Shaman Ghost Looks for Queen's Plate Magic

Boasting a three-race win streak that includes a victory in the Marine Stakes (Can-III) in his most recent start, Shaman Ghost will take his shot at the first Canadian classic of the season when he starts in the $1 million Queen's Plate Stakes July 5 at Woodbine.

A homebred for Frank Stronach's Stronach Stables, Shaman Ghost boasts three straight victories at 1 1/16 miles and his connections believe stretching out in the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate will only benefit the son of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper  , who also was bred and raced by Stronach and now stands at his Adena Springs Kentucky.

"He's an awesome horse," said Shaman Ghost's regular rider Rafael Hernandez, after winning the Marine by a half-length May 16 at Woodbine. "I think the farther he goes, he's going to be better because he relaxed good. All he needs is a good trip."

After not finishing better than fourth in his first three career starts, which included a pair of sprints and a mile turf race, Shaman Ghost excelled when stretched out to 1 1/16 miles, winning a maiden race at Gulfstream Park and an allowance at Keeneland, both on the main track. Even though he lost his first three starts, trainer Brian Lynch noticed Shaman Ghost's potential.

"You could just see with every work, with every day that went by, he was figuring it all out," Lynch said. "Sometimes, it's just a question of time for particular horses. I've always liked him and I always thought he'd turn out to be a good one."

At that same 1 1/16-mile distance in the Marine, Shaman Ghost registered a half-length victory over Seventhfleethumor with Danish Dynaformer third. Danish Dynaformer, who also is entered in the Queen's Plate, then won the Plate Trial Stakes in his next start.

"Winning form is the best form and he's won three in a row," said Lynch, who is seeking his first Queen's Plate victory. "He's been doing everything well in those last three, really fighting to the wire in all of them. I like the way he doesn't give up. He just keeps on battling. Hopefully, he brings that same great fight with him to the Plate."

A multiple Eclipse and Sovereign Award winner, Stronach will be looking for his first Queen's Plate victory since Awesome Again   won the race in 1997. Stronach also won in 1994 with Basqueian.

Shaman Ghost will start from the inside post in the field of 14 3-year-olds. He has never raced on Lasix and will not receive the diuretic before the Queen's Plate.

Shaman Ghost isn't the only 3-year-old entering the Queen's Plate on a roll, as filly Academic enters off a June 14 victory in the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, in which the Henny Hughes filly set a track record when she completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.86. 

Trainer Reade Baker said Bear Stables' Academic came out in in good order after her front-running, 66-1 upset Oaks victory, which was her first stakes try. Baker believes she could become the second straight filly to win the Queen's Plate after Lexie Lou's 2014 victory. 

"I've had luck with small fillies," Baker said. "Size wise, she's comparable to Bear Now and she made $1.3 million."

Danish Dynaformer and improving maiden winner Billy's Star will be saddled by U.S. and Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield, who seeks his ninth Queen's Plate victory. Attfield said the two breezed well together June 27 on the Woodbine Polytrack, completing five furlongs in 1:00 2/5. 

Charles Fipke homebred Danish Dynaformer has won three of his past four starts with the one loss coming in the third-place Marine finish. But the colt from the final crop of Dynaformer bounced right back to register a three-quarter-length victory in the Plate Trial at 1 1/8 miles.

"He's a really nice horse, no question about it," said Attfield, who currently is tied with Harry Giddings Jr. for most Queen's Plate wins. "He's got a big turn of foot and a huge cruising speed. He's a very versatile horse."

The field also includes Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) runner-up Ami's Flatter, who will break from the outside and is trained by Josie Carroll, who won the 2011 Queen's Plate with filly Inglorious; and stakes winner Conquest Boogaloo, entering off a third in the Plate Trial for trainer Mark Casse, who saddled Lexie Lou to victory in last year's Queen's Plate.