Tag: Kevin Attard

No Safe Conduct, But Eight Sophomores Entered For Second Leg Of Canadian Triple Crown

A competitive field of eight horses will take part in the 86th running of the Prince of Wales Stakes, the 2nd jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown (CTC).

Six of those contenders are coming off varied performances in the Queen's Plate. The 2021 Queen's Plate winner Safe Conduct will by-pass the Prince of Wales, but H C Holiday who placed third in the Plate will be looking to improve on his performance going 1 3/16-miles over the border oval's dirt course on Tuesday, September 14.

Trained by Kevin Attard, the dark bay colt is the son of Ami's Holiday. A graded stakes winner, Ami's Holiday was a runner-up in the 2014 Queen's Plate and finished third in the 2014 Prince of Wales Stakes. He went onto capture the third jewel of the CTC, the Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine. His leading progeny, H C Holiday put in his final work over the Fort's dirt course earlier this week. His conditioner is pleased with his training heading into next week's race.

“He's trained really well. He came out of the race (Queen's Plate) in great shape. I thought he looked really good on the dirt training track at Woodbine. We brought him on Tuesday (to the Fort) as well and he went (1:01:20) by himself and seemed to be striding out really nice. He looked pretty smooth going over Fort Erie's course. Obviously if he runs back to that kind of race like last time in the Plate, he will be tough to beat.”

Owned by Ivan Dalos, H C Holiday will be ridden by Luis Contreras. Contreras has piloted several horses to victory in the Prince of Wales, including Pender Harbour (2011), Amis Gizmo (2016), and Cool Catomine (2017).

Attard will also saddle Harlan Estate (seventh in the Plate) and Haddassah (eighth in the Plate). Both horses have worked well heading into next week's race. Attard was impressed with Harlan Estate's work over the dirt earlier this week at the Fort.

“I was most surprised with him. He worked really well. He hasn't been that great of a work horse, so he looked pretty comfortable. He went 59 and change. I'm kind of pumped about his chances. In my mind after watching him work I think his chances have increased. He came out of the work in good shape as well and he's a horse that kind of plods along. He will need a good trip and he can't afford to get stopped midway,” said Attard.

Meanwhile fifth-placed Plate finisher, Keep Grinding will continue the grind heading into the second jewel of the CTC. Trained by Tino Attard for Kevin's son, Joshua Attard, the bay colt posted his final work at the Fort, in company with Harlan Estate going (:59:40) over the dirt.

Avoman, winner of the 2021 Plate Trial Stakes and the 2020 Bull Page Stakes at Woodbine is looking to step up his game after a sixth-place finish in the Plate. The bay gelding will be sent out by conditioner, Donald MacRae and ridden by Antonio Gallardo.

The lone filly taking on the boys this year will by Mark Casse's trainee, Curlin's Catch. The daughter of Curlin is coming off a fifth-placed finished in the Woodbine Oaks. She will be guided by veteran rider, Patrick Husbands. Back in 2018, Husbands clinched the Queen's Plate and the Prince of Wales with a filly named Wonder Gadot, trained by Mark Casse as well.

Looking to make waves in the Prince of Wales is Gail Cox's trainee, Tidal Forces. Owned by Sam-Son farm, the son of Malibu Moon finished ninth in the Plate. Woodbine-based jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson retains the mount and will pilot the bay colt around the border oval.

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Ready At Dawn, conditioned by Daryl Ezra for Double Blooded Stables, is the Fort-Erie based trainee. The son of More Than Ready will be the race longshot at 30-1. The bay gelding won his last start at the Fort on August 9 going seven furlongs over the turf course. The Prince of Wales Stakes, contested over the turf course, going 1 3/16-miles (nine and a half furlongs) will require the bay gelding to stretch out in distance over a different surface. His conditioner is tapping into the family lineage in order to capture the stakes race.

“I'm relying on his pedigree. His great grandmother Dance Smartly won the Canadian Triple Crown including the mile and a half Breeders' Stakes and his grandmother Dancethruthedawn won a multitude of stakes – the Oaks, the Queen's Plate. The pedigree says distance so I'm going to rely on that to get us through it.”

Despite being the longshot, Ezra feels very confident about Ready At Dawn's chances.

“I've done every job imaginable back here (at Fort Erie Race Track), from charting, announcing, and training. I've seen a lot of races. We are 30-1 in the morning line, but we are as good as anything in there.”

