King’s Plate 2025 | J.D. Fox

From Miami to Toronto, his name is JD Fox.

He's going to talk to us about the King's plate.

It'll always be the Queen's plate to me.

JD, how are you? I'm doing well and I'm glad I

had a little buffer there so I didn't have to think Brandy and

be like Louis. You're a fine girl.

That would have been very, very annoying.

But also accurate. So it is what it is.

JD Fox with us at Horse tickets on the Twitter.

If you want to go find him there.

JD Which is the best FCS team in Kentucky going into the season?

I'm going to take a hard pass on that at the moment.

I, I don't, I don't, I don't have a good, I don't have a good

answer. I don't want to dissuade the

public as of yet, but I'll have a good answer for you in in a

couple weeks. How well will Drake affair in

the Pioneer League this year? Drake will probably win the

Pioneer league even though they lost their their head coach.

He took the job at you and I so should be interesting.

Awesome. There you go.

All right, Dave Fox with us. Hey, we're talking Woodbine with

you and it's a spot that, look, we got a lot of horse players in

this area of course, but may not be a spot that they are

regularly looking. Lots of sort of smaller

differences, 20 cent trifecta and point pick four and kind of

plays that sort of stuff. So if you want to dabble, you

can certainly do that. But as we talk about the layout

of Woodbine, certainly the surface is a little different,

the layout of the turf course, etcetera.

What should people be watching for this weekend?

Well, yes, so 3-3 courses that would bind the the signature

course is the EP Taylor turf course, the outer turf 1.5 mile

turf course. So it's it's Woodbine in

Belmont. Those are your only 1.5 mile

turf courses in the United States and North America.

So it's the outer turf. So you've got an outer turf

course. Then the Tapita course where the

King's Plate will be run is a mile, is a mile course inside of

that. And then inside of that there's

the inner turf course that's 7/8 of a mile.

Kind of a interesting shape. You actually they used to run

harness races at Woodbine. So when we're talking about the

the the Tailor Stakes, the big turf race on Saturday, you can't

really actually see the start of it because it kind of starts

midway on the turn. And there's a giant outbuilding

for where they used to saddle up the harness horses.

And that's actually kind of in your way.

And now that's actually a party area and it's actually pretty

cool area to go out and watch a race at, but it is a little bit

distracting on Saturday when we start a great card and great set

of stakes races, including the kickoff leg to the Canadian

Triple Crown. Yeah, there you go.

That will be the King's Plate. That will be in Race 9 on the

card. We're going to start with Race 7

here, JD, and this was something you suggested.

There's a special wager in here. Can you describe that?

Yes, so special pick 3 wagers are all the rage now in horse

racing. We're never moving past that.

We've got a Kings and Queens pick 3 to $5 minimum bet, 15%

take out on Saturday. And it will consist of kind of

you skip the bold Venture, which is a grade three race.

So yes, this is a, this is a sequence where they're throwing

out of grade 3. So you've got the Grade 1 EP

Taylor, which is race 7. You've got the King's Plate,

which is race 9 and you've got the grade 2 King Edward, which

is race 10. So race is 79 and 10 for this

wager. Awesome.

Yeah, I'm really can't wait to play this one tomorrow.

It's going to be a lot of fun. But the EP Taylor, as JD

mentioned, is race 7A mile and a quarter on that outer turf

course. It will start pretty much to the

far right of the screen there and they'll work their way

around the two turns after that. 3/4 of $1,000,000 on the line

here for Phillies and Mares 3 and up.

We see in this race she feels pretty.

Who does have a win in the Natalma in 2023 in September

over the Woodbine course? Is she a worthy three to five

favorite here? I think she is in this spot and

obviously I think the big key for her is that she's going to

get firm turf. We've got good weather

conditions that would bind going to be mid 80s on Saturday.

No rain in the forecast until Sunday.

Hopefully that holds off. But been you know yielding and

and very soft turf course the last two out for she feels

pretty at Saratoga when in the New York and a tough second in

the Diana. I mean she feels pretty done

nothing wrong. It's at the Borden all eleven

starts and has been putting up good figures, but my concern and

and one other thing we should mention with this is this race

is a win and you're in for the Breeders Cup to Leimerture

point. Yep, I worry about what she

feels pretty has been beating and you know, even you know

excellent truth, the horse she just lost to in the Diana.

So I am going with an invader here, Louis.

Nice. OK, who are we going to try

instead? We're going to try the three

Diamond Rain 6:00 to 1:00 in the morning line.

