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July
04,
2010
Big
Red Mike Wires in Queen's Plate
Toronto,
July 04...Big Red Mike, ridden by Eurico Rosa da Silva,
made every pole a winning one in taking the 151st edition of
the $1 million Queen's Plate, Canada's most famous horse race
for Canadian-foaled three-year-olds, Sunday at Woodbine.
Trained by Nick Gonzalez for Terra Racing Stable, Big Red Mike, a homebred chestnut
gelded son of Tenpins-Regent n' Flashy, took the field through an opening
quarter in :24.43, the half in :49.39 and six furlongs in 1:14.31, while being
dogged by Sam-Son Farm's Hotep and slight favourite Mobilizer.
After a mile was reached in 1:38.74, the top two positions still
hadn't changed, as Big Red Mike loped along with a one length lead. When
the field turned for home, the front runner quickly opened up on his pursuers,
then held Hotep safe through a prolonged stretch drive to win by one and one-half
lengths in a final time of 2:04.89 for the mile and one-quarter over Woodbine's
Polytrack.
Second choice Roan Inish, winner of the recent Woodbine Oaks and one of two fillies
in the field of 13, rallied for third, one and one-quarter lengths behind Hotep,
while Giant's Tomb, another Sam-Son Farm hopeful, came on for fourth, a neck
behind Roan Inish. Meanwhile, Mobilizer faded to 10th.
With Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke
of Edinburgh, attending the Plate for the fourth time (1959, 1973, 1997), da
Silva thus became the first jockey to win back-to-back Plates since Craig Perret
in 1992-93, when he won with Alydeed and Peteski. Last year, da Silva was
aboard the winner, Sam-Son Farm's Eye of the Leopard.
"He ran very relaxed, he gave me no problems," said da Silva. "He was so focused,
you know. I went to the lead easy and he did the job. This horse
ran so hard today. I'm just so proud of him. I'm going to see the Queen
today."
Big Red Mike, who outlasted Mobilizer by a half-length in the Plate Trial on
June 13 with a similar front-running performance, thus became the 25th Plate
Trial winner and third consecutive one (following Eye of the Leopard in 2009
and Not Bourbon in 2008) to claim the Queen's Plate. He's also the first
gelding to win since longshot T J's Lucky Moon captured the 'Gallop for the Guineas'
in 2002.
For the 58-year-old Gonzalez, who celebrated his 1,000th career win last month,
it was his first Plate win with his first Plate starter. For owner Terra
Racing Stable (Dom and Frank Romeo), it was their first Plate win as well, but
the Romeos had entered several horses in past Plates, the latest being Classic
Mike, who finished eighth in 2002.
"I'm pinching myself to see if this is real," said Gonzalez. "I
left it up to Eurico. I thought it was going to be a jockey's race. My
wife (Martha), son and I were jumping up and down so much that it's just kind
of a blur in my eye right now."
"This will probably be one of the most memorable days of my life," added co-owner
Dom Romeo. "I have been 35 years in racing and breeding. I bred this horse, which
makes it much more satisfying. Our hopes are always to win the Queen's Plate
and the Queen being here is magnificent. It's very exciting."
Big Red Mike picked up a pot of $600,000 for the historic win, pushing his career
bankroll to $667,396. It was his third win in only six career starts.
Sent postward the 5-1 third choice, Big Red Mike paid $12, $6.30 and $4.40, combining
with fourth choice Hotep ($6.90, $4.70) for a $80.90 exactor. A 5-11-10
(Roan Inish, $4.30 to show) triactor returned $284.20, while a $1 Superfecta
[5-11-10-8 (Giant's Tomb)] lit the toteboard with a $1,375.80 payoff.
Now, it's onto the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, the $500,000 Prince
of Wales Stakes, July 25 at Fort Erie, at one mile and three-sixteenths. The
third leg is the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes over one and one-half miles on the
turf, August 15 at Woodbine.
Only seven horses have won the Triple Crown since its inception in 1959, the
last being Wando in 2003.
Parking and Admission is always free.
Daryl
Wells
Media and Communications
1-800-295-3770 ext. 3204
e-mail: dwells@forterieracetrack.ca
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