It's all about King Yeats and Queen's Plate preview

Well before I get to Yeats' history making proformance today at RA, here is Sunday's Queen's Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. It's at a mile and a quarter (like the Derby) and is on Polytrack.

$1 Million Queen's Plate (Race 9, 5:36 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds Foaled in Canada, 1 1/4 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. El Brujo (ON), E Wilson, 126, M Pierce, 15/1
2. Flip for the Coin (ON), E Ramsammy, 126, V Armata, 30/1
3. Active Duty (ON), C Fraser, 126, M E Casse, 20/1
4. Milwaukee Appeal (ON) (f), S Elliott, 121, S H Fairlie, 3/1
5. Mr. Foricos Two U (ON), M E Smith, 126, C Day Phillips, 15/1
6. Reservoir (ON), J McAleney, 126, J Carey, 20/1
7. Eye of the Leopard (ON), E R Da Silva, 126, M R Frostad, 7/2
8. Rapid Release (ON), J C Jones, 126, R L Attfield, 8/1
9. Bucephalus (ON), T Pizarro, 126, K Attard, 30/1
10. Stardust Ziggy (ON), J Baird, 126, L M Perkins, 20/1
11. Tasty Temptation (ON) (f), P Husbands, 121, M E Casse. 4/1
12. Shut It Down (ON), R A Baze, 126, L Richards, 20/1
13. Keino West (ON), G Olguin, 126, S Attard, 15/1
Equipment Changes: 9 - Bucephalus - Blinkers On (f): filly

Milwaukee Appeal will try to pull a Rachel Alexandra and sweep an Oaks/TC race double (of course Rach did hers in the KY Oaks and Preakness.), and she has a jockey who has won the Kentucky Derby (in matter of fact one of two in the race, the other being Mike Smith) on her in Stewart Elliott. She is also trying to become the first horse since Dancethruthedawn to sweep the Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate (in 2001). Other then her, only three other fillies have done it one of them being her mother Dance Smartly. But beware of the other filly Tasty Temptation, while she lost to Milwaukee Appeal, she was flying after a horrible break in the Woodbine Oaks, and actually had finished in front of Appeal in their race before that against Hooh Why. Plus her sire is red hot right now. Eye of the Leopard has the best chance to take it for the boys, the Plate winner hails from the same owner and trainer as Dancethruthedawn. He can also make for AP Indy who had a horrible TC with Friesan Fire and give his broodmare sire Smart Strike the sweep of taking North America's 2 most prestgious races as a broodmare sire. So my top three are Tasty Temptation, Milwaukee Appeal and Eye of the Leopard in that order.

Notebly missing is the 2 yo champions from last year and Square Eddie who would have been the favorite in the race. Well the 2yo champ filly is out for the year, Square Eddie is recovering from the injury that kept him out of the Derby and Preakness, and well Mine That Bird is ineligable due to him being a KY bred.

Now to our top story of the day, Yeats becoming a 4 time champion in the Ascot Gold Cup (Eng-G1). Instead of me telling you about it, I thought I would show it do you.



Congrats to all of his connections, especially to trainer Aidan O'Brian. While I doubt he'll come over for the BC Marathon (the lengthened this year, my guess is to entice more stayers like himself), it's nice to see an intact horse like himself, still in training at age 8 and at such a high level. The lone American in today's races did not due so well. Just two more days until the closing, and the big matchup of Australia vs US vs UAE/Europe/US (Takeover Target vs Cannonball vs Diabolical).