Takes all kinds to run a Plate

A good horse can come from anywhere. Take, for example, Sunday when the cream of the Canadian-bred 3-year-old crop will start in the 142nd Queen's Plate.

There are homebreds in the field such as Dancethruthedawn, a filly from the legendary Sam-Son breeding program. Her sire, Mr. Prospector, was regarded as one of the world's best before his death and her dam, Dance Smartly, won the Canadian Triple Crown and produced last year's Plate winner Scatter the Gold.

Brushing Bully, bred by owner Frank Stronach and family, is by Broad Brush, who stands for a $100,000 stud fee, and from the stakes winning mare Assombrie.

Plate favorite Win City doesn't have the regal bloodlines of those two rivals, but he is a son of millionaire Slew City Slew and out of the stakes-placed mare Winsfordan.

On the other end of the breeding spectrum is Thatsthebottomline, a $5,500 yearling purchase, who is a one-time winner heading into the Plate but whose Beyer Figures show he could be a threat.

Scott Wagner, owner of Wags Nags Stable and part owner in Thatsthebottomline with Victor and Rosanne Deschenes, picked out the dark bay gelding on a rainy day at the 1999 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic September yearling sale in Timonium, MD.

"Basically at any sale we go to, especially in the States, we look for Canadian-breds" said Wagner. "Usually what you will find is a depressed value [for Canadian-breds] because many U.S. buyers are not interested in them specifically."

Wagner was drawn to hip no. 366, a small son of Breeders' Cup Classic winner Concern from the Ontario mare Tudor Art, whose five previous foals sold for an average of about $5,000 (U.S.) at various Canadian auctions.

"He looked like his dad," said Wagner. "And based on [the sire] you can think that distance would not be a problem and that the intermediate speed from Tudor Art would make it a good mix."

Thatsthebottomline was bred by Ontario breeders James and Janeane Everatt and Northview Stallion Station, which stands Concern.

Tudor Art, a Smarten mare, has produced two other winners, including 2001 winner Lazor Art.

Awesome Again season for auction

Mare owners looking to breed to a Plate winner can bid on a 2002 no-guarantee breeding season to Awesome Again at a silent auction at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's Annual Awards dinner on July 7 in Milton, Ontario.

Frank Stronach's Adena Springs Farm has donated the season to Awesome Again plus additional seasons to Foxtrail and Birdonthewire.

Proceeds from the auction will go to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.

Gus Schickedanz has also donated breeding seasons to his stallions Highland Ruckus, Wonneberg, and Porto Foricos. Windfields and Kinghaven Farms will donate a season to Whiskey Wisdom, and Sam-Son has pledged seasons to Regal Classic and Randy Regent.