Tuesday, July 25 The Second Jewel in Canada’s Triple Crown www.forterieracing.com @FortErieRacing @FortErieRacing @FortErieRaceTrack Antonietta Culic Media & Communications Cell: 289-321-2179 Office:1-800-295-3770 ext.3209 [email protected] #Wales82 How The Plate was Won Courtesy of WEG/michael burns photography Holy Helena trounces males in 158th Queen’s Plate TORONTO, July 2 - Holy Helena, an impressive winner of the 1 1/8 mile Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, in just her third career start, was even better when facing males for the first time in Sunday’s $1-million Queen’s Plate. The 158th running of the 1 1/4-mile Queen’s Plate, North America’s oldest annually run stakes race, lured a field of 13 Canadian-bred 3-year-olds vying for shares of the $1 million pot. Luis Contreras had picked up the mount on Stronach Stable’s Holy Helena for the first time in the Woodbine Oaks, which she won by one length. In the Queen’s Plate, her margin of victory was 3 ½ lengths. “I was very confident today after winning the Oaks, and last Monday I breezed her on the surface and she did it pretty easy,” said Contreras, who won his second Queen’s Plate, the first coming with the filly Inglorious in 2011. As expected, State of Honor had made the early pace in the Queen’s Plate through a quarter in :24.17, half in :48.67, and six furlongs in 1:13.23. Megagray, who had stalked the front-runner from second place in his first start with blinkers, poked his head in front in early stretch and led by that margin with the mile going in 1:37.64. Holy Helena, who was the 2-1 favourite, had moved into third heading around the far turn and had dead aim on the leaders. “I got a dream trip, really,” said Contreras. “She broke really good. She gave me a lot of time to see the horses outside of me, what they are going to do, what they are trying to do. She was so nice and relaxed behind those horses and I had a lot of horse at the 3/8th (pole), so I took a look back to see where everybody was. I waited for the [final] quarter pole to run.” Tiz a Slam, who was looking to give trainer Roger Attfield his record Queen’s Plate win and break a deadlock with Harry Giddings Jr., closed stoutly from midpack and finished second, 1 ¾ lengths before the third finisher. “I could not be more happy,” said Tiz a Slam’s rider Eurico Rosa Da Silva. Inflexibility, who finished third in the Woodbine Oaks, replicated that placing for trainer Chad Brown as the only other filly in the Queen’s Plate field under jockey Javier Castellano. “It was good,” said Castellano, who had placed Inflexibility within striking distance and finished well in the latter stages. “I wish there was a little more pace in the race to set it up. She fought past the horses despite the slow pace and she still finished really strong.” Channel Maker, the first Queen’s Plate entrant for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, made a run from well off the pace before flattening out to finish fourth, a half-length behind Inflexibility as the 6-1 third choice. Both Megagray and Spirit of Caledon performed above expectations in finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. King and His Court, Canada’s champion 2-year-old male, never entered serious contention and ended seventh with State of Honor, his Mark Casse-trained barnmate, eighth. Aurora Way, bet down to 5-1 second favourite despite having only one maiden victory under his belt, was prominent early but weakened to finish ninth. Completing the order of finish were Plate Trial winner Guy Caballero, Malibu Secret, Watch Me Strut, and Vaughan. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who was being represented by his first Queen’s Plate entrant, was at Belmont on Sunday and racing manager Mike Doyle spoke for the Stronach Stable outfit. “She arrived in fantastic shape and maintained it the whole way through,” said Doyle, who also trains a string of his own here at Woodbine. Jimmy (Jerkens) and I, and the whole team here, we’re in touch every day. “I think she could be very good. What she did there today, with so much ease, was incredible," said Doyle. "She ran faster than the Dominion Day yesterday won by a good horse who has been around for a little while (Melmich). I'd say she could be very special.” In winning the Queen’s Plate, Holy Helena became the eighth filly to complete the Oaks-Plate double since Woodbine opened its gates in 1956. The Queen’s Plate win was the fourth as owner/breeder for Team Stronach, their latest success