Donver Stable’s INGLORIOUS (Hennessy) charged down the stretch to
Sent postward the 8-5 choice in the 1 1/8-mile event, the
After fractions of :24 4/5, :50 2/5 and 1:15 1/5, Spooky Kitten
Following a brief drive, Inglorious prevailed as she went by the leader 70
“Well, not really worried (about being behind horses),”
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“I was thinking it was a bit crowded here (around the far turn). Then I
saw Luis starting to angle, and I thought he rode a heady race,” Carroll
added. “I thought if we’ve got enough horse, we’re OK. I thought she was
(strong down the stretch).”
For Carroll, the win by Inglorious capped a career double as she had
previously captured the 2006 Queen’s Plate with Edenwold, becoming the first female conditioner
to do so. Although she was the second female trainer to win the Oaks
(Carolyn Costigan won last year with Roan Inish), she’s now trained the winners
of the two richest and most important races for Canadian-foaled three-year-olds.
After a two-race campaign last year, both wins in stakes at Woodbine,
Inglorious was pointed toward a possible run in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at
Churchill Downs. The bay lass opened her 2011 season
with a solid second place finish in the Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) at Fair
Grounds in February, but a month later, in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), she could only
finish fourth as the 6-5 choice.
So her connections decided to focus on the Woodbine Oaks instead and Sunday’s
result justified that decision. Inglorious came come into the Canadian classic fresh from
off a 1 1/2-length tally in the La Lorgnette S. on May 15. Purchased by Donna
and Vern Dubinsky’s Donver Stable for $90,000 at the CTHS Yearling Select Sale in 2009,
her career record now stands at 6-4-1-0, $657,863.
Now, it’s decision time once again, as Inglorious, who was the Winterbook
favorite for the Queen’s Plate, may indeed take on the boys June 26 in the $1
million classic.
“After her race today, we’ll see how she comes out of it, and we’ll play it
by ear,” Carroll said.
If Inglorious does go on to the Queen’s Plate, she could face CHECK
The lightly-raced son dark bay, trained by Hall of Famer Roger
“Actually, I was kind of glad he missed the break,” Attfield said. “I
“He’s still learning, I didn’t really worry about it (the slow
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Bowman’s Causeway (Giant’s Causeway), who had moved with Check Your Soul off
the far turn, finished second, 1 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher
Strike Oil (Forest Wildcat). Meanwhile, Bear’s Chill, the 8-5 choice, faded to
last in the nine-horse field after setting fractions of :24 3/5, :49 1/5 and
1:13 4/5.
The post-race chatter was all about Check Your Soul, though. The colt was
making only his four career start after not racing as a juvenile, coming into
the Plate Trial fresh from an easy victory in the May 1 Wando S.
Check Your Soul will now try to give Attfield a record ninth Plate win and,
if recent history is any barometer, it might happen. The last three Plate Trial
winners — Not Bourbon in 2008, Eye of the Leopard in 2009 and Big Red Mike
(Tenpins) in 2010 — all went on to glory in the ‘Gallop for the Guineas.’
Overall, 25 Plate Trial winners in 68 editions have won the Plate.
Check Your Soul ran his line to 4-3-0-0 with the Plate Trial victory and has
accumulated $194,919 in lifetime earnings.
Husbands also piloted favored NEW NORMAL (Forestry) to victory in the
New Normal, trained by Mark Frostad, was making her
“There was a ton of speed in there, so the instructions to Patrick were to let her come away from there and get herself comfortable,” said Patrick Lawley-Wakelin,
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New Normal earned $60,000 for the win, her third in six career outings, to
push her bankroll to $212,578.