Queen's Plate: De Paulo says his two maidens have a shot
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – With the 160th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate set for next Saturday, the field for the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown is taking shape. A field of 12 Canadian-bred 3-year-olds appears likely for the 1 1/4-mile journey over Woodbine’s Tapeta, including a pair of maidens trained by Michael De Paulo – Rising Star and Moon Swings.
Both maidens ran in the Plate Trial on June 8, with Rising Star coming from well off the pace to be third and Moon Swings racing in midpack early and finishing fourth.
Rising Star is a recent addition to the De Paulo barn. Bred in Ontario by William Graham, Rising Star sold for $325,000 to Fox Hill Farm at the 2017 Keeneland September yearling sale. He made a pair of starts at Woodbine last season for trainer Mark Casse and then was transferred to trainer Larry Jones at Oaklawn Park. In his fourth start at Oaklawn, he popped up in a $40,000 maiden-claiming race and was claimed by owner-trainer Michael Campbell. De Paulo and owner Robert Marzilli had been following the horse and reached out to Campbell with an offer to purchase him following the claim.
“He was a half to a horse that we had called Seeking Albert,” De Paulo said. “We thought the longer races would suit him. We’d been following that horse, and we went to buy him [at the yearling sale]. He sold for $325,000, so he went right past us. We’re happy. He might have a future on the grass, too.”
De Paulo said he was pleased with Rising Star’s effort in the Plate Trial and is hopeful for more speed to run at in the Queen’s Plate.
“He ran a pretty good race in the Trial,” he said. “He got bumped around and bounced off of the rail a little. He seemed to gallop out ahead of the winner. I know they don’t pay you for that, but we were encouraged by it. This horse is laid-back and comes running late. I know the Trial wasn’t a real fast race, but maybe with a better pace we’ll have a little more to run at.”
Moon Swings, meanwhile, has been with De Paulo since he was purchased for $120,000 by Marzilli at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. Also bred by Graham, Moon Swings has run third four times in his nine-race career, including in the Clarendon, Cup and Saucer, and Coronation Futurity stakes during his 2-year-old season.
“He looks like he’s coming into the race in pretty good order, and he’s certainly run with those horses before,” De Paulo said. “He was third to [Avie’s Flatter] in the Cup and Saucer and the Coronation. I know he’s a maiden, but he’s a pretty good maiden.”
Following the Coronation Futurity, Moon Swings went to Florida with De Paulo for the winter. He didn’t make a start while based at Gulfstream Park, and De Paulo said he lost some training time with Moon Swings heading into the spring. Moon Swings finished third in a seven-furlong maiden race May 5 at Woodbine before the Plate Trial.
“Unfortunately, we had a little setback in Florida,” De Paulo said. “We got a seven-eighths start, and then he ran the other day. He actually ran a new Ragozin top the last time.”
Rising Star and Moon Swings will be De Paulo’s first Queen’s Plate starters since Athenian Guard in 2014. De Paulo has had several close calls in the Queen’s Plate, including Pender Harbour’s third-place finish in 2011. Pender Harbour later that year won the Prince of Wales and Breeders’ stakes, the final two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown.
“We’ve won the Prince of Wales twice, the Breeders’ once,” he said. “We’ve been third, fourth, and fifth in the Plate, so we’d like to get a little closer. There’s not as much pressure because we’re running longshots, but I think they have a chance.”
