Sunday, August 22 is the most exciting race day in Canada: the day of the 2021 Queen’s Plate at Woodbine Racetrack! The race drew a field of 13 Canadian-bred three-year-olds to go a mile and a quarter on Woodbine’s Tapeta main track. They are fighting for a $1,000,000 purse, a place in Canadian horse racing history, and the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown.
Sunday, August 22 is the most exciting race day in Canada: the day of the 2021 Queen’s Plate at Woodbine Racetrack! The race drew a field of 13 Canadian-bred three-year-olds to go a mile and a quarter on Woodbine’s Tapeta main track. They are fighting for a $1,000,000 purse, a place in Canadian horse racing history, and the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown.
The Triple Crown series in Canada continues through the late summer and into the fall. The second jewel is the Prince of Wales Stakes on the Fort Erie dirt course on September 14. The series concludes with the Breeders’ Stakes over the grass at Woodbine on October 3.
Keep reading to find out the best Queen's Plate betting picks!
Queen's Plate ContendersMany sportsbooks are offering excellent bonuses for betting the Queen's Plate online, so this is the right time to make your account! This is the right place to learn about your sportsbook options, make an account on the one that suits you best, and get the best odds and incentives for betting horse races all year long.
Handicapping the Queen's Plate requires, first of all, knowing who the contenders are.
This is the official field for the 2021 Queen's Plate including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
Safe Conduct (Phillip Serpe/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 5-1
Harlan Estate (Kevin Attard/Kazushi Kimura) - 12-1
Haddassah (Kevin Attard/Gary Boulanger) - 10-1
Take a Chance (Catherine Day Phillips/Keveh Nicholls) - 20-1
H C Holiday (Kevin Attard/Luis Contreras) - 15-1
Munnyfor Ro (Kevin Attard/Justin Stein) - 9-2
Riptide Rock (Sid Attard/David Moran) - 6-1
Keep Grinding (Tino Attard/Rafael Hernandez) - 4-1
Go Take Charge (Breeda Hayes/Sahin Civaci) - 30-1
Dance Some Mo (Graham Motion/Patrick Husbands) - 12-1
Avoman (Don MacRae/Antonion Gallardo) - 8-1
Tidal Forces (Gail Cox/Emma-Jayne Wilson - 12-1
Derzkii (Carlos Grant/Jason Hoyte) - 30-1
The rest of the field will have to have their running shoes on to beat #6 Munnyfor Ro. She won the Woodbine Oaks in her most recent start, and jockey Justin Stein chooses to return in her saddle. Fillies have a strong record in the Queen’s Plate throughout its history, and her improving form should have her right where she needs to be, to beat the boys.
With so many horses in the field who do their best work on or near the lead, Munnyfor Ro’s closing style should fit this race very well. And, even though she is a stretch-running sort, she has been able to win from off of a pace that is merely honest, not a complete collapse. That should be exactly what she gets in this race.
#7 Riptide Rock is taking a significant stretch out in trip, from six furlongs all the way to a mile and a quarter. However, he should be ready for it. He won an allowance last out over the Woodbine Tapeta, showing he likes the surface. And, between two-turn form at Oaklawn and a strong pedigree for a longer trip, he should be ready to contend over this longer distance.
Morning line favorite #8 Keep Grinding is a stalking to midpack type. Though he loses regular rider Justin Stein to Munnyfor Ro, his replacement Rafael Hernandez is a high-percentage rider who shows up strong in big races. Keep Grinding ran a strong second in an open stakes race last time out, and could return to peak performance third off the layoff.
There are also some interesting price horses in this year’s Queen’s Plate. #10 Dance Some Mo is the best longshot in the field. Trained by Graham Motion, he makes his first try in stakes company. But, with good form against open allowance horses, the Canadian-bred stakes level should not be beyond his current abilities.
His pedigree shines for the ten-furlong trip, as he is by Uncle Mo from a mare who descends from an excellent Queen’s Plate family, that of Dance Smartly and Dancethruthedawn. And, with tactical speed from the 10 gate and experience Woodbine rider Patrick Husbands in the irons, Dance Some Mo should be able to work a trip.
#12 Tidal Forces can also improve in the Queen’s Plate. He has tables to turn on some of his opponents from the Marine (G3) last out, but he can. He is tactical enough to handle the outside gate. He has already won at nine furlongs, and being by Malibu Moon from the family of long-winded Irish Mission, the extra furlong has a good chance to move him forward.
Munnyfor Ro has an excellent chance to win the Queen’s Plate, and is a logical win bet. If you prefer to play a longshot, Dance Some Mo also has excellent claims to the race. When building exotics, build tickets around these two horses with Riptide Rock, Tidal Forces, and Keep Grinding.
$20 to win - #6 Munnyfor Ro
$5 win/place/show - #10 Dance Some Mo
$1 exacta box - #6 Munnyfor Ro, #7 Riptide Rock, #10 Dance Some Mo
$1 trifecta box - #6 Munnyfor Ro, #7 Riptide Rock, #10 Dance Some Mo, #12 Tidal Forces
20 cent superfecta box - #6 Munnyfor Ro, #7 Riptide Rock, #8 Keep Grinding #10 Dance Some Mo, #12 Tidal Forces
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