September 6, 2024
By Fort Erie Race Track Communications
The second jewel of Canada’s Triple Crown, the $500,000 Prince of Wales, will take place on Tuesday, September 10 but without the King’s Plate winner, the filly Caitlinhergrtness. It is not uncommon for the Plate winner to by-pass the ‘Wales, which is run on the dirt at 1 3/16 miles, as the three-race series is on three different surfaces and is held much later in recent years than it used to be (pre-COVID).
Conrad Farms’ MIDNIGHT MASCOT, third in the Plate, has been pegged as the 5-to-2 morning line favourite for the 89th Wales which attracted a field of 10 including a supplemented entry, SCAT FACTOR, who recently won his maiden for $7,500 claiming.
Midnight Mascot, by Army Mule, closed mildly in the Plate under Luis Contreras and he is one of two horses in the field trained by Mark Casse who has won four Prince of Wales Stakes.
Kazushi Kimura will return to Canada to ride Midnight Mascot.
Trained Kevin Attard has four entered including 4-to-1 second favourite PIERRE, who was fourth in the Plate. The son of Tapiture is owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, who also own JOKESTAR, who was fifth in the Plate. David Cohen will visit from the US to ride Pierre and Emma-Jayne Wilson will ride Jokestar.
Kevin will also send out the filly AIROSA, who is a very long 15-to-1 in the morning line odds despite some impressive dirt workout times. This will be her second race of the year after a solid run in the Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes in her return.
BEDARD, a maiden, has worked as fast as Airosa on dirt and will get a chance in the Wales.
PASSIONED is a newcomer to Ontario, at least since he was born here. The Paynter gelding is a half-brother to 2014 Prince of Wales winner Coltimus Prime and was bred by Jayson Horner. Passioned, trained by Justin Nixon, who also trained Coltimus Prime, has only raced in Maryland and he is a two-time winner, most recently in a $30,000 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles when he earned a 69 Beyer Figure.
WYOMING BILL, a well-bred colt by Curlin and a half-brother to Dixie Moon, just won his maiden in his third start for Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry, VITALITY was sixth in the Plate and SCAT FACTOR won his maiden for $7,500 claiming at Woodbine two starts ago.
1 AIROSA (filly) Madaket Stable, Star Ladies, X-Men III Kevin Attard Rafael Hernandez 15-1
2 VITALITY Stronach Stables H Ladouceur Jose Campos 6-1
3 WYOMING BILL – Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry C Day Phillips Ryan Munger 10-1
4 PASSIONED Archer Stable Justin Nixon Jean Briceno 10-1
5 MIDNIGHT MASCOT – Conrad Farm M Casse Kazuski Kimura 5-2
6 JOKESTAR Al and Bill Ulwelling Kevin Attard Emma Jayne Wilson 9-2
7 BEDARD Men Racing III, Madaket Stables Kevin Attard Sahin Civaci 10-1
8 SCAT FACTOR Logan Friesz Alison Jennings Kirk Johnson 30-1
9 PIERRE Al and Bill Ulwelling Kevin Attard David Cohen 4-1
10 ESSEX SERPENT Conrad Farm Mark Casse Patrick Husbands 8-1
FEATURED PHOTO: Midnight Mascot winning the Woodstock Stakes on April 28, 2024. (Michael Burns Photo)
More Top Racing Headlines