The $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes is the middle jewel in the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, for three-year-olds foaled in Canada, running 1 3/16-miles over the border oval's dirt surface. First race post time on Tuesday, September 14 is 1 p.m., with the Prince of Wales race scheduled for approximately 5:35 p.m. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Fort Erie Race Track is open to a limited number of spectators. Those watching from home can tune into the Canadian Triple Crown Broadcast beginning at 5:00 p.m. on TSN Channels 1 and 3, sponsored by OLG.

For more information, please visit forterieracing.com

$400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown

POST – Horse – Jockey – Trainer – (morning line odds)

  1. Avoman –Antonio Gallardo – Donald MacRae – (7-2)
  2. Tidal Forces – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Gail Cox – (15-1)
  3. Curlin's Catch – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse – (9-2)
  4. Haddassah – Gary Boulanger – Kevin Attard – (12-1)
  5. H C Holiday – Luis Contreras – Kevin Attard – (5-2)
  6. Ready At Dawn – MarkLee Buchanan – Daryl Ezra – (30-1)
  7. Harlan Estate – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard – (6-1)
  8. Keep Grinding – Rafael Hernandez – Tino Attard – (3-1)

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Munnyfor Ro Takes on the Boys in Queen’s Plate

Munnyfor Ro (Munnings) looks to become the fifth filly in the last 10 years to beat the boys in Woodbine's most prestigious race, the $1-million Queen's Plate S. for Ontario-breds. Breaking her maiden on the grass while part of the Brian Lynch's shedrow this spring, the chestnut was third in a turfy allowance at Churchill May 8 and was sixth in the GIII Regret S. three weeks later. Sent back to Kevin Attard, she checked in second on the local synthetic in the GIII Selene S. and followed that with a late-closing victory in the Woodbine Oaks Aug. 1. Four of the last five fillies to win the Queen's Plate entered off a win in the Woodbine Oaks and the fifth, Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro), was runner-up in that event.

The top male contender is Joshua Attard's Keep Grinding (Tizway). Graduating at third asking in November, the dark bay was third behind Tidal Forces (Malibu Moon) and Harlan Estate (Kantharos) in a local optional claimer June 19. He was second next out in the GIII Marine S. at this venue July 11, in which Haddassah (Air Force Blue) finished third. Tidal Forces was fifth next out in the Marine, meanwhile Harlan Estate returned to win a nine-panel event here July 16, besting Dance Some Mo (Uncle Mo) by a nose.

Avoman (Old Forester) broke his maiden at second asking in the Ontario-bred Bull Page S. on the local lawn in September. Off the board in the state-bred Frost King S. sprinting on the synthetic in November, the gelding was third when trying two turns in an optional claimer here July 3. He won the local prep for this event, the nine-panel Plate Trial S. for Ontario-breds Aug. 1.

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Keep Grinding Named 4-1 Morning-Line Favorite In Wide Open Queen’s Plate

Thirteen hopefuls, including four Kevin Attard trainees, will vie for top prize in the $1 million Queen's Plate, first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, highlighting a stakes-laden, entertainment-filled Sunday card of racing at Woodbine.

The 162nd edition of the Queen's Plate, North America's oldest continually run race, contested at 1 ¼ miles on the Woodbine Tapeta, is the curtain raiser for the tri-surface series for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

Wando, bred and owned by the late Gustav Schickedanz, was the last horse to accomplish the feat, in 2003, while becoming the seventh to record the unique triple. The $400,000 Prince of Wales, run at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Fort Erie on Sept. 14, is the second leg. The $400,000 Breeders' Stakes, at 1 ½-miles over the world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course at Woodbine on Oct. 3, concludes the series.

The Queen's Plate breakfast festivities, hosted by Jason Portuondo, included an appearance from Kayla Sanchez, Canadian Olympic medalist, remarks from Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, and comments from the connections of horses running in Sunday's race.

The double-draw format was in place for the post-position draw, with the order of selection first established and the connections then choosing their post positions. The connections of Riptide Rock selected first and chose post seven.

This year's running of the Queen's Plate will showcase a mix of stakes champions, stars on the rise, and live longshots. Fillies will carry 123 pounds, while all other starters carry 126 pounds.

