Queen's Plate: Josie Carroll sweeps longshot exacta

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - On paper, trainer Josie Carroll was supposed to win Saturday’s $1 million Queen’s Plate with the favored Woodbine Oaks winner Curlin’s Voyage, but it was her modestly bred longshot Mighty Heart who prevailed over her other runner, the promising maiden Belichick.

After breaking from post 13, the one-eyed Mighty Heart went straight to the lead under Daisuke Fukumoto. He proceeded to set fast fractions of 23.57, 47.61, and 1:12.70 in the 1 1/4-mile contest.

Clayton, the second choice in the 14-horse field of Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, stalked in fourth while Curlin’s Voyage got hung out four wide in mid-pack.

Curlin’s Voyage made a big move into contention on the far turn before flattening out, as Mighty Heart drew away in the stretch to win by 7 1/2 lengths, in a quick time of 2:01.98 on the speed-favoring Tapeta surface.

Belichick rallied from 11th to finish a clear second over Clayton, who faded on his left lead after making a bid entering the stretch. Clayton held on for third, and was followed by Tecumseh’s War, Curlin’s Voyage, Merveilleux, Dotted Line, Glorious Tribute, Truebelieve, Holyfield, Olliemyboy, F F Rocket, Sweepin Hard, and Halo Again.

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Mighty Heart ($28.50) was the first Queen’s Plate mount for the rising Japanese star Daisuke Fukumoto.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Fukumoto. “I can’t explain too much. He was feeling good today. He broke good. I saw that nobody [wanted the lead]. He just kept going. After the wire, he still kept going. He didn’t stop. He was too sharp today. I thought it was [a fast pace]. I let him go. He only has one eye, but he has a big heart.”

Carroll celebrated her third Queen’s Plate victory, after winning with Edenwold in 2006 and Inglorious in 2011.

“I was watching the horse on the lead, I was watching the fractions, and I was thinking, ‘you’re maybe going a little quick up there, back it off a little,’ ” Carroll said. “But the horse seemed to running along pretty easily. Belichick was back there in traffic. He was a little buried. I was trying to find him. [Curlin’s Voyage] was wide. I was concerned about her getting a wide trip.

“When they turned for home, I thought [Mighty Heart] still had a lot of horse. He just kicked right on. I was very impressed with this horse today. The filly didn’t get the best of trips. At the end of the day, [Mighty Heart] finished better. Belichick put on a huge race for a maiden.”

Mighty Heart earned $600,000 in his stakes debut for owner-breeder Lawrence Cordes. The colt is a son of Dramedy, who won the Grade 2 Elkhorn on the grass at Keeneland and is currently standing at stud in Saudi Arabia.

* Artie’s Princess ($6.50) gave Justin Stein his second stakes win on the card when she posted an easy victory in the $112,600 Ruling Angel Stakes. Our Secret Agent finished second, while 3-5 favorite Boardroom checked in third after her rider had to deal with a broken line.