The wheels are already in motion for the planning of Canada’s premier thoroughbred horse race and the can’t miss social and fashion event of the summer: The King’s Plate.
Woodbine Entertainment today announced the 165th running of The King’s Plate, one of Toronto’s biggest annual sporting events, will take place Saturday, August 17, 2024 at Woodbine Racetrack.
“This year’s King’s Plate was a big success, delivering a record handle, sold-out crowd and really exciting racing,” said Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine. “The third weekend in August has been a good spot for attracting a quality field on the track and an energetic crowd off the track.
“Building on our momentum created at this year’s Plate, we are excited to make the event even bigger in 2024 and look forward to welcoming everyone to Woodbine for the 165th King’s Plate on August 17.”
The “handle” is the amount of money wagered by bettors. More than $18.1 million was bet across all 13 races on the King’s Plate card this year.
This year’s race was the first under “The King’s Plate” name in more than 70 years after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September of 2022. Since its inception in 1860, The Plate has been named after the reigning British monarch.
A formal invitation to His Majesty King Charles III to attend the event has been extended to Buckingham Palace.
The King’s Plate is North America’s longest continuously run stakes race and serves as the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. It is open to Canadian bred three-year-old Thoroughbreds and is contested at a distance of a mile and a quarter. The purse is $1 million.
Ticket and event information will be announced in the coming months.
To learn more about The King’s Plate, visit KingsPlate.com.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Time and again, the Honda Accord has proven to be a favourite of mine. It balances sophistication, practicality and performance so beautifully, a perfect pairing for an annual Summer tradition of mine, the Queen’s Plate. With King Charles’ coronation recently, the most historic horse race in North America was re-branded the King’s Plate this year. This marks the first time the race has been run under the name since 1951. The affair is a $1 million race, restricted to three-year-old horses foaled in Canada, but for some it is a celebration of fashion, with guests donning their very best for a fabulous reason to party!
The race was won this year by PARAMOUNT PRINCE, who is co-owned by Michael Langlois and Hollywood giant Gary Barber, who flew in for a very successful day which saw him win another feature race on the card, the Soaring Free Stakes, with GOLD CANARY. Jockey Patrick Husbands piloted to score, defeating stablemate ELYSIAN FIELD, a filly going up against the boys. Like the flashy and speedy Radiant Red Metallic 2023 Honda Accord EX I test drove for the day, Paramount Prince also is what you call “red” in colour, being of chestnut colouring just like Secretariat. In fact, that legend’s nickname was “Big Red”!
Interest in Horse Racing is peaking once again and there’s proof in numbers. Not only did the King’s Plate sell-out completely, wagering also hit record numbers with $18.1 million bet that day alone!
I initially was given the opportunity to test drive the 2023 Honda Accord EX a couple weeks back for a road trip. After experiencing an “emissions system problem” message (below), I had brought it into Formula Honda in Scarborough, who were amazing to give it a look and a system reset and it turned out everything was fine. When experiencing this error, the car will cap at a certain speed with a reduction in power, and it directs you to visit a dealer. This admittedly was concerning but after a check-through by trusted hands, I was assured the car was as good as new! The error message never resurfaced. Giving it a second go, I was thrilled how true to form it is with what I love about Accords. Sleek, fuel effiicient and just all-around a car I would want to drive every day!
Going over specifications, the Accord EX is powered by a 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, VTEC turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. It operates at 192 @ 6000 rpm horsepower, has idle stop and Eco Assist, which are a better alternative for both the environment and the wallet. Running on Regular Unleaded fuel (also with capless fuelling) it will have you second-guessing if it’s even on because it is so quiet! If you’re looking to save a bit on gas, this is your car with a Highway, City and Combined Fuel Economy of 8.6/6.4/7.3L per 100 km.
Because looks do matter when it comes to cars, the Accord EX comes with small subtle flourishes that elevate it. It has body-coloured door handles, heated power door mirrors (which fold) and a shark fin antenna. The EX is blessed with a one-touch power moonroof including a tilt feature. Proximity Entry makes it super-easy for you and we are all for no more fumbling for keys!
Honda has a way of understanding the passenger experience so well and the EX‘s dual-zone automatic climate control with air-filtration system, gets it just right. While I like it freezing cold, my Mom for example doesn’t, and that’s fine because you can have it both ways with the EX! Everybody wins.
The Driver has much flexibility with with 8-way power adjustment, including 2-way power lumbar support. The front passenger’s seat gets 4-way manual adjustment. There’s an adjustment for everyone’s comfort levels and mobility.
The marriage of phone and car is a sacred union, whether we are navigating Google Maps, streaming Spotify and receiving urgent messages on the EX’s 7″ touchscreen display. Connecting was a cinch with HandsFreeLink™-bilingual Bluetooth® wireless mobile phone interface. The EX is powered by a Bose 8-speaker Audio System, perfect for Audiophiles. Above this, the EX has steering wheel-mounted controls (cruise control, audio, telephone, Driver Information Interface) for ease of navigating while you’re busy driving.