All Charlie Appleby has done since 2021 is GO-7 for 12 at

Woodbine. And depending on the racing form

you're looking at it, it may not show it, but it was a great it

was a Group 3 when last time for Diamond Rain it it's got just

got such a long name. The Jennings bed and Delves

hoppings, Phillies steaks and then it would say Group 3, but

it it's cut off there. So that was a Group 3

performance where that horse was odds on and Charlie Appleby did

the media rounds basically saying this horse is a shoe in

and was a shoe in for William Buick.

And the other key thing that always happens with Charlie

Appleby runners in Woodbine. William Buick, one of the best

riders in all of the UK is going to take the flight over and ride

one horse and that's Diamond rain here.

So I'm taking a chance over the three to five morning line over

with diamond rain. This will be a very interesting

betting board and the one thing I'll say is the 7:00 to 2:00

morning line, third choice ready for Cheryl just ran an 88 buyer

in the Canadian, which won a grade 2.

She feels pretty hasn't run an 88 buyer since she was 2.

So you know, everything's been higher.

It's just going to be a weird betting board.

I think it's a 2 horse race and I'm going to take the longer

price, the three diamond rain. In your your $5 pick three.

Which horses will you include from this race?

Just including diamond rain. OK, going single on the 3IN

race, 7:00 tomorrow at Woodbine. It is King's Plate Day and in

fact that is race 9. The next race we're talking

about $1,000,000 on the line going a mile and a quarter on

the synthetic course there at Woodbine.

We get a Philly in the race, not uncommon, frankly, much more

common I should say, in the Canadian version of their top

Derby there. Can you also, before we really

get into this, describe the Canadian Triple Crown itself?

Yep. So basically you've got three

races on three surfaces. So we've got the Kings played on

Saturday, which is a mile and a quarter on the synthetic.

They'll come back in the Prince of Wales State, which is going

to be Tuesday, September 9th. That's at Fort Erie and that's a

mile and three sixteenths on the dirt.

And then the final leg is the is on the turf at Woodbine Mile and

1/2 in the Breeder Stakes and that is taking place this year

on Sunday, September 28th. So again, it's a it's a three

surface and very demanding Canadian Triple Crown.

It is pretty incredible. How many Canadian Triple Crown

winners have there been? There have been quite a few, but

not in a while. So I believe overall we're

looking at 9 or 10, but it's been a it's been a little bit

since we've had one. And the big thing, as you

mentioned it is, you know, Phillies have been winning this

race. Moira, who won the Breeders Cup,

Philly Ameriturf last year won the race.

Caitlin of Greatness, who we did not mention is in that EP Taylor

Stakes field, the first race we went over.

She won this race last year. And No Time is not only the only

Philly in the line, but also the morning line favorite at 7:00 to

2:00 following a victory in the Woodbine Oaks.

The two big lead up races recently, obviously they've

they've shifted kind of winning the year.

The Canadian Triple Crown is. So the Oaks really became a prep

race a few years ago. So they run the Oaks in the

plate trial on the same day. The Oaks obviously just for the

Phillies and the plate trial open to everybody and the Oaks

what's faster than the play trial?

So no time for owner Gary Barber, Mark Cassie, John

Velasquez aboard is the seven to two morning line favorite and

and a much deserving one at that.

Coming off of the would buy no score.

For the last 8 winners of what is now the Kings Plate have been

Phillies. In fact, you have her on top of

your handicap. I do not, but I I think she's a

likely contender. I've been infatuated with the 13

Ashley Archer, another Gary Barber and Mark Cassie horse

since last year. It's horse crossed the wire

first but was disqualified in the cup and saucer, which is the

big two year old turf race at Woodbine and then kind of took a

world tour a little bit went to went to Tampa Bay Downs, went to

Keeneland, ran OK on the dirt, came back in July in against

allowance company and ran pretty well finishing second.

I think this horse has a lot of talent.

I think this this horse is a going to get the the set up

because I think the set the the job for Sahim Savachi here is

going to be descend 12 to one in the morning line draws the

outside 13 hole. I think Ashley Archer is going

to take the lead and try to go as far as he can.

So that's on top of my handicapping.

And then, you know, if we're looking at the construction of

that pick three that we talked about, I think the 10 and the 13

no time in Ashley's Archer too. And then I want to throw in one

long shot and that's the two. William T 21 on the morning

limelight early race just broke the maiden last out but ran a

buyer speed figure that was equal to the Grade 3 Marine

Stakes winner drawn to the inside Mancetti.

One of the lead up races. Yeah, you know, one easily by 6.

I think it's finally figuring it out for trainer Donald McRae.

David Moran will pick up the mount.

I think a live long shot to close into the field as well.

