Jul 01, 2011
A glorious Queen's Plate win for filly
By: SPORTS NETWORK
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Three-year-old filly Inglorious got the best of 16 males to win Sunday's 152nd running of the $1 million Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racecourse. Ridden by Luis Contreras, Inglorious became the 34th female to capture Canada's most prestigious thoroughbred race,
Sent off as the 9-2 second choice, Inglorious settled off the pace that was being set by Oh Canada and Curgone. Racing in third was Okiyama.
Plate Trial winner and 9-5 favorite Check Your Soul was running seventh up the backstretch during the 1 1/4-mile race. 61-1 longshot Hippolytus was fourth in the 17-horse field with Bowman's Causeway fifth and One Big Gator running in sixth.
Around the turn for home, Hippolytus moved into the lead from his close-up position in fourth. Also gaining ground was Bowman's Causeway, Check Your Soul and Inglorious.
Trained by Josie Carroll, Inglorious took over the lead with a 100 yards to run and drew clear versus her male rivals. The filly registered a 2 1/2-length victory over Hippolytus in the opening race of Canada's Triple Crown series.
"It feels overwhelming," said Carroll. "I thought we had a shot when he (Contreras) got on Check Your Soul's back, then halfway down the lane I thought we had a big shot. I was nervous but confident that she would run her race. If she was good enough, she would win."
The filly covered the 1 1/4-miles in 2:02.63 on Woodbine's synthetic main track.
"This is great, she's amazing. Everything is just amazing," said the 25-year- old Contreras. "I wasn't in a hurry off the start. I was watching the film before the race. I followed the favorite and it worked out. She gave me everything. That's the main thing about her, she likes to win."
Finishing third was Pender Harbour followed by Bowman's Causeway, Queen'splatekitten, Seawatch, Check Your Soul, Head Honcho, Enduring Star, Curgone, Ojibway Signal, Imhotep, Oh Canada, Strike Oil, One Big Gator, Maple Leaf Kitten and Okiyama.
Owned by Donna and Vern Dubinsky of Donver Stable, Inglorious gives her owners their first Plate win and the second for her trainer. Carroll became the first female conditioner to win the Plate in 2006 with Edenwold. it is also the first Plate victory for jockey Luis Contreras.
"It's amazing, isn't it? I'm thrilled to death, I still can't believe it," exclaimed Vern Dubinsky. "This is a dream and I still don't believe it yet."
Inglorious adds $600,000 to her bankroll. In seven career starts the filly has won five times for $1.257,863.
The filly was coming off a win in the Woodbine Oaks for three-year-old females. In the Queen's Plate she carried five pounds less than the 126 pounds the colts and geldings carried.
Earlier this year at Fair Grounds Racecourse she was second in the Rachel Alexandra and fourth in the Fair Grounds Oaks, and then returned to Woodbine to take the La Lorgnette Stakes.
Inglorious returned $11.00, $6.40 and $4.70. Hippolytus paid $41.30 and $22.20, and Pender Harbour, sent off at 15-1, paid $8.70 to show.
The Canadian 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.
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