#HORSERACING: “ONE BAD BOY” ON HIS BEST BEHAVIOUR IN THE 2019 QUEEN’S PLATE

The 160th edition of the Queen’s Plate took place at Woodbine Racetrack this Canada Day weekend!  The two-day festival of horse racing, fashion, music, food and drink, culminated in North America’s most historic race on Festival Saturday. The race at ten one and a quarter miles, is restricted for three-year-old horses foaled in Canada and valued at a purse of $1 million. Taking the glory was none other than California-based ONE BAD BOY. The strapping dark brown son of Twirling Candy took it wire-to-wire by 3 and 1/2 lengths over Avie’s Flatter and then Tone Broke under Flavien Prat, defeating a field of 13 in 2:02.9 minutes before a packed grandstand. Prat won the Kentucky Derby this May via disqualification aboard Country House. One Bad Boy colt is owned by a partnership of Say Jay Racing, Brooke Hubbard and Greg Hall. He was bred by Ontario’s Ron Clarkson and was sold at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale. It has just been confirmed that he will contest the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the Prince of Wales Stakes July 23, 2019 at Fort Erie.

 

One Bad Boy

 

Watch the race here: 

 

The two-day Festival featured a star-studded lineup of racing with six other stakes races contested including the Lady Angela, Charlie Barley, Zadracarta, King Edward, Dance Smartly and Highlander Stakes.

 

Holy Helena – Dance Smartly Stakes, the 2017 Queen’s Plate victress shows she’s still got it! Her owner, icon Frank Stronach was in attendance.

 

Synchrony – King Edward Stakes, the American invader is owned by Josephine Abercrombie‘s Pin Oak Stable and she too graced us with an appearance.

 

Wet Your Whistle – Highlander Stakes, the off-the-pace sprinter went last-to-first for American-based trainer Michael Trombetta, who has found stakes success locally this season.

 

The Black Album (FR) – Charlie Barley Stakes, this French-bred colt ridden by Flavien Prat, is owned by Team Valor and Hollywood Mega-Producer Gary Barber, and regained the winning form he showed in France last year.

 

Desert Isle – Zadracarta Stakes, this Graham Motion-trained filly is owned by iconic Canadian outfit, Sam-Son Farms

 

Ciuri – Lady Angela Stakes, this Bob Tiller trainee owned by the same connections as Woodbine legend Pink Lloyd, was one of two stakes winners at Woodbine this weekend by red-hot sire Souper Speedy.

 

Also taking place at Woodbine this weekend was the unveiling of the new Inner Turf course. I recall Woodbine having had a Marshall Turf Course as a child, however this new, improved and re-branded course gives fans something new to cheer about and a new angle to wager on.

 

The Queen’s Plate is rooted in tradition and pageantry. Lovely seeing Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell with us once again, a vision of royalty.

 

We wished we had more of a chance to enjoy the Hats & Horseshoes Party and witness some of the Fashion, but our focus always has been the amazing racing on Queen’s Plate Festival weekend and we simply had to choose with six stake races on one card. We did spot these amazing looks including a Pretty Woman homage and David Dunkley owning the fascinator and hat game!

 

JUNO winners THE WASHBOARD UNION headlined the Queen’s Plate Festival, playing Festival Friday. The Trio treated fans to a surprise bringing on-stage fellow JUNO winner, BRETT KISSEL! Check-out a Clip of them performing their new single, “She Gets Me” below.

 

“She Gets Me”

 

And for your favourite part of our coverage of course, our world-famous Selfies!

 

One Bad Boy and his winning connections, including Co-Owners Brooke Hubbard and Greg Hall

 

The Washboard Union and Brett Kissel

 

Kaitlyn Leeb, star of upcoming Netflix Figure Staking series SPINNING OUT

 

Fort Erie‘s Ashley Mailloux joined us this weekend, contributing to HRRN‘s Queen’s Plate coverage

 

Beauty Queen and TVG personality Megan Devine also gave us a real treat with her visit. Amazing seeing America’s Best Racing‘s Dan Tordjman and Boston’s Woodbine fan extraordinaire, Sean Patrick Nolan back too!

 

With Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson on the lush new Inner Turf 

This amazing sculpture had Instagram ‘lit’ Queen’s Plate Festival weekend!

 

Our #QP19 look: suit by Calvin Klein, ascot by Zara, sunnies by H&M and shoes by INC 

Also, our dear friend Dawn Lupul, who has given fans amazing race analysis for eleven years now, says goodbye. We will miss her so much at the races and can’t wait for her next venture in holistic health and wellness. Send her your regards at @DawnLupul.

 

 

Congrats to our Reader, Cindy who won a pair of passes to the Festival this weekend. She had a blast, meeting The Washboard Union and also our adorable Mr Will!

 

Congrats, @sindai on winning our #QP19 Passes. Look at the amazing first of two nights she had! pic.twitter.com/nE367kMTWC

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) June 29, 2019

 
And a special thanks to Honda Canada for providing us with the 2019 HONDA PASSPORT to drive this Canada Day weekend. We’re in love. 🍁 

Happy Canada Day! 🍁 Doing this long weekend right, courtesy of the powerful, roomy and stylish @HondaCanada Passport! pic.twitter.com/iroyHK95S4

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) July 1, 2019

 

More on the Queen’s Plate here.

 

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Woodbine Entertainment)