Thirteen hopefuls chase King’s Plate crown

TORONTO, August 12, 2025 – Thirteen sophomores, including the lone filly No Time, will contest the $1 million King’s Plate — the first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown — which headlines a stellar stakes-laden Saturday card of racing at Woodbine. ​

The 166th edition of The King’s Plate, North America’s oldest continually run race, contested at 1 ¼ miles on the Woodbine main track, is the first event in the tri-surface series for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds. ​

Wando, bred and owned by the late Gustav Schickedanz, was the last horse to accomplish the feat, in 2003, while becoming the seventh to record the unique triple. The $400,000 Prince of Wales, run at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Fort Erie on September 9, is the second leg. The $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes, at 1 ½ miles over the inner turf at Woodbine on September 28, concludes the series. ​

The King’s Plate festivities, including the post-position draw, were co-hosted by Woodbine TV personality/commentator/handicapper Jeff Bratt, Ignite World Racing host Mark McKelvie, and Woodbine race announcer Robert Geller, and held at Woodbine’s Trackside Clubhouse. The event was attended by many of the race’s connections, and included remarks from Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment. ​

This year’s edition of The King’s Plate once again showcases a mix of stakes winners and underdogs, along with prominent owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys. No Time will carry 121 pounds, while all other starters carry 126 pounds.

No Time arrives at the Plate off an outstanding win in the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Stella Artois on July 20.

To be ridden again by John Velazquez, the daughter of Not This Time out of the Red Ransom mare Count to Three is 3-0-1 from eight starts for owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse – the jockey, owner and trainer won the 2018 Plate with filly Wonder Gadot

Bred by James Everatt, Janeane Everatt & Arika Everatt-Meeuse, No Time won her second start, a one-length triumph at 1 1/16 miles over the E.P. Taylor turf, on September 14, 2024.

“She has a heck of a pedigree,” Casse noted. “She’s by one of the best sires in the world and she’s a half-sister to two Grade 1 winners. She has the pedigree to be any kind. I feel like she really has grown up and has gotten stronger and better as time goes on, which happens a lot of times when you have these great pedigrees.”

Prince Parris is the groom.

A bay son of Karakontie (JPN) out of the Distorted Humor mare Certainly Special, Ashley’s Archer is one of two (filly No Time is the other) Mark Casse trainees in this year’s Plate.

The bay colt, 1-2-1 from seven starts, will contest his third stakes event when he goes into the gate for the Plate. He finished first, but was placed fifth, in last year’s Cup and Saucer, and third, one month later, in the Coronation Futurity.

“We got [Ashley’s Archer] in Ocala, and he always impressed me,” said Casse, a three-time winner of the Plate. “He always worked well. I think he’s a nice horse. I don’t think you’ve seen his best yet.”

Ashley’s Archer is co-owned by Gary Barber and Archer Racing.

Archer Racing is owned by Jayson Horner and his daughter Courtney. Horner raced Ashely’s Archer’s half-brother Coltimus Prime who won the 2014 Prince of Wales Stakes.

Sahin Civaci, Canada’s champion rider in 2024, gets the call.

Ivan Forde is the groom.

Dewolf is one of three (Faber and Mansetti are the others) starters from the Kevin Attard barn.

To be ridden by Flavien Prat, who won the 2019 Plate with One Bad Boy, the dark bay colt is 2-3-1 from eight starts for owners X-Men Racing IV LLC, Canuck Racing Club, Madaket Stables LLC and SF Racing LLC.

Bred by BHMFR, LLC, Dewolf won last year’s running of the Bull Page Stakes. The son of Silent Name (JPN) out of the Holy Bull mare Holy Cargo was runner-up in the 2024 editions of the Cup and Saucer, Grey Stakes (G3), and Coronation Futurity.

“We don’t have any reason to believe he can’t get the distance,” said Attard. “Hopefully, this is the day we see his best – he gets a clean trip and can capitalize on it.”

Attard won the 2024 Plate with filly Caitlinhergrtness and the 2022 edition with filly Moira.

Beresford Lee is the groom.

Faber, also trained by Kevin Attard, is a son of Improbable out of the Into Mischief mare Disobedient.

Sporting a record of 1-2-1 from nine starts, the gelding is one of two (Mansetti is the other) hopefuls from owners Al and Bill Ulwelling.

Named after NHL star Brock Faber, the bay, bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. & 552727 Ontario LTD, will make his fourth appearance at the stakes level and first since a fourth in last year’s Cup and Saucer.

