TORONTO, August 23, 2024 – Caitilinhergrtness, the lone filly in the 165th running of The King’s Plate, collared mutuel choice My Boy Prince late to win a thrilling renewal of the $1 million Canadian classic, Friday afternoon at Woodbine.
Last time out, Caitlinhergrtness, named after female basketball star Caitlin Clark, settled for second place, a neck back of the winner, in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.
On this day, the Kevin Attard trainee went one better to earn her first stakes triumph in style, courtesy of an outstanding performance in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Originally scheduled for August 17, torrential rains had prompted the postponement of the Plate until today.
A compelling finish under perfect conditions made it well worth the wait.
Essex Serpent and stablemate My Boy Prince, the latter sent off as the 3-5 choice, were one-two past the wire the first time, as Rafael Hernandez, aboard Caitlinhergrtness, settled the filly into fifth.
On top by a length through an opening quarter in :23.74, Essex Serpent was closely shadowed by multiple stakes winner My Boy Prince, followed by No More Options and Rafaroo.
Essex Serpent maintained a length advantage over My Boy Prince through a half in :47.23, as Caitlinhergrtness tracked to the outside in fourth.
Heading into the turn for home, Sahin Civaci gave My Boy Prince his cue and the duo accelerated away from the pack, but Caitlinhergrtness picked up the pursuit, setting the stage for a dramatic duel to the wire.
A half-length behind My Boy Prince at the stretch call, Caitlinhergrtness kept coming and was able to get by to notch a three-quarter length win. Midnight Mascot rallied from well back to finish third. Pierre, also trained by Attard, was fourth and Jokestar, another Attard pupil, was fifth. Bedard, also conditioned by Attard, was scratched.
The final time for the mile and a quarter on the all-weather was 2:03.45.
Hernandez, who teamed with Attard to win the 2022 Plate with star filly Moira, was elated to win his third (he also won with Shaman Ghost in 2015) “Gallop for the Guineas.”
“She was hot, but she was getting on the bridle a little bit,” said Hernandez. “She gave me everything. I was covering all the time, all the time, and when I pulled the trigger, she just gave me everything.”
As for the moment he knew he had it won, Hernandez quipped, “When I crossed the wire.”
Attard, who trains the daughter of Omaha Beach–Belatrix for owners Siena Farm LLC and Winstar Farm LLC, heaped praise on the chestnut who was supplemented into the Plate.
“She’s obviously all class and all racehorse. She’s handled everything really well. She’s withstanding everything we’ve thrown at her. I was happy with where he [Hernandez] positioned her the whole way around there and at the quarter pole, I thought we had a shot.
“She gave it all she had,” continued Attard. “My Boy Prince, kudos to him. He put in a gallant effort today. You know, he was a little suspect by a lot of people going this far, but he just proved what kind of class horse he is. I think our filly’s pretty special, and it took everything she had to run him down, and she’s the champ.”
Bred by Jesse Korona, Caitlinhergrtness launched her career in the U.S., where she made four starts. After a third at Saratoga in her debut, she broke her maiden next time out at Belmont. She closed out her 2-year-old campaign with a fourth in the Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct and opened her 3-year-old season with a fourth at Gulfstream before bringing her talents north to Woodbine.
She returned $20.70 for the win.
The $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, a 1 3/16-mile race over Fort Erie’s dirt oval on September 10, is the next race in the tri-surface OLG Canadian Triple Crown series, which concludes with the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes at 1 ½ miles over Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor Turf Course on September 29.
Wando, in 2003, was the last horse to sweep the series.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
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