On paper, it appeared that Paramount Prince (Society's Chairman) had many things going for him heading into the 164th King's Plate at Woodbine. Trained by Mark Casse, who is one of only a handful of individuals who has been honored by both the U.S. and Canadian Hall of Fames, the chestnut was benefitting from the services of another Canadian stalwart in Patrick Husbands. Not to mention he is owned by Michael Langlois and Gary Barber, the latter well-known for having campaigned the likes of a trio of Classic winners–2019 Preakness hero War of Will, in addition to a pair of Queen's Plate scorers–Lexi Lou (2014) and Wonder Gadot (2018). However, despite the super-stacked street cred, the gelding was given only tepid support at 8-1 to give Casse his third victory in the oldest continuously run race in North America.
As expected, taking much of the pre-race play in the 17-horse field was GSW Kalik (Collected), trained by four-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown. Installed the 4-1 favorite, the colt weighed in slightly ahead of third betting choice Stanley House (Army Mule). While Paramount Prince seemed to take in all the hubbub that goes hand-in-hand with the big race days, Kalik bypassed the indoor enclosure entirely and set up shop in the outside ring early, proceeding to work up a fierce sweat by the time the field made their way out to the track.
Still giving the gate crew all they could handle in the moments right before the break, the favorite wasn't in much of a hurry at the start, stationing himself toward the back early as his counterpoint, Paramount Prince, bounced to the front with relative ease. Carving out a quarter mile in :23 1/5 as longshots Velocitor (Mor Spirit) and Silent Miracle (Silent Name), followed by Casse's other runner–the filly Elysian Field–were within striking distance, the gelding continued to show the way following an honest but comfortable half-mile in :47.41. Still zipping along in front as the Woodbine Oaks winner started to turn the screws on Velocitor up the inside through three quarters in 1:11.81, Paramount Prince was given his cue from Husbands at the quarter pole, as his nearest pursuers were also set down for the final push. Given several right-handed reminders late just to remain on task, the gelding had enough left in the tank to score by 1 1/2 lengths over Elysian Field, co-owned by Barber and Team Valor International. Stanley House rallied from far back early to round out the triactor, while Velocitor came home fourth, seven lengths behind the winner. Favored Kalik never got into the mix of things, finishing 13th.
Sunday's King's Plate card yielded record handle of $18,127,726, up from the previous record of $18,005,973 generated in 2019.
“I didn't want to change anything that was already working,” offered Husbands when asked whether his instructions were to get to the front early. “But he left there running and he just did his own thing.”
Husbands also was winning his third Plate, following a score with ultimate Triple Crown winner Wando and Lexi Lou, for Casse and Barber.
He added, “I knew the first time around, that it was going to take a good horse to beat him.”
“At the end of the day, you've got to let the horses talk and don't get too cocky. I had a clean break, I let him do what he likes to do best, and he just enjoyed the running. I asked him to get over on his right lead and he was just gone. He just glides over the ground.”
Casse explained, “He often wins the race at the start. He just breaks so fast. And there was a lot of speed. He's so quick from the gate and that's where he won it. He outbroke them and I knew when he went by us the first time he was traveling well.”
“I was with Gary Barber, and we saw the half in :47 and I said, 'That's not too bad.' And that Elysian Fields, she's just so tough, she came up. But it was a dream come true.”
Bred in Ontario by Ericka Rusnak, Paramount Prince was the first horse bought at auction by Langlois and his wife Charmaine, who made the purchase through then-trainer Jamie Attard. For Attard, Paramount Prince won when getting thrown in against $40,000 maidens going six panels over Woodbine's Tapeta surface last November. Barber bought into the Ontario-bred following his first start, however, left him with Attard for the remainder of his 2022 campaign. Sent to Casse following a third facing Ontario-breds in the Clarendon S. in December, Paramount Prince kicked off 2023 with a second to One Bay Hemmingway (Danger Bay)–who returned to win the following month–in a six-furlong optional claiming event Apr. 30.
Stepping back into stakes company for his next start, he was runner-up behind Kaukokaipuu (Mr Speaker) in Woodbine's seven-furlong Queenston S. June 11, but seemed to relish the added yardage, winning by five lengths at odds of 11-1 in his latest start in the Plate Trial S. July 23.
The gelding came into the Plate looking to become the first horse since Big Red Mike (2010) to notch the Trial-Plate double. Not Bourbon, in 2008, and Eye of the Leopard, in 2009, also recorded the double.
“When he came to us in Ocala, he was a different horse. We were shocked he was getting beat the first couple of times,” recalled Casse. “I think the key to that is he just doesn't want to run short. And he just wants to use his speed.”
Pedigree Notes:
With the victory, Paramount Prince becomes the ninth black-type winner for his sire, Society's Chariman. The King's Plate winner is out of SP Platinum Steel, a daughter of stakes winner Crafty Toast and a half-sister to GI Carter winner and Hill 'n' Dale stallion Army Mule (Friesan Fire).
Sunday, Woodbine
KING'S PLATE S., C$1,004,500, Woodbine, 8-20, (C), 3yo, 1 1/4m (AWT), 2:01.93, ft.
1–PARAMOUNT PRINCE, 126, g, 3, by Society's Chairman
1st Dam: Platinum Steel (SP, $171,013), by Eddington
2nd Dam: Crafty Toast, by Crafty Prospector
3rd Dam: Give a Toast, by Storm Bird
(C$21,000 Ylg '21 CANSEP). O-Michael J. Langlois and Gary
Barber; B-Ericka Nadine Rusnak (ON); T-Mark E. Casse;
J-Patrick Husbands. C$600,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-1,
$580,871.
2–Elysian Field, 121, f, 3, Hard Spun–Elysian, by Smart Strike.
($50,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $70,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-Team
Valor International and Gary Barber; B-Anderson Farms Ont.
Inc. (ON); T-Mark E. Casse. C$200,000.
3–Stanley House, 126, c, 3, Army Mule–Stormy's Song, by
Unbridled's Song. ($80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 RNA Ylg
'21 FTKJUL; $120,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-John E. and Diana L. Russell; B-Elevage II, LLC & St. Elias
Stables LLC (ON); T-Michael P. De Paulo. C$100,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1HF, 4. Odds: 8.00, 4.60, 4.40.
Also Ran: Velocitor, Touch'n Ride, Enjoythesilent, Cool Kiss, Twin City, Philip My Dear, Moon Landing, Wickenheiser, Twowaycrossing, Kalik, Morstachy's, Kaukokaipuu, Silent Miracle, Midnight in Malibu. Scratched: El Cohete, Runaway Charlie.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Michael J. Langlois and Gary Barber; B-Ericka Nadine Rusnak; T-Mark Casse.
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