Luster Dominates King’s Plate in Commanding 7¼-Length Victory

TORONTO, August 15, 2026 – Luster, ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Josie Carroll, reigned over her rivals in the 167th edition of The King’s Plate on Saturday at Woodbine.

After a head-turning 5 ½-length triumph in the Woodbine Oaks on July 19, pundits wondered what Luster would have in store for an encore.

The gallant-looking roan had an emphatic answer in front of a packed house.

Breaking from post one, Luster got away cleanly and eventually settled into fourth as 61-1 outsider Fire and Wine led past the wire for the first time. Dixie Law was also among the early group.

Fire and Wine was a half-length clear of Very Special after an opening quarter in :22.78, with Luster settling comfortably just inside Dixie Law.

Still running confidently on the lead through a half in :46.48, Fire and Wine, last year’s Coronation Futurity winner, came under increasing pressure from a host of rivals, including 1-5 favourite Luster, who glided into position with a patient and near-motionless Velazquez soon set to ask the filly for her best run.

That moment came straightening for home, as Luster unleashed a powerful turn of foot, quickly dashing away from her pursuers and widening her advantage at will.

Ahead by two lengths at Robert Geller’s stretch call, she went on to record a 7 ¼-length victory. Military Time was second, three lengths ahead of a game Fire and Wine. Dixie Law was fourth. ​

The final time was 2:02.01, not far off the track record of 2:01.48, set by fellow filly Moira in the 2022 King’s Plate.

It was the first King’s Plate win for owners Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck) and Andrew Rosen, as well as breeders Ravi Sugrim and Joannie Dass; the second for Velazquez, who won the 2018 Plate aboard Wonder Gadot; and the fourth for Carroll, whose previous Plate victories came with Edenwold (2006), Inglorious (2011) and Mighty Heart (2020). Carroll was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2019.

“I’ve been very lucky and very blessed with the fillies, running against the colts and coming here to Canada and winning [the Plate] for a second time,” said Velazquez. “I’m very blessed. She broke so well, so I didn’t want to be in her mouth right away. I wanted to give her a sixteenth of a mile. I knew the horse next to me (Fire and Wine) is going to go to the lead, but he was not fast enough to get in front of me. Right before the wire, I got her back behind the other horse, she relaxed, and then I was really comfortable where I was.

“I didn’t want to be behind the horse that was on the lead, obviously,” he continued. “And so, once I put myself in that position, I had a horse right on my outside, and I made sure I pushed him out. And then I sat again. She was perfect, sitting where I was. Coming to the quarter- pole, I asked her to go, and she responded really nice. I’m very, very blessed to have a horse like that. I want to thank the partnership for letting me ride her. I’m very, very happy that I’m part of the team.”

Carroll lauded the trip engineered by Velazquez.

“Every moment’s anxious until they cross the wire,” admitted Carroll. “That’s horse racing. But you know, [Luster] was in masterful hands. It’s a game of patience. You watch Johnny take her through the trip. He sat. You could see he was confident at any point in the race and just waiting to find the right spot to move her. That, in turn, gave me a lot of confidence, just watching the way he was sitting on her.”

Rosen was thrilled to hoist Canadian racing’s most coveted trophy.

“It’s amazing. I’ve been in the business over 40 years, and winning a race like this is just fantastic. It’s what it’s all about. Last year, Josie [Carroll] told me that we were going to be standing here. So, she’s quite special, Luster. I think Josie knew that right from the get-go, and Josie’s done an amazing job with her. We’re just so happy to have her as our trainer, and Johnny, of course, did a great job.”

Brandon Duchaine is Luster’s groom.

A daughter of Knicks Go out of The Factor mare Ruby Frost, Luster debuted with a 6 ¼-length score at seven furlongs over a yielding E.P. Taylor turf course on Aug. 17, 2025.

She is now 5-0-1 from six starts, which includes her first stakes victory, the Grade 3 Selene Stakes on June 27.

Luster was an $80,000 purchase (Hip No. 2196) at the 2024 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale.

She paid $2.50 for today’s win.

The win pool for The King’s Plate race was a record $1,242,081.

The $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, a 1 3/16-mile race over Fort Erie’s dirt oval on Sept. 7, is the next race in the tri-surface OLG Canadian Triple Crown series, which concludes with the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes at 1 ½ miles over Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor turf on Sept. 27.

Wando, in 2003, was the last horse to sweep the series.

Chris Lomon, Woodbine