63 remain eligible for 2011 Queen's Plate

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - A total of 63 three-year-olds remain eligible for this year's 152nd running of the $1 million Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racecourse. The 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate will be held on Sunday, June 26 and is open to thoroughbreds foaled in Canada.

Among the three-year-olds remaining eligible is Queenston Stakes winner Bear's Chill. Owned by Bear Stables, the colt is trained by Reade Baker and is ridden by Emile Ramsammy.

"I've always been impressed with him," Baker said following the Queenston victory. "He's a big, strong, tough horse. You have to worry a horse like that is going to stay sound."

Bear's Chill is the winner of $188,684 with three wins in five career starts.

Trainer Roger Attfeld, an eight-time winner of the Plate, has Check Your Soul from owner Charles Fipke. The colt won the Wando Stakes earlier this month as the 3-5 favorite. Patrick Husbands had the mount for the Wando.

"He'll run all day, this horse, for sure," Attfeld said.

Check Your Soul has just three career starts, none in 2010, with two wins for $98,824.

"(Last year), he was very, very big and when I got him from the farm in Florida, he had a small chip in an ankle," Attfeld noted. "We took it out and gave him the whole summer (off), which was a blessing in disguise, because I didn't really want to run him as a two-year-old anyway. He's a big, tall boy."

Also possible for the Queen's Plate is former Kentucky Derby contender Elite Alex, A son of Afleet Alex, the colt is owned by Elite Alex LLC and trained by Tim Ritchey.

The colt finished second Wednesday in a $41,000 allowance race at Delaware Park as the 2-5 favorite. He was ninth in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on April 16 and on March 26 Elite Alex ran fourth in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds. He has a record of a win, two seconds and a third in six career starts for $106,000.

The Queen's Plate is the first leg in Canada's Triple Crown. The Triple Crown, which includes the Prince of Wales at Fort Erie, will conclude with the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes on Sunday, August 7 at Woodbine.