Attard, Casse Loom Large in Prince of Wales Stakes
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Photo: Woodbine/Michael Burns
Pierre trains at Woodbine
Canada's most dominant trainers, Kevin Attard and Mark Casse, will run a total of six horses Sept. 10 at Fort Erie in the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. The 89th running of the $400,000 race is limited to horses bred in Canada.
Attard will run four horses—King's Plate also-rans Pierre and Jokestar , along with stakes-winning filly Ariosa and the maiden Bedard—in the 1 3/16-race on Fort Erie's main track. It will be the first time on dirt for each of them.
Casse, a member of the American and Canadian Halls of Fame, counters with 5-2 morning-line favorite Midnight Mascot and Essex Serpent . Midnight Mascot rallied to be third behind Attard-trained winner Caitlinhergrtness in the 1 1/4-mile King's Plate on the synthetic surface at Woodbine, where Essex Serpent faded to 10th after setting a fast pace.
Attard is particularly optimistic about the chances of Ariosa, who worked a quick five furlongs in :57 with stablemate Bedard Aug. 27 over the dirt training track at Woodbine before going a half-mile in :47 Sept. 3 at Fort Erie.
"Her last two works were phenomenal," Attard told Daily Racing Form. "We've been patient with her and I'm hoping it's going to pay off."