coming with Shaman Ghost in 2015. “I think she is a very good horse,” said Stronach, of Holy Helena. “I put a lot of effort in, a lot of time in and naturally I can put all the money in and do everything great, but you still need some luck.” The 13-race Queen's Plate card produced a record handle of $13,560,678 eclipsing the $11,839,883 number of a year ago. Holy Helena returned $6.30, $4.10 and $3.10 and topped a 3-12 exacta with Tiz a Slam ($7.20, $5.10) worth $59.90. The 3-12-5 trifecta with Inflexibility ($4.90) paid $361.90 and the 3-12-5-1 superfecta ending with Channel Maker was worth $822.15 for $1. Source: queensplate.com THE HISTORY Since 1959, The Prince of Wales Stakes has been Fort Erie’s premier race. The second jewel in Canada’s Triple Crown of Racing, the Prince of Wales is a glowing centrepiece to The Queen’s Plate and The Breeders’ Stakes, both of which are contested at Woodbine. The Prince of Wales Stakes features Canada’s top three-year-olds at a distance of one mile and three-sixteenths on the main track. The 2002 edition boasted a record purse of $500,000 as Fort Erie based runner Le Cinquieme Essai thrilled the hometown fans with an upset victory. The following season saw Wando capture the half-million dollar event over a muddy main track, en route to his Triple Crown title. Many past Canadian champions have performed at Fort Erie in the classic event. Mr. E.P. Talor`s New Providence won the rst running at Fort Erie in 1959. That year The Canadian Triple Crown was introduced and New Providence won the inaugural series. Four years later, Canebora was hailed a Triple Crown champion. Canebora was also a product of Mr.Taylor`s Windelds Farm. Twenty-six years passed before another Triple Crown champion emerged. Kinghaven Farms’ brilliant grey, With Approval, survived two photo-nishes to win the plate, then The Prince of Wales, before he cake-walked to victory in The Breeders’ Stakes. Triple Crown winners came in quick succession after With Approval ended the drought. In 1990, another grey from Kinghaven Farms, Izvestia was named the top three-year-old in the country winning the three race series. The most popular winner of The Prince of Wales waltzed to victory in 1991. Super lly Dance Smartly `kicked sand at the boys`as she became the rst and only lady to win the Canadian Triple Crown. In 1993, the immensely talented Peteski peaked in all three races, followed by Wando’s sweep in 2003. #Wales82 PRINCE OF WALES CHAMPIONS 1929 Lion Hearted 1973 Tara Road 1930 Spearhead 1974 Rushtons Corsair 1931 not run 1975 LEnjoleur 1932 Queensway 1933 Syngo 1977 Dance In Time 1934 not run 1978 Overskate 1935 not run 1979 Mass Rally 1936 Samoan 1980 Allan Blue 1937 Cease Fire 1981 Cadet Corps 1938 not run 1982 Runaway Groom 1939 Archworth 1983 Archdeacon 1940 Hood 1984 Val Dansant 1941 not run 1985 Imperial Choice 1942 Ten to Ace 1986 Golden Choice 1943 not run 1987 Coryphee 1944 Ompalo 1988 Regal Classic 1945 Uttermost 1989 With Approval 1946 not run 1990 Izvestia 1947 Burboy 1991 Dance Smartly 1948 Lord Fairmond 1992 Benburb 1949 Victory Arch 1993 Peteski 1950 Nephisto 1994 Bruces Mill 1951 Major Factor 1995 Kiridashi 1952 Acadian 1996 Stephanotis 1953 Chain Reaction 1997 Cryptocloser 1954 Queens Own 1998 Archers Bay 1955 Ace Marine 1999 Gandria 1956 Canadian Champ 2000 Scatter the Gold 1957 Our Sirdar 2001 Win City 1958 White Apache 2002 Le Cinquieme Essai 1959 New Providence 2003 Wando 1960 Bulpamiru 2004 Bit O’Gold 1961 Song of Even 2005 Ablo 1962 King Gorm 2006 Shillelagh Slew 1963 Canebora 2007 Alezzandro 1964 Canadillis 2008 Harlem Rocker 1965 Good Ole Mort 2009 Gallant 1966 Hes A Smoothie 2010 Golden Moka 1967 Battling 2011 Pender Harbour 1968 Rouletabille 2012 Dixie Strike 1969 Sharp-Eyed Quillo 2013 Uncaptured 1970 Almoner 2014 Coltimus Prime 1971 New Pro Escar 2015 Breaking Lucky 1972 Presidial 2016 Amis Gizmo #Wales82 PRINCE OF WALES QUICK FACTS LARGEST FIELD (14) 1973 - TARAS ROAD LOWEST MUTUEL PAYOFF 1990 $2.10 - IZVESTIA LARGEST MUTUEL PAYOFF 1987 - $112.80 - CORYPHEE SLOWEST RUNNING 1988 - 2:00 1/5 - REGAL CLASSIC (at 1-3/16 miles, main track) FASTEST RUNNING 1994 - 1:53 4/5 - BRUCES MILL (at 1-3/16th miles, main track) MOST WINS BY A JOCKEY 5 - HUGO DITTFACH 1967 - BATTLING 1966 - HES A SMOOTHIE 1963 - CANEBORA 1962 - KING GORM 1960 - BULPAMIRU 4 - SANDY HAWLEY 1988 - REGAL CLASSIC 1975 - LENJOLEUR 1973 - TARA ROAD 1970 - ALMONER 3 - ROBIN PLATTS 1982 - RUNAWAY GROOM 1981 - CADET CORPS 1978 - OVERSKATE MOST WINS BY A BREEDER: E.P.