Queen's Plate has field of 15

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - An over-flow field of 15 three-year-olds has been entered in Sunday's $1 million Queens Plate at Woodbine Racetrack. The 1 1/4 mile race is open to Canadian-bred three-year-olds and is the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

The field of 15 includes one filly, Ginger Brew, who will carry 121 pounds while the rest of the starters will tote 126 pounds. This is the 149th edition of Canada's most prestigious race.

The 3-1 morning-line favorite is Not Bourbon who is owned by Charles Fipke and trained by Roger Attfield. Not Bourbon will start from post 13 with Jono Jones in the saddle.

"In a perfect world, we probably would have taken right in the middle of the field," said Attfield. "I'm happy with the 13-hole. I'm not superstitious. I think it will be fine, the way he runs. It gets him time to sort it out and see what's going on inside of him."

The colt is coming off a victory in the Plate Trial at Woodbine and will try to become the first Trial winner since Alydeed in 1992 to also win the Queen's Plate. He has earnings of $361,160 in nine career starts.

"If he settles and runs his race he'll be very competitive," Attfield noted. "No question. He's got a high cruising speed, when he shows it. He's got a devastating kick."

Attfield has already won the Queen's Plate seven times. A win on Sunday will equal the record eight victories held by Harry Giddings Jr. Giddings won his races between 1911 and 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).

Plate Trial runner-up Solitaire is the 7-2 second choice in the program. The gelding has drawn the post to the immediate inside of the favorite and will be ridden by Robert Landry. Landry rode Niigon in 2004 to victory in this race.

Solitaire is winless in just two lifetime starts for owner William Clifton Jr. and trainer James Bond.

The filly Ginger Brew is the 4-1 third choice for the Queen's Plate and has drawn post 10. Owned by Frank Stronach, Ginger Brew will be ridden by Javier Castellano on Sunday.

The filly is trained by Brian Lynch and comes into the Queen's Plate off a six-length win in the Woodbine Oaks. Ginger Brew can join 33 other fillies who have won the Queen's Plate. Dancethruthedawn in 2001 was the last female to capture the race.

Ginger Brew is the field's leading money earner with $498,295 and is currently on a three-race win streak. Earlier this year she won the Calder Oaks on the grass at Calder Race Course.

Another Stronach-Lynch entrant is Jungle Brew. The colt will be ridden by Eibar Coa from post 11 and is 8-1 in the morning-line.

Here is the complete field for the 149th Queen's Plate: D. Flutie, Emile Ramsammy 30-1; Dylan's Choice, Chantal Sutherland 50-1; East End Tap, Tyler Pizarro 30-1; Harvest Home, Corey Fraser 30-1; Deputiformer, Jerry Baird 30-1; Silver Jag, Slade Callaghan 30-1; Palmers, Patrick Husbands 15-1; Mamma's Knight, Justin Stein 50-1; Shadowless, Emma-Jayne Wilson 20-1; Ginger Brew, Javier Castellano 4-1; Jungle Brew, Eibar Coa 8-1; Solitaire, Robert Landry 7-2; Not Bourbon, Jono Jones 3-1; Sebastian's Song, David Clark, 12-1 and Took the Time, Ramon Dominguez 15-1.

Post-time for the Queen's Plate is 5:06 p.m. (et).