lifetime with a record of 12: 4-2-2, Caitlinhergrtness comes into the E. P. Taylor in good form, according to Attard.

“She had a nice work (last) Saturday over the Tapeta,” he said. “She went an easy half and looked good doing it. She seems to be holding her weight well this season and physically looks good, so we’re going to give it a try. Obviously, with it being in our back yard and the fact the complexion of the race has changed a little bit, it was worth taking a stab at it.”

In her last start, Caitlinhergrtness was second in the $159,300 Trillium Stakes (G3) on July 26 at Woodbine.

“I thought in her Last race she ran well,” Attard said. “She didn’t get the best of trips. The winner had a rail-saving kind of ride, so I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

Flavien Prat takes over for Rafael Hernández to ride Caitlinhergrtness.

Cruden Bay has MacRae’s faith in King Edward

Ask trainer Don MacRae what he loves about his pupil Cruden Bay, and get ready for a long list of reasons.

“There’s not one thing that you couldn’t love about him,” MacRae said of the 7-year-old fan favorite gelding who will contest the US$144,723 King Edward (G2) for 3-year-olds and up. “He’s just a pleasure to be around. He’s a kind horse. He’s a happy horse. He loves his job. He loves people. He’s just amazing. He really brings a tear to my eye pretty much every time he runs. I am proud to say that I train him.”

The King Edward will be contested over one mile on the turf. It is the leading local prep for the US$723,615 Woodbine Mile (G1) on Sept. 13.

On July 20, in his most recent start, Cruden Bay won the Connaught Cup (G2) for the second straight year. It was a storybook return to racing after the gelding, owned by Michael Lay, had been off 11 months due to injury.

“I was extremely pleased, and I was even more proud to see Cruden do that,” MacRae said. “It was just amazing. He trained very well leading up to it. We were originally prepping for an allowance race, but I thought he was just really coming into himself. I know he always runs well fresh, so I just thought it was a good opportunity to take the shot. And he did what he does best and he fired down the lane.”

Bred in Ontario by Spring Farm, Cruden Bay won his debut Nov. 14, 2020, at Woodbine. He is 24: 8-9-1 with US$538,706.

The race lost a significant entrant when Grade 3 winner Dresden Row, 3-1 on the morning line, was scratched by veterinarians.

Simcoe may be fit for Bold Venture

Katerina Vassilieva said the $150,000 Bold Venture (G3) is setting up perfectly for her trainee Simcoe.

“The distance should hit him right between the eyes,” Vassilieva said of the race that attracted a field of eight. “Six-and-a-half (furlongs) seems to be his ideal distance, and it seems that he gets very brave when he battles for the lead and gets the lead. So, I’d like to see him be able to do that.

“I’m sure we’re not the only ones with that game plan. There’s a little bit of speed in the race, but I liked what (Simcoe) was able to do in his last race when he fought for the lead, got it and went on and put the other challengers away. So I would like to see him be on the front end.”

Simcoe, a gelded Ontario-bred son of Uncle Mo out of Pulpit mare Aurora Lights, comes into the Bold Venture off a victory on June 22 in a $120,700 optional-claiming allowance race at Woodbine.

In the start prior to that last one, Simcoe was second May 31 in the Jacques Cartier (G3), also at Woodbine. In that race Simcoe finished second to his Bold Venture foe Old Chestnut.

“He’s had plenty of time off since his last race, which he won,” Vassilieva said. “It’s been about six or seven weeks. ... He’s coming into this a really fresh horse. He’s been training well, working well week to week. I think he’s going to run a really good race for us on Plate day.”

Simcoe will be ridden by Hernández.

Twin City, who was cross-entered, was scratched from the Bold Venture in order to run in the King Edward.