Trainer Kevin Attard, seeking his first Plate triumph, will be represented by four starters, including Munnyfor Ro, winner of the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, on Aug. 1.

To be ridden by Justin Stein for owner Raroma Stable, the daughter of Munnings will look to follow in the hoofsteps of other fillies who have notched the Oaks-Plate double, a list that includes Inglorious (2011), Lexie Lou (2014) and Holy Helena (2017).

Munnyfor Ro, sporting a 2-2-2 mark in nine starts, is in good order heading into the race.

“She's here and we're excited,” said Attard. “We waited to see how she came out of the race [Woodbine Oaks]. She seemed to handle the race really well in the Oaks. She had a good work in the interim and she's been doing really well. She's in the feed tub and it seems like she's ready to fire again.”

Attard's three other hopefuls come in the form of Haddassah, Harlan Estate and H C Holiday.

Haddassah, to be ridden by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Gary Boulanger, who won the 2001 Queen's Plate with Dancethruthedawn, is owned by Al & Bill Ulwelling.

“He's indicated to me that he should [get the distance],” said Attard. “Obviously, we're hoping to get him relaxed early and I think that will be the key.”

Owned by ERJ Racing (NHL defenceman Erik Johnson), Exline-Border Racing, Madaket Stables and Clay Scherer, Harlan Estate began his career in California before making the trek north to Woodbine. The son of Kantharos will have Kazushi Kimura – Woodbine's leading rider in 2021 – in the irons.

“He's named after my favorite wine in Napa (Harlan Estate),” Johnson told Woodbine's Communications Office. “His sire is Kantharos, which in Greek, was a cup used to hold wine. So, that's the tie-in there.

“He is out of an Arch mare, which is a big stamina influence in his pedigree. He is training very well and we are excited to see him run in Canada's biggest race.”

H C Holiday, a son of Ami's Holiday, will look to deliver Ivan Dalos, one of Canada's most successful owners and breeders, with his first Queen's Plate crown. Luis Contreras, the first rider to win all three Canadian Triple Crown races with different horses, gets the call on Sunday.

“We're pretty excited,” said Colleen Dalos, of Tall Oaks Farm. “My father has been in the business over 40 years, as everybody knows, and I think we've had four shots at this Plate. We've hit the board three times, we have three seconds, this is what we covet, everybody wants to win on their home turf and their home ground. It means everything to us to win a Plate.

“What's also exciting is this is the son of Ami's Holiday, who came second in the Plate and hit the board across the Triple Crown. So it's exciting for us to see our homebreds and the horses that we breed. This is four generations of Tall Oaks Farm breeding that has gone into this horse so we're so excited for H C Holiday.”

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There are plenty of other intriguing Attard storylines in this year's Plate running.

Kevin's father, veteran trainer Tino Attard, will send out Keep Grinding, a dark bay son of Tizway who is 1-1-1 from five starts. Kevin's teenage son Joshua owns the colt.

“I am very excited and it's also very nerve wracking, that's for sure,” said Joshua Attard. “I know Keep Grinding, he'll show up. He always tries, if you watch all his races, he never gives up and I know on Sunday he'll show up.”

Keep Grinding has been installed as the 4-1 morning line favorite.

Hall of Fame conditioner Sid Attard, seeking his first Plate victory, rests his hopes on Stronach Stables' homebred Riptide Rock, a chestnut son of Point of Entry. The gelding won his most recent start on July 16 at Woodbine.

Avoman, trained by Don MacRae, who co-owns with La Huerta Inc. (Jim and Graeme Bruce), arrives at the Plate off a win in the Plate Trial Stakes. Antonio Gallardo, who moved his tack to Woodbine in July, will be aboard again on Sunday.

Dance Some Mo is one (Tidal Forces is the other) of two Sam-Son Farm silk bearers contesting this year's “Gallop for the Guineas.” Trained by Graham Motion, the son of Uncle Mo will be making his stakes debut in the Plate. Patrick Husbands, who guided Wando to Canadian Triple Crown glory in 2003, gets the call again.

Trained by Carlos Grant for owners Fieldstone Farms Inc. & Jecara Farms Corp., Derzkii, third in the Plate Trial, sports a record of 2-2-2 from nine starts. Jason Hoyte will be aboard the son of Frac Daddy.

