Avie's Flatter tops early contenders for 2019 Queen's Plate
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The 160th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate is quickly approaching, with just six weeks to go before the top Canadian-bred 3-year-olds enter the starting gate on June 29 at Woodbine. A pair of local Queen’s Plate preps will take place this weekend at Woodbine, and another leading contender will be in action in Northern California.
Coronation Futurity winner and 2018 Canadian 2-year-old champion Avie’s Flatter occupies the No. 1 position in the first DRF Queen’s Plate Watch Top 10 list of 2019. Avie’s Flatter, trained by Josie Carroll and owned by Ivan Dalos, made his 3-year-old debut a winning one in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland in April, before running a close sixth against a good field in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes on May 4 at Churchill Downs.
If there’s a strike against Avie’s Flatter at this point, it may be the fact that no Coronation Futurity winner has won the Queen’s Plate in more than 40 years. Norcliffe was the last horse to win both the Coronation Futurity and the Queen’s Plate when he won the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown in 1976.
The Mark Casse stable is once again well represented with Queen’s Plate contenders, as he looks to win his second consecutive Queen’s Plate, and third overall, following Wonder Gadot’s victory in last year’s event. Skywire is ranked second in the Queen’s Plate Top 10 following his victory in the Wando Stakes on April 28 at Woodbine. The 88 Beyer Speed Figure earned by Skywire in the Wando is the highest figure among all horses still eligible for the Queen’s Plate.
Two other Casse contenders, Federal Law (ranked fifth) and My Silencer (10th), will both run in the $125,000 Queenston Stakes over seven furlongs on Tapeta on Sunday at Woodbine. Federal Law will be cutting back in distance after a third-place effort behind Skywire in the Wando, while My Silencer will look to remain unbeaten at seven furlongs after winning his debut in last season’s Frost King Stakes and a recent allowance event.
Also in action this weekend is One Bad Boy, who is third on the Queen’s Plate Top 10 list and was supplemented to the Queen’s Plate for a fee of $5,000 at the second payment deadline on May 1 by trainer Richard Baltas. One Bad Boy won his maiden in gate-to-wire fashion on the turf in his most recent start April 6 at Santa Anita. He will make his stakes debut in Sunday’s $75,000 Alcatraz Stakes over a mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields.
Bold Script is among three fillies in the first top 10 list of the season, ranking fourth this week. The Canadian champion 2-year-old filly of 2018 ran fifth in the Grade 2 Davona Dale on March 2 at Gulfstream Park and will return to action Saturday in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes at Woodbine for trainer Stuart Simon and owner-breeder Chiefswood Stable.
Bold Script will likely use the Selene as her final prep for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks on June 8, and she could be joined in that race by the two other fillies in the Queen’s Plate Top 10 – Desert Ride and Intanga Rose. Desert Ride (ranked sixth) has won two of her three starts to begin her career, including her most recent start in an allowance event over a mile on the turf at Keeneland for trainer Neil Howard. Meanwhile, Intanga Rose (ranked eighth) has finished fourth in both of her stakes starts this season in the Star Shoot and Fury after winning both of her starts as a juvenile. She’s trained by Sid Attard and owned by Stronach Stables.
Along with Desert Ride, owner-breeder Sam-Son Farm also has Scattered Strikes, who ranks seventh in the Queen’s Plate Top 10 this week. Trained by Graham Motion, Scattered Strikes has finished third in both of his career starts while also being forwardly placed in those events.
Rounding out the Queen’s Plate Top 10 this week is Green Fleet in ninth position. He is a maiden trained by Brad Cox and owned by Donegal Racing. Green Fleet finished fourth in his most recent start going 1 3/16 miles at Keeneland, the farthest any Queen’s Plate nominee has raced.
Horses on the Queen’s Plate Top 10 bubble include Woodstock Stakes winner Souper Success, Fury Stakes winner and runner-up Speedy Soul and Hastalavistababy, Kingarvie Stakes winner Dun Drum, recent maiden winner Ari Gold Speedwagn, and Moon Swings.
