Shakhimat points to Plate Trial

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After running ninth in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 7, Queen’s Plate winterbook favorite Shakhimat returned to Woodbine last week to begin his local preparation for the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Trainer Roger Attfield said the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on the Tapeta on June 12 would serve as Shakhimat’s final Queen’s Plate prep. Attfield won the Plate Trial last year with Danish Dynaformer, who went on to finish third in the Queen’s Plate behind Shaman Ghost.

Shakhimat dueled with Airoforce early in the American Turf before fading in the stretch. Aside from the early pace duel, Attfield said there could have been other factors that led to Shakhimat’s defeat.

“It’s a little bit of a mystery, but there’s a couple of things I saw that didn’t quite go to our liking,” he said. “I thought he was a little flat in the post parade and in the paddock. The pace was different than he’s been used to, but I don’t think that really had too much bearing on it. He got bumped and got pretty rank after he got bumped. He hasn’t been in that situation before. So, there were lots of things that you could read into it.”

Attfield added that Shakhimat came out of the American Turf in good order and trained well Sunday.