The 149th edition of the Plate, the oldest continuously run stakes race in North America, will be televised live on CBC-TV (as well as on CBC's digital channel, bold and webstreamed at http://www.cbcsports.ca) from 4:30 - 5:30 pm ET. Post time will be 5:06 pm. It's the first time since 1998 that CBC-TV has televised the Plate and, for the first time ever, the telecast will be in High Definition.
The large 15-horse field of Canadian-bred three-year-olds will be chasing the $600,000 lion's share of the $1 million purse.
Attfield is seeking a record-tying eighth Plate win, a mark held by Harry Giddings Jr. since 1942. Attfield's seven Plate winners are Norcliffe (1976), Market Control (1987), With Approval (1989), Izvestia (1990), Alydeed (1992), Peteski (1993) and Regal Discovery (1995).
The chestnut colt will be ridden by Jono Jones.
Stronach Stables' Ginger Brew (10), a dominating six-length winner of the Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, on June 8, will try to become just the 34th filly since 1860 to claim the 'Gallop for the Guineas' but the first since 2001, when Sam-Son Farm's Dancethruthedawn completed the Oaks-Plate double. With a victory, Ginger Brew would also become only the fifth filly since 1956 to capture both the Oaks and Plate.
Trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by Javier Castellano, the homebred daughter of Milwaukee Brew is the third choice at 4-1.
Stronach and Lynch have another homebred Plate entrant in Jungle Brew (9), a son of Milwaukee Brew, who has been second in his two career starts. The bay colt will be ridden by Jim McAleney, who takes over from the injured Eibar Coa. He would be the first maiden since Scatter The Gold in 2000 (and before him, Golden Choice in 1986) to win the Plate.
Another highly-regarded maiden, also with just two starts, is Solitaire (12), trained by James (Jim) Bond for owner William Clifton Jr. The 7-2 second choice will be handled by veteran Robert Landry, who was aboard Niigon for his first Plate win in 2004.
Sebastian's Song (jockey David Clark, trainer Alec Fehr, post 14, 12-1 in the morning line) heads the rest of the field, Palmers (Patrick Husbands, Mark Casse, 7, 15-1), Took the Time (Ramon Dominguez, Mark Casse, 15, 15-1) Deputiformer (Jerry Baird, Mike DePaulo, 5, 30-1), Harvest Home (Corey Fraser, Mark Frostad, 4, 30-1), D. Flutie (Emile Ramsammy, Mike Keogh, 1, 30-1), Shadowless (Emma-Jayne Wilson, David Bell, 9, 20-1), Mamma's Knight (Justin Stein, Sam DiPasquale, 8, 50-1), East End Tap (Tyler Pizarro, Reade Baker, 3, 30-1), Silver Jag (Slade Callaghan, Josie Carroll, 6, 30-1) and Dylan's Choice (Chantal Sutherland, Desmond Maynard, 2, 50-1).
The Queen's Plate is the first leg in the Canadian Triple Crown. The second leg is the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, at one and three-sixteenths miles on July 13 at Fort Erie, while the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, at one mile and one-half on the grass, August 3 at Woodbine, comprises the third and final leg. There have been seven Triple Crown winners since the concept was inaugurated in 1959, the last being Wando in 2003.
Since 1956, the stakes record for the 10 furlong Plate is 2:01 4/5, set by Izvestia in 1990, when he also won by the largest margin, 13 lengths. The longest-priced winner is T J's Lucky Moon ($166) in 2002.
Favourites have done well in the Plate since 1956, winning 21 of 52 renewals (40%), well above the traditional 33% for mutuel favourites in all races. However, Wando, in 2003, is the only favourite to win in the last 13 editions.
For complete race information, visit http://www.queensplate.com.