Wonder Gadot back on dirt in Prince of Wales Stakes

Queen’s Plate winner Wonder Gadot will look to become the sixth filly to win the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on Tuesday evening at Fort Erie in what will be the 83rd running of the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown over 1 3/16 miles on dirt.

After a troubled trip in the Woodbine Oaks on June 9, Wonder Gadot put in a dominant performance in the Queen’s Plate under jockey John Velazquez, defeating Aheadbyacentury by 4 3/4 lengths. Trainer Mark Casse said a combination of added distance and the addition of blinkers led to the Queen’s Plate victory.

“It’s tough to make that kind of call, and finally we just said, ‘We’ve got to do it,’ ” he said. “Whether [blinkers] did or didn’t [help], she loves the distance.”

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Velazquez, who won his first Queen’s Plate aboard Wonder Gadot, will retain the mount in search of his first Prince of Wales Stakes victory.

The last horse to win both the Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes was Wando, who went on to win the Canadian Triple Crown in 2003. Should Wonder Gadot win the Prince of Wales, she could become the first horse since Archers Bay in 1998 to win the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown but not proceed to the Breeders’ Stakes.

Archers Bay went on to run sixth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga following his Prince of Wales victory, and Wonder Gadot’s connections also have a race at Saratoga in mind for her next start. Casse said the Prince of Wales could set up Wonder Gadot for the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes on Aug. 18.

Key Contenders

Wonder Gadot, by Medaglia d’Oro
Last 3 Beyers: 95-88-96

◗ She’s the most accomplished runner in the field on dirt, having won the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes over 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct last November and finished second to Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in May.

Aheadbyacentury, by Midnight Lute
Last 3 Beyers: 87-77-74

◗ His connections will be looking to win the Prince of Wales for the second year in a row. His outside draw and the short field should keep him out of trouble.

Cooler Mike, by Giant Gizmo
Last 3 Beyers: 83-80-86

◗ He was forwardly placed in the Queen’s Plate and wound up third, and he should be forwardly placed again in the Prince of Wales. He went gate to wire to win an allowance race over 1 1/16 miles two starts back May 20 at Woodbine.

Home Base, by Street Sense
Last 3 Beyers: 58-92-76

◗ He’s one of two horses supplemented to this race and is one of two horses in the field with racing experience on dirt. He bobbled at the start in his graded stakes debut in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes on June 16 at Churchill Downs but ran a strong 92 Beyer Speed Figure over seven furlongs to win his maiden two starts back on May 26 at Churchill.

Absolution, by Singing Saint
Last 3 Beyers: 72-72-54

◗ A slow pace made life difficult for this closer in the Plate Trial on June 9, when he wound up sixth. He closed into a quick pace to win an allowance in his 3-year-old debut May 16 at Woodbine and will be hoping for swift fractions in the Prince of Wales.

Eskiminzin, by Cold Harbor
Last 3 Beyers: 71-69-54

◗ He’s the second horse supplemented and will stretch out off his win in the Bold Ruckus Stakes over six furlongs on yielding turf June 24 at Woodbine. He did work well over the dirt training track at Woodbine last Wednesday but would need a significant speed-figure improvement to spring the upset.