Woodbine News and Notes for Saturday June 18th

It's a gorgeous Saturday at Woodbine and I started my morning with a quick walk around the backstretch where I visited with Woodbine Oaks winning filly Inglorious and stopped by the barn of John LeBlanc Jr. whose Moonlit Beauty is 5-1 on the morning line for the Zadracarta Stakes.

Chantal Sutherland and film icon Dustin Hoffman

(Photo courtesy of Chantal Sutherland)

There's plenty of buzz around the track regading the jockey assigments for the Queen's Plate which promises to be a large field for the handicappers to mull over. Notice arrived on Friday that the Queen's Plate Pick 4 guarantees on Jun. 26th will double as the Early Pick 4 from rises from $50K to $100K, while the Late Pick 4 grows from $100K to $200K.

Chantal Sutherland called the Woodbine Media Office last night to advise that she will pilot Mike De Paulo trainee Pender Harbour in the 152nd running of the Queen's Plate. "Obviously, I'm extremely excited to be riding in such a prestigious race and to also come back to a place where I have such fond memories," said Sutherland.

Chantal Sutherland, pictured here with Moonlit Beauty, will return for the Queen's Plate to ride Pender Harbour

The DRF reports that Garrett Gomez will get the call on Curgone in the Queen's Plate:

Jockey Garrett Gomez will ride at Woodbine on June 25-26 and will have the mount on Curgone in the $1 million Queen’s Plate, according to Curgone’s trainer, Greg De Gannes.

Among other stakes mounts, Gomez is booked to ride Society’s Chairman for trainer Roger Attfield in the $250,000 King Edward Stakes. Society’s Chairman was third in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland in April.

Jim McAleney will pilot One Big Gator for trainer John Ross. One horse without an assigned rider that should be a factor in the Gallop For The Guineas is Oh Canada.

For more on the field for the Queen's Plate, please visit yesterday's post.

An alert Inglorious offers an imposing eye

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A strong card at Woodbine on Saturday includes the Victoria Stakes as eight two-year-olds sprint five fulongs on the poly.

FIELD FOR THE VICTORIA

Post / Horse / Jockey / Trainer

1 / Gin Joint / Eurico Rosa Da Silva / Mike Doyle

2 / Stark Ravin Mad / E T Baird / Larry Rivelli

3 / Threeanddonedan / Luis Contreras / John Salzman

4 / Bolivar / Slade Callaghan / Kelly Callaghan

5 / Firefall / Jeffrey Sanchez / Wesley Ward

6 / Safraction / Justin Stein / Greg De Gannes

7 / Distinctly Donovan / Patrick Husbands / John Salzman

8 / Banner Bill / David Clark / Ralph Biamonte

The eighth race is the $100,000 Zadracarta Stakes, a seven furlong turf tilt that promises to be a great betting race with thirteen horses in the mix including Roger Attfield's Impossible Time and John LeBlanc Jr's Moonlit Beauty.

Impossible Time returns off a long layoff having last raced on November 6th when fifth in the Maple Leaf Stakes. Moonlit Beauty opened her campaign on May 20th in an off-the-turf allowance and now returns to her favoured surface.

The field for the Zadracarta
PP Horse A/S Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 First Circle (ON) 5/M L T Pizarro 119 M Keogh 20/1
2 More Miss Crissy (ON) 4/F L E Wilson 119 R Baker 15/1
3 Velvet Moss (ON) 4/F L J McAleney 119 R Baker 15/1
4 Euro Platinum (ON) 4/F L C Fraser 121 A Cappuccitti 20/1
5 Moonlit Beauty (ON) 5/M L Q Welch 121 J P Le Blanc, Jr. 5/1
6 Jenny's So Great (ON) 4/F L J M Campbell 121 G de Gannes 4/1
7 Jacally (ON) 4/F L E R Da Silva 124 R L Attfield 6/1
8 Impossible Time (ON) 6/M L J C Jones 124 R L Attfield 3/1
SCR Venus Bay (ON) ---------------------------------Scratched------------------
10 Lucky Melissa (ON) 4/F L D Moran 119 C Fuoco 30/1
11 Dancing Raven (ON) 4/F L L Contreras 124 M J Doyle 6/1
12 Retraceable (ON) 5/M L P Husbands 121 M E Casse 12/1
13 Greenapple Martini (ON) 5/M L E Ramsammy 119 M Mattine 30/1

Trainer John LeBlanc Jr. hopes Moonlit Beauty will shine in today's Zadracarta


LeBlanc also sends out Peter's Charisma in Saturday's third race and the Cat's At Home gelding was alert and looking quite dappled out in his stall this morning. Dubai Echo and City Wolf will offer strong resistance.

Peter's Charisma is in with a shout in the third race at Woodbine


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As always, keep track of the latest goings on in the world of horse racing by clicking into TripleDeadHeat's Woodbine News page or join in on the conversation by following TripleDeadHeat on Twitter.