So in that pick three sequence I am 2 and 210 and 13.

Am I seeing this correctly? Does Patrick Husbands not have a

mount in this year's Kings Plate?

So it's he does not, but one thing that will change is Pietro

Morin is listed on two horses. So I'm my understanding is if

both the one and the 6th are in, he'd likely be riding the 6th

paper at 30 to 1. OK, got it.

OK. It's interesting to see Flavia

Pratt on a 30 to 1 as Dewolf potentially just it's weird to

say, is there value with the Flavia Pratt ridden Dewolf here

in the King's Plate? I'd like to say so, but the play

trial was a stinker. Finished sixth, was the favorite

in the Queenston, which is another lead up race and was

third beaten 7 and a quarter. I just, I haven't seen it so far

this year from the wolf. The wolf, you know want to

overnight steak last year ended up getting put up the second in

the cup and saucer finished second in the grade 3 Gray, but

has not been the same cult so far this year.

Race 10, we'll close this pick three sequence.

The King Edward is a Grade 2. It's a mile on the turf course.

A1 turn mile there at on the EP Taylor turf course as JD

described earlier. Excuse me, $200,000 on the line

here. This is for three and up.

In this case, we've got a five to two favorite in Cruden Bay,

breaking from the three, a winner last out in a Grade 2,

going 7 furlongs on that turf course at Woodbine.

Is war strategy on the outside a good play here?

Where are we looking? I'm looking all the way on the

inside with 1 Piper's Factor. Piper's Factor finished third

behind Cruden Bay. He mentioned it's the favorite

in the Connaught Cup last time out going 7 furlongs.

One thing we talked about course configuration.

This is a turf race that is A1 turn mile, so you're going to

see a lot of sprinty types in this field and I think Piper's

Factor is best when when sent and I think Patrick Husbands is

going to get that call. Draw on the inside for trainer

Katarina Vasilieva. I I really like pipers factor at

8:00 to 1:00. Korean Bay is an interesting

favorite because you've got a horse that had never really ran

against steaks company started that in the the conic Cup last

year, one against stakes companies, two or three against

stakes company 6 only the since it's only the second time this

horses ran this year. Very interesting, but I think it

must include the one long shot I like is is another horse coming

out of the Connor Cup, which is lucky score.

I'm going to sound like a broken record here, Louis, but it's

like Gary Barber owned Mark Cassie trained horse closing

sprinter. This this one turn mile is

probably the the the most amount of distance this horses wants to

run. But you look at you know, going

back to 2023 finished third in the woodbine mile finished third

in the King Edward back in 2023 as well.

I think this horse is going to be much longer than 12 to 1 and

I think it's going to give you good value underneath.

So I think is a must include as well.

So for that multi race pick 3 136 for me.

Six. OK.

What's your total cost on that ticket?

What are you looking at? About 60 bucks.

So I'm not a math major, but it's it's one by three by three.

So that'd be $45. If anybody wants to correct me

on the text line that's that's fine.

That's what the text line is for.

Corrections. That's exactly right.

Well, there you go. Little, little Woodbine talk.

JD, How about that man? And we'll have to get you back

on. We'll maybe have your like

monthly FCS play or something. We'll get 3 or 4 from you this

season. Something like that.

Yep. Woodbine.com/USA Free Past

performances from DRF for Saturday's card America's Best

Racing covering the races for those in the States.

Look them up 4:00 PM Eastern Time.

Alexa Zepp, Dan Torchman, whole host of guests live from

Woodbine. Going to be a great weekend out

in Toronto. Well.

There you go, JD. Have a great weekend, buddy.

We'll talk to you soon. Sounds good.

Take care. Thanks.

Man, there you go. Well, JD Fox, why not

woodbine.com/USA? Why not?

Smart move. There's a lot of us down here.

What did you what did you type to our guy about the Canadian

Triple Crown? What'd you?

What'd? You do there?

Oh, no. So he, he's asked me and my

Trump voice to comment on the Canadian Triple Crown.

Go ahead, Zach. The 51st state running horses.

Wow. I didn't know they had horses up

there. I heard they run on Maple syrup

and Tim horton's. Big beautiful horses.

Come down to Kentucky, run against our horses.

They'll look like cackling Kamala, and they'll lose again.

It's actually true. That part.

I know it's true. The last part's true.

Get out here. So let's see what happens.

Bring them down here, we'll show them.

Show Canada who the real horse is.

It is. It is incredible, Zach, that for

the last 8 winners of this race are Phillies.

Yeah. It's just very unusual in the

sport to have that level of sustained.

What are they giving the Canadian Phillies?

Go to break.