Shaman Ghost to train up to Queen's Plate

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Shaman Ghost, winner of the Grade 3 Marine Stakes on May 16, will skip the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes on June 14 and instead train up to the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 5, trainer Brian Lynch said.

With his win in the Marine, Shaman Ghost has now reeled off three straight victories, and Lynch said he is pleased with the Ghostzapper colt’s form heading into the Queen’s Plate.

“Moving forward is good for him,” he said. “It’s nice to be heading into the big races with him in form.”

Shaman Ghost has raced beyond 1 1/16 miles in six career starts, but Lynch said he is confident that Shaman Ghost can handle the added ground in the Queen’s Plate.

“I’ve always felt like he was the pick of them as far as who’s going to get the mile and a quarter and who’s going to handle the Polytrack,” he said. “The greatest test will be the mile and a quarter, but the way he sort of settled and relaxed into racing, hopefully he’s the ideal candidate to get the mile and a quarter.”

Lynch said that Shaman Ghost came out of the Marine well and has yet to be affected by the virus impacting a number of horses on the backstretch.

“He came out of the Marine good,” he said. “There’s been a bit of a virus on the backside, and he hasn’t been bothered by it. If he’s going to get it, now is a good time instead of right on top of the Plate.”