TORONTO, April 21, 2023 – 124 three-year-old thoroughbreds, foaled in Canada, have been nominated to this year’s OLG Canadian Triple Crown, announced Woodbine Entertainment.
The Canadian Triple Crown is presented by OLG in 2023 further demonstrating OLG’s commitment to supporting the horse racing industry.
The 164th running of The King’s Plate, for a purse of $1 million, will launch the 2023 OLG Canadian Triple Crown on Sunday, August 20 at Woodbine Racetrack. The Prince of Wales, scheduled for Tuesday, September 12 at Fort Erie Race Track, and the Breeders’ Stakes, scheduled for Sunday, October 1 at Woodbine, complete the Triple Crown.
The group of 124 is headlined by several standout Ontario Breds.
Philip My Dear, the Sovereign Award winner for champion two-year-old male, is one of the Ontario Breds colts who headline the field of nominees.
Bred by Adena Springs and racing for Raroma Stable, the Kevin Attard trainee was a multiple stakes winner as a juvenile, including the 2022 Cup and Saucer. The son of Ontario Sire Silent Name (JPN) was also third in the G1 Pattison Summer Stakes.
Fellow Attard trainee Velocitor, who was nominated for a divisional Sovereign alongside his stablemate, is trying to become the first Coronation Futurity winner to win the Kings’ Plate since 1976. The Mor Spirit colt is a homebred for leading Woodbine owners Al and Bill Ulwelling.
Velocitor winning on September 22, 2022 at Woodbine. (Michael Burns photo)
Another intriguing Ontario Bred colt on the nomination list is Equivoque bred by Saintsbury Farms. Unraced at two, he was purchased for $325,000 as yearling, and is owned by China Horse Club. The Todd Pletcher trainee broke his maiden at first asking on April 8 at Keeneland going seven furlongs on the dirt and earning an Equibase speed figure of 103.
Multiple stakes winner and the third nominee for champion two-year-old male Poulin in O T is also nominated. The Steve Owens trainee is a homebred for the Owens family and is by Ontario Sire Reload.
Looking to join Moira, Wonder Gadot, and Holy Helena as recent fillies to win the Kings’ Plate, are a pair of standout Sam-Son Farm bred fillies nominated for the OLG Canadian Triple Crown.
Ancient Peace recently turned heads in allowance race at Santa Anita Park where the War Front filly lapped the field winning by six lengths under a hand ride. Trained by John Sadler, Ancient Peace was purchased by Travis Boersma’s Boardshorts Stables at the 2023 Keeneland January Sale for $650,000.
Mission of Joy recently picked up a G3 win in the Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs on March 31. Trained by Graham Motion for RyZan Sun Racing, LLC and Madaket Stables LLC, the filly is on a three race win streak beginning with a maiden breaking score in December.
To view the full list of nominees to the 2023 OLG Canadian Triple Crown, click here.
Header Image: Philip My Dear winning the Cup and Saucer Stakes in October 2022 at Woodbine. (Michael Burns photo)