Owner-breeder Garland Williamson's Go Take Charge will look to break his maiden in the Plate. Trained by Breeda Hayes, the son of Will Take Charge arrives at the $1 million event off a second-place finish on July 24 at Woodbine.

Champion jockey Irad Ortiz will guide Phillip Serpe trainee Safe Conduct on Sunday. The bay son of Bodemeister, owned by WellSpring Stables, will be making his first appearance in Canada, having contested his past three races at Belmont, which includes a win on May 2.

Anderson Farms Ontario Inc., William Carr, Donald Ferguson will take their shot at a Plate win with Take a Chance, a bay son of Munnings who won his most recent start, the victory coming on July 11 at the Toronto oval. Keveh Nicholls will ride.

The tandem of trainer Gail Cox and owner Sam-Son Farm, who teamed with El Tormenta to win the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile in 2019, will look for another big win, this time with Tidal Forces. The son of Malibu Moon will have champion rider Emma-Jayne Wilson aboard.

Sunday's card also features a trio of star-stacked graded stakes action, the Grade 1 Highlander, Grade 2 Dance Smartly and Grade 3 Ontario Colleen.

First race post time for Sunday is 12:25 p.m. (ET), with the featured Queen's Plate scheduled as Race 10 (5:42 p.m.). The national Plate broadcast will be televised on TSN and CTV starting at 4:30 p.m.

For the latest information, fans can follow @WoodbineTB on both Twitter and Instagram, and visit QueensPlate.com.

FIELD FOR THE QUEEN'S PLATE

Post – Horse – Trainer – Owner – Jockey – Morning Line Odds

1 – SAFE CONDUCT – Phillip Serpe – WellSpring Stables – Irad Ortiz Jr. – 5-1

2 – HARLAN ESTATE – Kevin Attard – ERJ Racing, Ex-Line Border Racing, Madaket Stables, Clay Scherer – Kazushi Kimura – 12-1

3 – HADDASSAH – Kevin Attard – Al & Bill Ulwelling – Gary Boulanger – 10-1

4 – TAKE A CHANCE – Catherine Day Phillips – Anderson Farms Ontario Inc., William Carr, Donald Ferguson – Keveh Nicholls – 20-1

5 – H C HOLIDAY – Kevin Attard – Ivan Dalos – Luis Contreras – 15-1

6 – MUNNY FOR RO – Kevin Attard – Raroma Stable – Justin Stein – 9-2

7 – RIPTIDE ROCK – Sid Attard – Stronach Stables – David Moran – 6-1

8 – KEEP GRINDING – Tino Attard – Joshua Attard – Rafael Hernandez – 4-1

9 – GO TAKE CHARGE – Breeda Hayes – Hillsbrook Farms – Sahin Civaci – 30-1

10 – DANCE SOME MO – Graham Motion – Sam-Son Farm – Patrick Husbands – 12-1

11 – AVOMAN – Don MacRae – La Huerta Imports & Don MacRae Racing Stable – Antonio Gallardo – 8-1

12 – TIDAL FORCES – Gail Cox – Sam-Son Farm – Emma-Jayne Wilson – 12-1

13 – DERZKII – Carlos Grant – Fieldstone Farms Inc. & Jecara Farms Corp. – Jason Hoyte – 30-1

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The Friday Show Presented By Monmouth Park: Kenny McPeek On Swiss Skydiver

Kenny McPeek admits he's not the most conventional trainer in America. Peter Callahan's multiple Grade  1 winner Swiss Skydiver, who McPeek is sending out against colts for the third time on Saturday in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs. N.Y., is Exhibit A.

“European racing they don't think twice about doing this. In Australia they don't think anything about it,” McPeek said. “American racing tends to 'stay in your lane,' per se. You're not supposed to get out of your lane. Well, I'm not always that. I've been known to do things differently anyways, so what the heck.”

McPeek joins Paulick Report publisher Ray Paulick and bloodstock editor Joe Nevills to talk about the Eclipse Award-winning filly's career and how he decided to run her in the Whitney. He also reveals how he approaches the yearling sales with a limited budget and manages to find some of the hidden gems that have led to his career 100 graded stakes wins.

Paulick and Nevills also review the Woodbine Star of the Week, Munnyfor Ro, winner of the Woodbine Oaks, who poses a serious challenge for the Queen's Plate, a race that fillies have performed very well in over the last 20 years.

Watch this week's show, presented by Monmouth Park, below:

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