Wonder Gadot tops small group expected for Prince of Wales

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A small field could be headed to Fort Erie for the 83rd running of the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on July 24, with five to eight runners likely to face off for the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown over 1 3/16-miles on dirt.

Nominations closed last Tuesday with six horses remaining eligible, pending any supplemental entries. The nominations included the top four finishers from the $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine on June 30: Wonder Gadot, Aheadbyacentury, Cooler Mike, and Strike Me Down.

Wonder Gadot remained at Woodbine following her Queen’s Plate victory, and breezed four furlongs in 48.20 seconds on the main track on Sunday morning for trainer Mark Casse. Jockey John Velazquez, who rode Wonder Gadot in her Queen’s Plate victory and in her runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 4, will make the trip to Fort Erie for the mount, Casse said.

Casse, who will be looking to win the Prince of Wales Stakes for the fourth time, has also nominated Flameaway to the race. Flameaway finished 13th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, and most recently ran sixth in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on June 23.

“Flameaway is still under discussion,” Casse said on Saturday morning. “He’s still up in the air.”

Flameaway breezed four furlongs in 47.93 seconds at Saratoga on Friday morning.

Queen’s Plate runner-up Aheadbyacentury and third-place finisher Cooler Mike will both make the trip to Fort Erie for the Prince of Wales to face Wonder Gadot for the second time.

Aheadbyacentury breezed five furlongs in a minute over Woodbine’s dirt training track on Saturday. He’ll be looking to give trainer John Ross and owner Jack of Hearts Racing their second consecutive Prince of Wales Stakes victory after they won the race last year with Cool Catomine. Jockey Luis Contreras, meanwhile, will be looking for his third consecutive Prince of Wales win.

Cooler Mike breezed four furlongs in 46 seconds on the dirt training track at Woodbine for trainer Nick Nosowenko, who owns the Giant Gizmo gelding with his father, Mike. Cooler Mike will be Nosowenko’s third starter in the Prince of Wales Stakes. He ran Rackman in the race in 2013 and Cut to the Chase in 2015.

Queen’s Plate fourth-place finisher Strike Me Down is trained by Graham Motion and owned Sam-Son Farm. Motion said Sunday that Strike Me Down may not make the trip to Fort Erie from his base at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.

“I’m not totally convinced he’s going to be as effective on the dirt,” he said.

Rounding out the nominees is Absolution for trainer Tony Gattellaro and owner Polo Management Services. Absolution finished sixth in the Plate Trial Stakes at Woodbine on June 9, and breezed five furlongs in 1:03.40 on the dirt training track at Woodbine on July 7.

Fort Erie officials said Sunday they are expecting at least one supplement by the time entries for the race close on Friday.