Wonder Gadot, Telekinesis prep for Woodbine Oaks, Plate Trial

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The final local preps for the 159th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate on June 30 are Saturday at Woodbine, and the contenders for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks and $125,000 Plate Trial Stakes are putting in final preparations.

In addition to the Oaks and the Plate Trial, Woodbine’s condition book for Saturday also features two allowance races that could attract several Queen’s Plate nominees.

Trainer Mark Casse will send out the likely favorites for both the Oaks and the Plate Trial in Wonder Gadot and Telekinesis. Wonder Gadot will run in the Woodbine Oaks on the strength of a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Telekinesis also comes into the Plate Trial off a runner-up finish, when he was second to My Boy Jack in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes on April 14 at Keeneland.

Both horses put in their final works for their respective engagements on Friday. Wonder Gadot covered four furlongs in 48.40 seconds, while Telekinesis breezed four furlongs in 45.40 under a tight hold from jockey Patrick Husbands.

Five other Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies could make up the Oaks field, pending any supplements. While Wonder Gadot should be heavily favored in the Oaks, she’ll likely get a tough test from Grade 3 Selene Stakes runner-up Dixie Moon. Dixie Moon 2 breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Saturday in her final work ahead of the Oaks.

Other Woodbine Oaks probables include Summer Sunday, Fairy Hill, Queen’s Fate, and Hot Cash.

Summer Sunday, unbeaten in four starts on Woodbine’s Tapeta, will put her streak on the line in the Oaks when she makes her first start around two turns. The Fury Stakes winner breezed six furlongs in 1:14.20 for trainer Stuart Simon last Thursday.

Fairy Hill was a three-length winner of an allowance over 1 1/16 miles in her most recent start and breezed four furlongs in 47.20 for Woodbine’s leading trainer, Norm McKnight.

Queen’s Fate was second behind Dixie Moon in last season’s Ontario Lassie Stakes, but finished fifth in her most recent start in the Fury Stakes on April 29. She breezed four furlongs in 46.60 on Sunday.

Hot Cash will be looking for her first win in the Oaks and breezed seven furlongs Saturday at Woodbine in 1:27.20 for trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who will be looking to win the Woodbine Oaks for the second year in a row for owner Stronach Stables.

As many as nine could run in the Plate Trial. Joining Telekinesis among the Plate Trial probables are Queenston Stakes winner Silent Sting, Wando Stakes winner Inge, and Grade 3 Marine Stakes third-place finisher Aheadbyacentury. Rose’s Vision also exits the Marine after finishing sixth in his first start on Woodbine’s Tapeta.

Also slated to run in the Plate Trial is Boyhood Dream for trainer Michael Maker. Absolution and Scrapper are both nominated to the Plate Trial, but also are eligible to run in two allowance races that could be carded for Saturday. Silent Poet, who has won back-to-back starts to begin his 2018 campaign, could be supplemented.