Page 26 - July 2005 The Game

26 The Game, July 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
2005 Queen’s Plate Post Position Draw - June 23
The Honourary Drawmaster for the Queen’s Plate was “Pinball” Clemons, the coach of the Grey Cup Champions, Toronto Argonauts Football Team. Photo by Pauline Block
Trainer Alec Fehr and owner Steve Stavro, connections of Queen’s Plate contender Granique.
Track Announcer Dan Loiselle was the Master of Ceremonies once again at this year’s Queen’s Plate Breakfast and post position draw on June 23. Dan is interviewing trainer Nancy Triola after her post position pick with Ontario resident, Sherman Cunningham, who owns a share in the horse Get Down, with the US based West Point Thoroughbreds Inc.
The sun shined brightly on this year’s Queen’s Plate Breakfast and Post Position Draw held in the Woodbine Walking Ring
Former NHL player, Keith Jones, who grew up in Brantford, Ontario, holds his daughter, Adrienne, while being interviewed after making the selection of post position five on behalf of his partners who own the horse Wild Desert, the eventual winner of this year’s Queen’s Plate.
Trainer Reade Baker, the conditioner of the Labatt Woodbine Oaks winning filly, Gold Strike, was very busy with interviews regard- ing the Harlequin Ranches’ owned filly’s chances in Queen’s Plate.
146th Running of the Queen’s Plate - June 26, 2005
How I Didn’t Pick Wild Desert to Win the Queen’s Plate
I really believed I was taking the best approach to the 146th running of the Queen’s Plate, even if my betting record in the previous 145 editions was deplorable. I spent most of Saturday night analyzing the form and came to a most intelligent and informed decision: Dancing With Ravens could not be justified as the favourite and the filly Gold Strike was the most logical winner. I also felt strongly about Get Down, who had disappointed as the 7-5 choice in the Plate Trial.
As I entered the track well before the first race I told myself to keep an open mind - let the events of the day reveal who the Plate winner will be.
And as the earlier races presented them- selves, I was soon getting a feel for what might occur in the mile and a quarter classic. Todd Kabel won the first and fourth races, each time aboard the heavy favourite. Kabel was the jockey on Dance With Ravens. Was this to be a great day for him?
Maybe not. Jim McAleney, the rider for Gold Strike rode home the winner in the
second race and won the Singspiel Stakes in the 6th on Daddy Cool. A win with the filly in the Plate and McAleney would cease forever being referred to as a journey- man‚ jockey.
There was one very
interesting span of ten
minutes that almost every
racing fan missed. At 4:16, Cory Clark guided Ruff Tuff Stuff across the wire first in the 7th race at Fort Erie. At 4:25, Didycheatamandhow won the 8th at Woodbine. The jockey was David Clark, father of Cory. Clark, the elder, had the mount on monster long-shot Molinaro Beau who dared to enter the Plate even though he had never won a race.
So would it be Todd Kabel winning three, or Jim McAleney with the triple, or would the Clark family defy incredible odds?
In the walking ring, 20 minutes before post-time, Dance With Ravens definitely
looked unhappy. He was slightly lathered and his tongue was sticking out the side of his mouth, trying, it seemed, to get out from under the tongue strap. Get Down seemed composed, and Gold Strike was very relaxed. Three In the Bag looked cool and Wild Desert had a very
professional look about him. Ablo was nice looking, but not as dashing as his trainer Roger Attfield who was resplendent in full tuxedo and grey top hat.
Back inside, I made my bets. I took both Gold Strike and Get Down to win and place and took each on top in exactors with the five most logical others. I also bet both on top in superfectas, making a point to take every horse but Molinaro Beau in the fourth spot. With a minute to go I saw something that sent chills down my back. The five horse, Wild Desert was going off at 3-1. That made little sense. Wild Desert hadn’t run in ten weeks and hadn’t won
since last September.
“How can this horse be 3-1?” I won-
dered aloud.
“Smart money,” answered someone
behind me.
When the race went off, I had more than
mile to be optimistic. McAleney had Gold Strike in front most of the way and just before they turned into the stretch, she appeared to open up three lengths on the field. Then the race seemed to go into slow motion. Gold Strike started to stagger and Wild Desert with Pat Valenzuela came off the rail with King of Jazz and Rafael Bejarano making up ground on the outside. Poor Gold Strike was done and she veered out of her lane, bumping slightly with Wild Desert. That seemed to make Wild Desert even more determined as he hung on by half a length over King Of Jazz. Gold Strike was third. Molinaro Beau at 50-1 completed the superfecta, while Dancing With Ravens staggered in 7th. And staggered is the operative verb here.
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By Peter Gross