Trainer Mark Casse is having one sensational summer, especially with his 3-year-olds – colts and fillies.
The dual Hall of Famer not only trains the popular Sandman – winner of the Arkansas Derby (G1) -- but his fillies have been even more fabulous.
On Saturday, he sends out three of his 3-year-old star fillies: In the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course it’s La Cara and Nitrogen, and in the $1 million King’s Plate at Woodbine Racecourse it’s favorite No Time.
While the 166th King’s Plate is not a graded stakes, it’s one of the most prestigious races in Canada and the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. It’s also the longest continuously run race in North America.
Casse, who recently won his 4,000th race, loves winning this one as much as any other. The 64-year-old was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2016, and into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 2020.
No Time, winner of the Woodbine Oaks on July 25, takes on the boys in a field of 13 going 1 ¼ miles over the synthetic surface. Hall of Famer John Velazquez returns to ride. The filly is 3-0-1 from eight starts and is the 7-2 favorite.
“She has a heck of a pedigree. She’s by one of the best sires in the world and she’s a half-sister to two Grade 1 winners,’’ Casses said. “She has the pedigree to be any kind. I feel like she really has grown up and has gotten stronger and better as time goes on, which happens a lot of times when you have these great pedigrees.”
A total of 39 fillies have won the King’s Plate.
The King’s Plate kicks off the Canadian Triple Crown, run over three different surfaces at three different distances. The $400,000 Prince of Wales, run at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Fort Erie on Sept. 9, is the second leg. The $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, at 1 ½ miles over the inner turf at Woodbine on Sept. 28 in the final leg. Wando was the last horse to sweep the races in 2003 and the seventh overall to win the unique triple.
Casse has a second shot at the King’s Plate with Ashley’s Archer, a maiden winner in seven career starts at 12-1.
Dewolf, Faber and Mansetti are the contenders for trainer Kevin Attard, who has sent out two of the last three King’s Plate winners – Caitlinhergrtness in 2024 and Moira in 2022 (Casse won in 2023 with Paramount Prince).
Eclipse Award winner Flavien Prat has the call on Dewolf, a 30-1 longshot with a 2-3-1 record from eight starts.
“We don’t have any reason to believe he can’t get the distance,” Attard said. “Hopefully, this is the day we see his best – he gets a clean trip and can capitalize on it.”
Faber, also 30-1, is named for NHL player Brock Faber and has a maiden win from nine starts.
“There’s no doubt at all that he’s a trier,” Attard said. “He’s always been a game horse with ability. The hope is he can take all of his strengths and come up big in the Plate.”
Said Faber the hockey player: “I have to say it is very cool. At first, I didn’t know if it was just a coincidence. I guess I never thought a racehorse would be named after me.”
Mansetti at 10-1, may be Attard’s best shot. The colt has a pair of stakes victories this year – the Woodstock on April 27 and the Marine Stakes (G3) on June 28.
“Very happy with his breezes coming into the race,” Attard said. “Just like his stablemates, he has the talent and tenacity to show up with a big one on Saturday.”
Danny Gargan, the trainer of 2024 Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Dornoch sends out Mythical Man at 50-1 – the longest shot in the field.
Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Mythical Man has won two of four starts, both wins coming as a 2-year-old.
“It’s going to be our first time running on synthetic, but he’s run well on the turf,” Gargan said. “We’re hoping he likes it.”
Post time for the King’s Plate is 5:34 p.m. ET.
1 Mansetti (Pietro Moran, Kevin Attard), 10-1
2 William T (David Moran, Don MacRae), 20-1
3 Notorious Gangster (Fraser Aebly, Josie Carroll), 9-2
4 Scorching (Jose Lezcano, John Charalambous), 10-1
5 Mythical Man (Sofia Vives, Danny Gargan), 50-1
6 Faber (Pietro Moran, Kevin Attard), 30-1
7 Runaway Again (Javier Castellano, Sid Attard), 12-1
8 Dewolf (Flavien Prat, Kevin Attard), 30-1
9 Watsonville Red (Leo Salles, Michael De Paulo), 50-1
10 No Time (John Velazquez, Mark Casse), 7-2
11 Tom’s Magic (Rafael Hernandez, Michael Stidham), 5-1
12 Sedburys Ghost (Ryan Munger, Barb Minshall), 6-1
13 Ashley’s Archer (Sahin Civaci, Mark Casse), 12-1
