H C Holiday Leads Kevin Attard Trio in Prince of Wales

Lacking either of the top two finishers from the Aug. 22 Queen's Plate at Woodbine, the CA$400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes Sept. 14 at Fort Erie mirrors a Preakness Stakes (G1) when the top runners from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) miss it.

But eight Canadian-bred 3-year-olds still entered the second leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, including six that raced in the Queen's Plate at Woodbine, where they finished between third and ninth behind victorious Safe Conduct  and runner-up Riptide Rock .

With those two not running Tuesday, third-place finisher H C Holiday  will look to capitalize in the 1 3/16-mile dirt race. Still a maiden after five starts, he is twice stakes placed.

Video: Queen's Plate S. (BT)

Trained by Kevin Attard for owner Ivan Dalos, the dark bay colt is the son of Ami's Holiday , who competed in the 2014 Canadian Crown. Ami's Holiday was second in the Queen's Plate, third in the Prince of Wales, and then captured the Breeders' Stakes, the final leg.

H C Holiday, bred by Dalos' Tall Oaks Farn, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 on the Fort Erie main track Sept. 7 when sent to Fort Erie early in preparation for his first start on dirt. All five of his Woodbine-based colt's races have come on synthetic surfaces, either at Turfway Park or Woodbine.

He "seemed to be striding out really nice," trainer Kevin Attard said of the workout. "He looked pretty smooth going over Fort Erie's course. Obviously if he runs back to that kind of race like last time in Plate, he will be tough to beat."

Luis Contreras will ride h C Holiday. Contreras has piloted several horses to victory in the Prince of Wales, including Pender Harbour  (2011), Amis Gizmo  (2016), and Cool Catomine  (2017).

Attard will also saddle Harlan Estate  (seventh in the Plate) for owners ERJ Racing, Exline-Border Racing, Madaket Stables, and Clay Scherer, and Haddassah  (eighth in the Plate) for owners Al and Bill Ulwelling. They also breezed this week at Fort Erie, with Harlan Estate recording a bullet five-furlong drill in :59 2/5. 

"I'm kind of pumped about his chances. In my mind after watching him work I think his chances have increased," Attard said of Harlan Estate. "He came out of the work in good shape as well, and he's a horse that kind of plods along. He will need a good trip, and he can't afford to get stopped midway."

He and Keep Grinding are also unraced on dirt.

D-Mac Racing Stable and La Huerta's Avoman , winner of the Plate Trial Stakes and the 2020 Bull Page Stakes at Woodbine, is looking to step up his game after a sixth-place finish in the Plate. Conditioner Donald MacRae will send out the Old Forester   gelding.

This year, the lone filly is Mark Casse's trainee, Breeze Easy's Curlin's Catch . The daughter of Curlin  , fifth in the Woodbine Oaks, is the sole entrant with dirt experience. She is 2-for-4 on dirt, taking a maiden race at Gulfstream Park and the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Tidal Forces , adding blinkers, is also entered, as is longshot Ready at Dawn .

Post time for the Prince of Wales is 5:35 p.m. ET. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Fort Erie is open to a limited number of spectators. 

Entries: Prince of Wales S.

Fort Erie, Tuesday, September 14, 2021, Race 10

• STK
• 1 3/16m
• Dirt
• $400,000
• 3 yo
• 5:35 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Avoman (ON)	Antonio A. Gallardo	126	Donald C. MacRae	7/2
2	2Tidal Forces (ON)	Emma-Jayne Wilson	126	Gail Cox	15/1
3	3Curlin's Catch (ON)	Patrick Husbands	123	Mark E. Casse	9/2
4	4Haddassah (ON)	Gary Boulanger	126	Kevin Attard	12/1
5	5H C Holiday (ON)	Luis Contreras	126	Kevin Attard	5/2
6	6Ready At Dawn (ON)	MarkLee Z. Buchanan	126	Daryl G. Ezra	30/1
7	7Harlan Estate (ON)	Kazushi Kimura	126	Kevin Attard	6/1
8	8Keep Grinding (ON)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	126	Tino Attard	3/1