“There’s no doubt at all that he’s a trier,” praised Attard. “He’s always been a game horse with ability. The hope is he can take all of his strengths and come up big in the Plate.”

Faber, the hockey player, will be tuning in to see how his namesake fares.

“I have to say it is very cool,” the 22-year-old told NHLPA.com. “At first, I didn’t know if it was just a coincidence. I guess I never thought a racehorse would be named after me.”

Pietro Moran has been named on both Faber and Mansetti.

Donavon Buchannon is the groom.

Named after a popular pizza place in the Ulwellings’ home state of Minnesota, Mansetti is 4-0-0 from seven starts.

A bay son of Collected out of the Sky Mesa mare Gidget Girl, the colt, bred in Ontario by Jungle Racing, LLC, notched stakes scores in last year’s Clarendon, as well as victories in this year’s Woodstock Stakes on April 27 and the Marine Stakes (G3) on June 28.

Trained by Kevin Attard, Mansetti breezed four furlongs in :47.60 over the Woodbine main track on August 9.

“Very happy with his breezes coming into the race,” said Attard. “Just like his stablemates, he has the talent and tenacity to show up with a big one on Saturday.” ​

Lawrence Williams is the groom.

Trained by Danny Gargan for owner Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Mythical Man is 2-0-0 from four career starts.

Out of the Ghostzapper mare Park Lane, the bay gelding broke his maiden last October at Belmont at the Big A and followed it up with another score two months later at Gulfstream.

“It’s going to be our first time running on synthetic, but he’s run well on the turf,” noted Gargan. “We’re hoping he likes it.”

The son of Mucho Macho Man, bred by Adena Springs, will be ridden by two-time Sovereign Award winner (top apprentice) Sofia Vives.

Violate Chajon is the groom.

Notorious Gangster, trained by Hall of Fame conditioner and three-time Plate winner Josie Carroll for owner and breeder Mark Dodson, has been a model of consistency over seven starts, crafting a 3-2-1 mark, along with $252,770 in purse earnings.

The son of Classic Empire out of the Verrazano mare Sister Nova won last year’s Coronation Futurity and this year’s Queenston Stakes. The dark bay was also runner-up in this year’s Woodstock Stakes and Plate Trial.

“He’s a very uncomplicated horse,” said Carroll, of Notorious Gangster, who will be ridden by rising star Fraser Aebly. “The one thing that he shares with the horses that I have been successful with in the Plate is that he has a very good mind. He’s very level-headed. And I think that’s a really important trait on a day like King’s Plate Day when there’s a huge crowd.”

Victor James is the groom.

Supplemented to the race for $25,000, Runaway Again, trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Sid Attard, heads into the Plate off one start, an eye-catching 9 ¼-length romp over 1 1/16 miles on July 13.

Bred and owned by Adena Springs, the son of Hard Spun out of the Storm Cat mare Golden Venus has had a steady work tab, including a five-furlong breeze in :59.40 over the Woodbine main track on July 27.

“He’s a high-strung horse,” said Attard. “He’s always feeling good, and he’s kind of still green, but he gets better every day. He’s not a very big horse, but he’s strong.”

Javier Castellano, who was second in the 2019 Plate with Avie’s Flatter, gets the call.

Joseph Farris is the groom.

Scorching, owned by Paul Braverman and Timoty Pinch, has produced a mark of 2-2-1 from five career starts.

Out of the Consolidator mare Samsal, the dark bay won last year’s Simcoe Stakes and Cup and Saucer (second, elevated to first through disqualification).

The son of Mo Town was second in this year’s Marine Stakes (G3) and third in the Plate Trial Stakes on July 20.

Trained by John Charalambous, Scorching was bred by Huntington Stud Farm Corp. ​

“After his first race, it was very impressive, and he improved each time he ran last year and this year,” said Charalambous. “After his first start, he just seemed to grasp everything very well and showed that he could be a better-than-average colt.”

Jose Lezcano gets the mount.

Sandy Hartsgrove is the groom.

Sedburys Ghost, bred and owned by Yawen Wu, heads into the Plate off an impressive victory in the Plate Trial on July 20.

Under the tutelage of champion trainer Barb Minshall, the son of 2015 Plate winner Shaman Ghost out of the Sligo Bay (IRE) mare Hurricane Mimi has fashioned a record of 3-0-1 from five starts.

To be ridden by Ryan Munger, the chestnut gelding has won three of his past four starts.

“He was a high-strung horse – not bad-acting, just very good-feeling as a 2-year-old, but he has settled down,” said Minshall. “He has matured a whole lot. He was extremely calm and professional in the paddock for the Plate Trial. Generally, horses that get better all the time keep improving. It’s a good sign.”