Multi-angle rearview camera with dynamic guidelines are the new norm, making parking or reversing so easy and eliminating anxieties about this. What was life actually like before cars had cameras?
The EX is packed with Active Safety features including 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); Auto high beam; Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS®); Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system; Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system; Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); Blind Spot Information (BSI) system; Rear Cross Traffic Monitor system; Traffic Jam Assist; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) system; Traffic sign recognition (HS); and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) with Traction Control. All needed for those months we get great and not-so-predictable weather!
Passive Safety also is a focal point. 3-point front seat belts with automatic tensioning system; Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure reducing shock and impact in the event of a collision; Childproof rear door locks i-SRS airbag system (front); Front knee airbags; Rear side airbags; HondaLink™ Assist; Automatic Emergency Response System; Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor system; and SmartVent™ side airbags are there to protect you and your loved ones. Also, the EX comes with a Security System and Find My Car/Vehicle Locator features for added piece of mind.
In all, a real gem, reinforcing why exactly test-driving the Accord is always a joy. The 2023 Honda Accord EX starts at $31,000 CAN.
Our King’s Plate experience highlights:
The 2023 Honda Accord EX starts at $31,000 CAN.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
The picture for the upcoming 2022 Queen’s Plate – the 163rd running of North America’s most historic horse race – just got a little clearer. MOIRA scored an authoritative victory in the $500k Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser, winning as the even-odds favourite by 10 3/4 lengths under Rafael Hernandez for Trainer Kevin Attard and Co-Owners Madaket Stables, X-Men Racing and SF Racing. She won in a rapid final time of 1:49.7 for 1 1/8 miles. This was just the second start in 2022 after the winter off for this talented filly by stallion Ghostzapper, from the Unbridled Song mare, Devine Aida. This definitely stamps Moira a leading contender in the Queen’s Plate, to be contested August 21, 2022 at Woodbine Racetrack where she would face males. Finishing second was Sister Seagull and American invader, the maiden Sahlabiya from famed Shadwell Stable and leading Trainer Chad Brown finished third. The high-strung Moira prior to the race had kicked her Blacksmith, though he appears to be fine, and also post-race almost unseated Hernandez after getting spooked by infield flags blowing in the wind. Despite her quirks, she is a consummate professional when racing.
Earlier on the Card was the $150k Plate Trial Stakes, the official prep race for the Queen’s Plate. That was taken by 21-to-1 longshot SIR FOR SURE under Declan Carroll who just joined the local jockey circuit this year, for Team Mark Casse and Owner Heste Sport, which is a force both on the Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred side in Ontario. This marks Carroll‘s first ever stake win at Woodbine. Second was stablemate Hall of Dreams, while U.S. invander Causin’ Mayhem held-on for third. The latter is owned by local outfit Chiefswood Stable and is based in the U.S. with top Trainer Todd Pletcher. The race was run about a full second slower than the fillies in the Woodbine Oaks.
Also on the Super-card today was the Grade II Dance Smartly Stakes, taken by another American invader, WAKANAKA. Going off as the post-time favourite at 6-to-5 odds, this Bill Mott Trainee owned by Film Producer Gary Barber and Team Valor, won by 1 1/4 lengths, finishing the 1 1/16 mile race on the turf in a brisk 1:39.4. Rafael Hernandez had a big day taking both the Oaks and this, surviving a claim of foul here.
HAZELBROOK scored a surprise upset in the $150k Hendrie Stakes at the top of the Card, winning at 26-to-1 odds for True North Stable and Trainer Lorne Richards. Jockey Jason Hoyte scored his first-ever stakes win at Woodbine here. The 6 1/2 furlong sprint was won in 1:15.6.
It was an eventful day which saw multiple claims of objection filed but none successful and one of those winners was two-year-old Ransom the Moon colt ONE FOR CHAP. He broke his maiden on the turf for Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson’s Spruce Stable, with Rafael Hernandez winning again. Mark Casse trains this colt who is a half-brother to champion filly Mrs. Barbara. We learned that Lawson used to call his dad “Chap”, hence inspiring the name. Perhaps we will be seeing him in September’s Grade I Summer Stakes, a win-and-you’re-in Breeders’ Cup race?
Veteran jockey SLADE CALLAGHAN also was named 2022 Avelino Gomez Award recipient, an honour given to a jockey who has made a signficicant contribution to the Sport locally. Callaghan was joined by his peers, past and present accepting the Award with his wife, Trainer Kelly Callaghan beside him.
It was a day of many faces. Some of the names here today.
Betting handles were phenomental today with the total reaching $10.1 million for this star-studded Card.
More on the upcoming Queen’s Plate including tickets here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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