Photo – Trainer Catherine Day Phillips, husband Todd Phillips and their sons Blake (left) and Colton attend the Queen’s Plate breakfast and post position draw at Woodbine.
The 158th running of the Queen’s Plate, the longest continuously-run stakes race in North America, lured a field of thirteen 3-year-olds.
The post position draw for the $1 million Canadian Classic race was conducted today at the trackside tent at the annual Queen’s Plate breakfast, employed the two-stage method with the order of selection first being drawn and then the connections choosing their post positions.
Owners Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry were the tenth to choose their post position opting for the number 2 spot for their homebred Quality Road gelding, Guy Caballero, winner of the 2017 Plate Trial.
Trainer Catherine Day Phillips and partner George Ledson, had to take the last spot on the board for Watch Me Strut, the thirteen position, after being drawn to choose last.
The Queen’s Plate will be televised on Sunday, July 2 by CTV/TSN/TSN4K from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. with post time set for 5:36 p.m.
Last year’s Woodbine Oaks winner, Neshama, makes her 2017 debut in a $62,300 Allowance race on Friday, June 30.
On Saturday, July 1, Split My Pants will be returning after his maiden win on June 11 to compete in a $40,000 Optional Claiming and bounding back after finishing 7th in the 2017 Woodbine Oaks, Financial Recovery, is competing in the $125,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes.
© 2016 Catherine Day Phillips Racing Stable