Dexter Brathwaite is the groom.

Owned by CJ Thoroughbreds and Mo Speed Racing, and trained by Michael Stidham, Tom’s Magic comes into his first appearance outside of the U.S. off a 1 ½-length win in the Tale of the Cat Stakes (1 1/16 miles over the turf) on June 28 at Monmouth Park.

Bred by Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry, the son of Justify out of the Rahy mare Dixie Chicken is 3-1-0 from five starts.

“I like the horse a lot,” said Stidham. “He’s done things the right way. I think he’s had a good preparation coming up to this race. I think we’re in there with a really live chance.”

Rafael Hernandez, who has won three Plates, including last year with Caitlinhergrtness, will be in the irons on Saturday.

Reyes Gutierrez is the regular groom. Renee Kierans is the groom at Woodbine.

Watsonville Red, owned by John and Diana Russell, is 1-0-0 from eight starts.

The late-closing son of Hard Spun, who was fourth in the Plate Trial Stakes on July 20, broke his maiden in his second start of 2025, a 28-1 victory at 1 1/16 miles over the Woodbine main track.

Bred by Adena Springs, Watsonville Red is trained by multiple graded stakes winning conditioner Mike De Paulo, who won his 1,000th career race this March at Gulfstream Park.

“I think his strength is that he’s a stayer,” said De Paulo. “If you have a Canadian-bred, who is fit, happy and can run long, you’ve got a chance.”

Leo Salles gets the call aboard the bay gelding out of the Awesome Again mare Ice Festival.

Joseph De Paulo is the groom.

Trained by Don MacRae for owner Michael Lay, William T comes into the $1 million classic off a six-length, maiden-breaking score at 1 1/16 miles over the Woodbine main track on July 13.

Bred by Anderson Farms (Ontario) Inc., the son of Frosted out of the Hard Spun mare Upper Brass is 1-1-2 from four starts.

“His first start as a 2-year-old was solid – he showed ability,” said MacRae. “Over the winter, he went through a stage where he went from looking like a boy to looking like a grown man. From 2 to 3, he has really grown up. He is a very big, stunning horse now.”

To be ridden by David Moran, who was second with Riptide Rock in the 2021 Plate, William T will make his stakes debut on Saturday.

Diego Kellman is the groom.

Saturday’s card also features a quintet of stakes: the (G1T) $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In,” fillies & mares, 3-year-olds & up, 1 ¼ miles), $200,000 bet365 King Edward (G2T) (one mile on the E.P. Taylor turf for 3-year-olds and up), (G3) $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes (6 ½ furlongs on the main track for 3-year-olds and up), $150,000 bet365 Soaring Free (6 ½ furlongs on the E.P. Taylor turf for 2-year-olds) and the $150,000 Catch a Glimpse (6 ½ furlongs on the E.P. Taylor turf for 2-year-old fillies).

First post for Saturday is 12:45 p.m. (ET), with the featured King’s Plate scheduled as Race 9 (5:34 p.m. ET). The national Plate broadcast will be televised on Sportsnet ONE and Citytv from 4-6 p.m. ET. ​ ​

Biographies for each King’s Plate contender can be found here: woodbine.com/blog/166th-kings-plate-media-guide/

For the latest information, fans can follow @WoodbineTB on both X and Instagram. ​ ​

Field for the $1 million King’s Plate – Race 9

Post – Horse – Trainer – Jockey – Morning Line Odds

1 – Mansetti – Kevin Attard – Pietro Moran – 10-1

2 – William T – Don MacRae – David Moran – 20-1

3 – Notorious Gangster – Josie Carroll – Fraser Aebly – 9-2

4 – Scorching – John Charalambous – Jose Lezcano – 10-1

5 – Mythical Man – Danny Gargan – Sofia Vives – 50-1

6 – Faber – Kevin Attard – Pietro Moran – 30-1

7 – Runaway Again – Sid Attard – Javier Castellano – 12-1

8 – Dewolf – Kevin Attard – Flavien Prat – 30-1

9 – Watsonville Red – Mike De Paulo – Leo Salles – 50-1

10 – No Time – Mark Casse – John Velazquez – 7-2

11 – Tom’s Magic – Michael Stidham – Rafael Hernandez – 5-1

12 – Sedburys Ghost – Barb Minshall – Ryan Munger – 6-1

13 – Ashley’s Archer – Mark Casse – Sahin Civaci – 12-1

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Chris Lomon, Woodbine