Queen's Plate or Bison City for Woodbine Oaks top three

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – More than a week has passed since Neshama upset runner-up Gamble’s Ghost in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks on June 12, and the connections of those two, plus third-place finisher Caren, are beginning to plot out their next starts.

All three fillies could proceed on to the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 3 or wait an additional week for the $250,000 Bison City Stakes for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta on July 10. Each of the last eight Woodbine Oaks winners has gone on to face the boys in the Queen’s Plate, but a trip to the Plate may not be in the cards for Neshama, according to trainer Catherine Day Phillips.

“We’re leaning towards the Bison City at this stage,” she said. “She ran a pretty hard race, and I think the extra week might make a little more sense for her.”

Gamble’s Ghost is nominated to the Queen’s Plate and could give trainer Josie Caroll and owner-breeder Ivan Dalos a second Queen’s Plate starter. She would join Amis Gizmo, who won the Plate Trial right before the Oaks was run.

“It will be either the Plate or the Bison City, but we have not decided yet,” she said.

Gamble’s Ghost encountered trouble late in the Oaks, but Carroll said the filly emerged from the race with no issues.

“She was a little tired,” Carroll said. “She got knocked around a little bit in the race, but she came out of it okay.”

Caren led most of the way in the Woodbine Oaks and was beaten two lengths by Neshama. Although Caren is eligible for the Queen’s Plate, trainer Michael De Paulo said she likely will be pointed to the Bison City.

“The mile and an eighth was maybe a little far, and we maybe went a little fast,” he said. “It was a combination of a lot of things, I guess. She certainly tried.”