State of Honor a Queen's Plate candidate
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Following his 19th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 6, State of Honor has returned to Woodbine with an eye on the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 2.
Trainer Mark Casse said State of Honor didn’t appear to handle the muddy surface at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby.
“We wanted him up on the lead,” Casse said. “[Jockey Jose Lezcano] said he didn’t handle the mud at all. He said he struggled pretty well from the beginning. We’re going to throw that one out. We’re going to see how he trains, and if all goes well, he’ll be in the Queen’s Plate.”
Casse said the $125,000 Plate Trial on June 11 is a possibility for State of Honor’s next start but added that it would depend on how the son of To Honor and Serve trains in the lead-up to that event.
“I haven’t decided that one yet,” he said. “We’re going to get him up there and see how he does and go from there.”
State of Honor has had a busy 3-year-old campaign already, having made five starts at three different racetracks. While his success this year has come on dirt, State of Honor does have experience racing on Woodbine’s Tapeta main track. State of Honor won his maiden over the surface over seven furlongs Oct. 19 and finished second to King and His Court in the Coronation Futurity on Nov. 13.
