Sir Dudley Digges, Amis Gizmo get rematch in Prince of Wales Stakes

Sir Dudley Digges caught Amis Gizmo in the final strides to win the 157th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 3 at Woodbine and will continue his quest to become Canada’s first Triple Crown winner since Wando in 2003 when he runs in Tuesday night’s $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Racetrack.

The Prince of Wales covers 1 3/16 miles on dirt. Four of the eight runners in the field of Canadian-bred 3-year-olds have experience racing on dirt.

Sir Dudley Digges has run twice on dirt in maiden races going a one-turn mile, finishing second at Churchill Downs last November and third at Gulfstream Park in January. Trainer Mike Maker said he has no concerns about the horse’s ability to handle the surface since he regularly trains on dirt at the Churchill Downs training center.

“He’s run on it before, although they were in maiden races,” he said. “I don’t have much concern about it.”

Queen’s Plate runner-up Amis Gizmo has never raced on dirt but trained on it while based with trainer Josie Carroll at Palm Meadows in Florida over the winter and shipped to Fort Erie to breeze over the surface last Tuesday, covering five furlongs in 1:00.00.

The top three finishers from the Queen’s Plate will run in the Prince of Wales, as All On Red also joins the field. All On Red won his maiden on dirt at Aqueduct on April 24, earning a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure in the one-turn-mile race. He breezed five furlongs in 59 seconds flat on the dirt training track at Woodbine on July 19.

Narrow Escape exits a 10th-place finish in the Queen’s Plate to run in the Prince of Wales for trainer Justin Nixon, who won this race with Coltimus Prime in 2014. Leavem in Malibu, who finished sixth in the Queen’s Plate, also returns for trainer Mark Casse.

The new shooters to the Canadian Triple Crown are Battery, Niigon’s Edge, and Leo From Heaven.

Battery and Niigon’s Edge both raced on dirt at Gulfstream Park last winter. Battery will be looking to rebound from a sixth-place finish in the Plate Trial Stakes on June 12. He won an allowance over 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park in February.

Key Contenders

Sir Dudley Digges, by Gio Ponti

Last 3 Beyers: 87-77-80

◗ He shipped back to Kentucky after his Queen’s Plate victory and returned to the work tab with a five-furlong breeze in 1:03.00 on dirt at the Churchill Downs training center July 19.

Amis Gizmo, by Giant Gizmo

Last 3 Beyers: 86-85-75

◗ He made an early move into a slow pace in the Queen’s Plate and nearly finished first after leading through the entire stretch.

◗ Having had a breeze over the Fort Erie surface could give him a significant advantage. Coltimus Prime was the lone horse to breeze over the Fort Erie surface ahead of his Prince of Wales victory in 2014.

All On Red, by Hard Spun

Last 3 Beyers: 83-84-90

◗ Trainer Sid Attard said he had hoped that All On Red would be a little closer to the pace in the Queen’s Plate, but he stumbled at the start. With a clean break, he should be tracking the likely pacesetter, Leo From Heaven.

Leavem in Malibu, by Malibu Moon

Last 3 Beyers: 80-78-81

◗ He had a strong breeze over Woodbine’s dirt training track July 17, covering five furlongs in 57.80 seconds.

◗ He’s never raced on dirt, but his full brother Danzig Moon was Grade 1-placed on the surface.

Rainbow Connection Stakes

The card also features the $75,000 Rainbow Connection Stakes over five furlongs on turf. Defending champion Tahnee headlines the field of seven Ontario-sired fillies and mares and enters the race off a fifth-place finish in the Satin and Lace Stakes at Presque Isle Downs on June 19. She looks to be the speed of the speed in this group and will try to hold off the rest of the field under jockey Eurico Da Silva.

Classyshadesofgrey enters off two straight wins against open claimers on turf. She recorded a sharp three-furlong breeze July 19 and will be ridden by Patrick Husbands.

Other key contenders include Last Minute Lucy and Quidi Vidi, who both have won on turf. Rounding out the field are In Giants’ Boots, Marilyns Last Love, and Dancing On Fire.