Selections for 157th running of the Queen’s Plate

Woodbine1

Eurico Rosa Da Silva is the current leading jockey at Woodbine this meet, and he’s quite possibly sitting on a double-digit odds longshot winner in 3-All On Red in the 157th running of the Queen’s Plate today.

Leading Woodbine in both number of victories, as well as purse money, Da Silva has teamed with All On Red’s trainer Sid Attard to win twice and hit the board a total of seven times in eleven tries this year.

Thirteen entries (nine colts, three geldings and the filly Gamble’s Ghost) are set to traverse a mile and a quarter in the $1,000,000 Queen’s Plate.

The pace sets up to be contentious, as most entries have early speed. This makes it a jockeys race. I’m sticking with All On Red, who is 12-1 on the morning line. None of the runners have tried the ten-furlong distance, but the son of Hard Spun finished second by a neck at 1 1/16 miles last time out in an allowance race at Woodbine.

Tom Proctor’s 11-Esposito, 8-1 on the morning line, won a $75K optional claiming race (at seven furlongs) last out and finished third in a sloppy edition of the Springboard Mile Stakes, finishing behind Discreetness and Suddenbreakingnews two back.

Proctor will have Alan Garcia in the irons again and I’ll keep Esposito in the mix for the exotics.

The filly, 13-Gamble’s Ghost, like Esposito, was sired by Breeders’ Cup Classic champion Ghostzapper, so the distance of the Queen’s Plate shouldn’t pose a problem. Gamble’s Ghost’s biggest obstacle may be getting off to a good start from the far outside post.

Trained by Josie Carroll (who is winning at 19 percent clip at Woodbine and 20 percent overall this year), is 6-1 on the morning line and will have Woodbine stalwart Patrick Husbands aboard.

I suggest playing All On Red on top, keying him over Esposito and Gamble’s Ghost in exactas. Also play a 3, 11, 13 trifecta box.

Other horses to consider in the bottom half of exotics include 10-Amis Gimo and 4-Leavem in Malibu.

$100,000 guaranteed $0.20 pick-5 (starting in race 6)

RACE 6: 1-Conquest Enforcer (single).
RACE 7: 1-Niigon’s Turn, 1A-Nipigon, 4-Macho Brew.
RACE 8: 1-Aldous Snow, 2-Danish Dynaformer.
RACE 9: ALL (11 horses).
RACE 10: 3-All On Red, 11-Esposito, 13-Gamble’s Ghost.

TOTAL TICKET PRICE: $26.40

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily state or reflect those of US Racing.