Mighty Heart Leads Throughout in Queen's Plate Romp

Mighty Heart lived up to his name with a dominating score in the 161st running of the Queen's Plate Sept. 12 at Woodbine, where the one-eyed colt trounced 13 rivals as a 13-1 longshot.

Originally slated for June 27, North America's oldest continually run race was moved to Saturday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For the connections of Mighty Heart, it was well worth the wait. 

Bred and owned by Lawrence Cordes, the son of Dramedy flew under the radar leading up to the Plate, but the Ontario-bred bay, in his first stakes test, landed in the winner's circle courtesy of a sensational wire-to-wire score in the CA$1,002,400 (US$760,633) classic. 

Mighty Heart, trained by Josie Carroll, was directed to the front from post 13 as jockey Daisuke Fukumoto guided his charge over to the rail while the field passed the wire for the first time. He was joined to the outside by Tecumseh's War, while Truebelieve sat third, with Plate Trial winner Clayton settling in fourth. Favored Curlin's Voyage was forced into an outside journey as the field headed into the first turn of the 1 1/4-mile Tapeta test and through an opening quarter in :23.57.   

One length on top after a half in :47.61, Mighty Heart was still yet to be tested, but just after the 1:12.70 three-quarters mark, Curlin's Voyage began her move from eighth. Clayton also was charging for home and made a bid to engage the pacesetter, but to no avail, as the leader easily repelled the challenge and rocketed on to a 7 1/2-length score.

"Unbelievable," said Fukumoto, who won in his first Queen's Plate start. "I can't explain. He's feeling good today, he bolted good. I saw that nobody (was going for the lead), so I just sent him and he just kept going. After the wire, he still kept going. He didn't stop there." 

Belichick rallied to grab second, while Clayton settled for third, a neck in front of Tecumseh's War. Curlin's Voyage, Canada's champion 2-year-old filly, was a head back in fifth. 

It was a 1-2-5 finish with three starters for Carroll, who celebrated her third "Gallop for the Guineas" crown. The Canadian Hall of Fame inductee took the 2006 edition with Edenwold and the 2011 running with the filly Inglorious. 

The final time was 2:01.98, the second-fastest edition of the Queen's Plate run since 1957. Izvestia, who went on to win the 1990 Triple Crown, won in 2:01 4/5ths.  

"I was concerned for a minute or two with the quick fractions but he looked like he was settling and doing it easily," said Carroll. "We knew he'd go all day and he sure did. You know what, he's just a very exciting horse who's come a long way for Mr. Cordes, who's had a lot of confidence in him from the start." 

Mighty Heart, who returned $28.50 for a $2 win ticket, now has two wins and a third from five starts. Out of the winning City Place mare Emma's Bullseye, he broke his maiden in his third start, a 4 1/4-length score at 1 1/16 miles July 11 at Woodbine, and arrived at the Queen's Plate off a third-place performance at the same distance. He is by far the most accomplished runner for Emma's Bullseye, who produced three winners from three starters and was last reported bred to Amis Gizmo for 2020.

"He was sharp today," praised Fukumoto. "I thought it was fast but I took the lead so I can't do anything, you know, I let him go. He only has one eye, but he's got a big heart, a mighty heart." 

The $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, a 1 3/16-mile race Sept. 29 over Fort Erie's dirt oval, is the next race in the tri-surface OLG Canadian Triple Crown series, which winds up with the $400,000 Breeders' Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course back at Woodbine Oct. 24. 

Wando, in 2003, was the last horse to sweep the series and the seventh since its exception in 1959.

Video: Queen's Plate S. (BT)