HEAT ALERT

A field of 9 or 10 looks likely for the QUEEN'S PLATE on June 24. The 2005 edition, won by WILD DESERT had nine starters and that was the smallest field since 1991.
One reader took issue at the mention of 'Queen's Plate week' - a reference simply to the fact that the race will be the focus of news and notes coming from various sources during the week.

Woodbine's morning workouts seminar, featuring some Queen's Plate personalities, is at 8 a.m. on June 23 at the trackside tent.

Tonight on THE SCORE, watch the final 5 Plates as voted by the fans, and vote for your favourite (see yesterdays post for the final 5 listing).

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

The mercury will zoom today but at least the racing at Woodbine will strat this evening allowing horses and humans a bit of a break.

Tonight’s feature is an Ontario-sired stakes race – the BOLD RUCKUS – at 6 furlongs on the grass.

One reader sent a note in about winning an OSS race with a 64 Beyer Figure and while that has occurred, tonight’s event is a good one with stakes winners LEGAL MOVE and SPREAD THE NEWS meeting up with colts who have hit the 80 mark in Beyer Figures – LIMOSANO 4^th to Plate fave JIGGS COZ last time out, CATSIMILE and the red hot RED RAFFLES.

First time starter HERB IS HOME was supplemented to the Bold Ruckus for $2,500.

Speaking of LEGAL MOVE, the colt by Bold Executive is owned by WOODFORD RACING LLC and trained by MARK CASSE and that pair won 2 stakes races on Sunday.

Gardiner Farms, breeder of LEGAL MOVE, will be honoured FRIDAY NIGHT a the annual CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED HORSE SOCIETY’S BREEDERS’ AWARDS.

Gardiner is Breeder of the Year for 2006 and the Mint Julep Cup will be presented posthumously to JAKE HOWARD.

*The grass races will be held tonight in LANE 5, suggesting that speed runners might have a bit of an edge.

TJ’S LUCKY DAY

Krista was right on when she wrote that yesterday’s photo of the Queen’s Plate winner was T J’S LUCKY MOON, the second longest shot to ever win in the Plate. The son of Tejabo is enjoying life at Molincroft Farm in Acton, Ontario.

And yes, you can read about his life now in the upcoming edition of THE QUEEN’S PLATE SOUVENIR MAGAZINE, which will be available on Plate day at Woodbine (June 24) or through subscription – see ad that frequently appears on top right corner.

TRIPLE CROWN – 3 RACES, 3 SURFACES

A good discussion topic was touched on by a reader who asked about the Canadian Triple Crown being on 3 different surfaces this year for the first time in modern history.

The Plate will be on the Woodbine Polytrack, the Prince of Wales at Fort Erie on the dirt and the Breeders’ Stakes on the grass at Woodbine.

One could get technical and say that Woodbine and Fort Erie’s dirt were different surfaces but the point is made.

What fans of the sport want is much like what the American Triple Crown offered in 2007. Three races with some super finishes, capped off by that thrilling stretch duel in the Belmont Stakes.

The Canadian Triple Crown is certainly easier to win – simply because the pool of horses is smaller – Canadian-breds are only eligible. The addition of the new supplement rule could start to spice this up down the line and now, perhaps the addition of a Polytrack race.

The first Plate on Polytrack – the first classic for 3yo’s on Polytrack – certainly a different thought.

The winner of the Plate will head to Fort Erie, perhaps against a smaller group of colts (maybe fillies) that he met in the Plate so the surface change might not be much of a factor. Tossing in the 1 ½ mile grass race at the end of the Triple Crown always makes things interesting when there is not a dominant runner like With Approval, Izvestia, Dance Smartly, etc.

*As a sidenote, trainer REBECCA MAKER told THOROUGHBLOG that IT'S A DANZIG could return to Woodbine for the Breeders' Stakes after an unplaced finish in the Plate Trial.

TYING UP

A reader asked about SKY CONQUEROR’S episode of ‘tying up’ last week leading to him being scratched from the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont.

Tying up often occurs after exercise and involves a lack of oxygen to the muscles. A horse demonstrates a stiff walking gate, muscle stiffness etc. It is a common problem in young racehorses, unfit racehorses but can also occur with older horses on occasion.

You can read more at this site:

http://www.equusite.com/articles/health/healthTyingUp2.shtml

HORSEMEAT

Numerous horsepeople in southern Ontario have been discussing recent articles in the TORONTO STAR’s food section mentioning horsemeat. It is available at certain restaurants in downtown Toronto and a food critic from the Star - plus other newspapers such as the GLOBE AND MAIL - has written about these restaurants such as LA PALETTE and COCA serving horsemeat.

You can read the Star’s latest item here…

http://www.thestar.com/article/221880