Woodbine: Breeders' field not scaring anyone away

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown, Woodbine’s Queen’s Plate and Fort Erie’s Prince of Wales Stakes, are preceded by ceremonial draws and take place amidst much fanfare. But the Breeders’, in a year such as this when there is no possibility of a Canadian Triple Crown winner, is a poor cousin and will simply be part of the regular Thursday afternoon draw at the race office.

The good news is that the Breeders’ is certainly popular enough among the local horsemen who are fortunate enough to have a candidate for the race, and a field of 15 is set to go postward in Sunday’s renewal.

There have been logical winners of the Breeders’ in this decade with favorites Wando, A Bit O’Gold, and Jambalaya high on that list. But the winner’s roll call also includes Miami Deco, who was supplemented to the Breeders’ last year and won at odds of 65-1 while still a maiden and making his turf debut, and Perfect Shower, who was coming off a maiden $25,000 claiming win when taking the 2009 Breeders’ at odds of 46-1.

The only stakes winners in the probable Breeders’ field are Pender Harbour, who captured the Prince of Wales on the dirt but has yet to race on turf; Queen’splatekitten, winner of Woodbine’s 1 1/16-mile Marine on the Polytrack surface; and Celtic Conviction, successful here in last year’s Cup and Saucer over 1 1/16 miles of grass.