Kevin Attard pair take on Curlin's Voyage in 14-horse Queen's Plate
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Kevin Attard will send out a pair of strong contenders in search of his first victory in the $1 million Queen’s Plate on Saturday at Woodbine. Attard trains morning-line favorite and Plate Trial Stakes winner Clayton and Woodbine Oaks third-place finisher Merveilleux.
The Queen’s Plate, the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, was originally scheduled for June 27. Fourteen Canadian-bred 3-year-olds line up for the 1 1/4-mile journey around Woodbine’s Tapeta main track.
Clayton has won three of four career starts, including the Plate Trial Stakes on Aug. 15. He won his career debut by 7 1/2 lengths last November in what would be his only start as a 2-year-old. After a troubled runner-up finish sprinting in his 3-year-old debut June 14, Clayton has won both of his subsequent starts, both around two turns.
“He’s been special from the get-go,” Attard said. “He was an impressive maiden winner, so once that happened, the bell starts ringing in your head, and you’re saying, ‘Hey, maybe I’ve got a good 3-year-old here.’ He followed it up with a good race first time out this year – didn’t win but had traffic trouble – and I think he learned a lot. That was encouraging.
“He’s doing everything you want him to. Hopefully, he just needs to get a little bit better one more time and maybe he can put everything together.”
Merveilleux, meanwhile, will be looking for a bit of racing luck to record her first stakes victory following placings in three of her four stakes starts. She encountered traffic trouble at the top of the stretch in the Woodbine Oaks, settling for third in her first start with blinkers.
Both of Attard’s entrants will need to be at their best to defeat Woodbine Oaks winner Curlin’s Voyage, who is trained by Josie Carroll. Curlin’s Voyage will be one of three Plate horses for Carroll, who will look to win her third Queen’s Plate following victories in 2006 with Edenwold and 2011 with Inglorious.
Curlin’s Voyage is the most accomplished horse in the field with four stakes wins, including back-to-back victories in the Fury Stakes and Woodbine Oaks. She’s never finished worse than fourth in nine career starts, with eight in-the-money finishes.
“We’ve always thought very highly of her after her 2-year-old debut,” Carroll said. “She’s a very uncomplicated filly and does everything you ask of her. She finds a way to get it done. She always shows up and she’s a very, very special filly.”
Carroll will also send out Mighty Heart and Belichick
Colts and geldings will carry 126 pounds in the Queen’s Plate, while the two fillies will carry 123 pounds, up from the 121 pounds fillies have traditionally carried in the Queen’s Plate.
Post time for Saturday’s Queen’s Plate is set for 5:41 p.m. Eastern.
KEY CONTENDERS
Clayton, by Bodemeister
Last 3 Beyers: 89-88-83
With his outside draw, he could get a similar trip to the one he had in the Plate Trial, when he stalked the pace three wide before making his move on the far turn.
Leading rider Rafael Hernandez retains the mount. He won the Plate in 2015 with Shaman Ghost.
Merveilleux, by Paynter
Last 3 Beyers: 89-76-82
Once she overcame traffic trouble in the Woodbine Oaks, she finished strongly and galloped out in front.
Expect her to be more forwardly placed than she has been in her last two starts. From her inside draw, she could work out a clean trip in what could be a moderate to slow pace.
Curlin’s Voyage, by Curlin
Last 3 Beyers: 93-87-87
Carroll completed the Woodbine Oaks-Queen’s Plate double with Inglorious in 2011 and could do it again with Curlin’s Voyage.
Patrick Husbands retains the mount in search of his third Queen’s Plate victory. His last Queen’s Plate win came aboard the filly Lexie Lou in 2014.
Halo Again, by Speightstown
Last 3 Beyers: 88-81-76
He’s won two stakes on the Woodbine Tapeta, including last season’s Coronation Futurity, and was second to Clayton in the Plate Trial.
Trainer Steven Asmussen won last season’s Prince of Wales Stakes and Breeders’ Stakes with Tone Broke.
Dotted Line, by Signature Red
Last 3 Beyers: 88-83-67
He set a slow pace in the Plate Trial before giving way in the late stages to finish third, and could find himself on the lead again in the Plate.
His form has improved in his last two starts after he overcame a foot issue that delayed the start of his 2020 campaign.