At The Post's Queen's Plate Selections

Check Your Soul, pictured, could become the fourth consecutive Plate Trial winner to win the Queen's Plate. Courtesy: WEG / Michael Burns Photography

With the 152nd running of the Queen's Plate less than 24 hours away, it's time to make a selection. Here's how I see Canada's biggest race for three-year-olds shaping up on Sunday.

The Early Going

It's hard for me to decide whether the front runners in this field will try to play catch me if you can, or if they'll set a moderate pace over the opening half mile. Expect Curgone, Oh Canada and Okiyama to contest the pace. These three horses score their highest pace figures in races where the opening quarter is around 24.50 and higher and the first half mile is around 49.00. This is perfect news for the likes of Check Your Soul, Inglorious and Queen'splatekitten, but very bad news for Maple Leaf Kitten and Seawatch, who need lots of pace to run at.

With a moderate pace anticipated, the next three horses sitting just off of the pace should be One Big Gator, Ojibway Signal and Bowman's Causeway, with the rest of the field behind them. Inglorious, Check Your Soul and Queen'splatekitten will most likely sit close to each other, between four and six lengths off the leading group.

The Turn For Home

I don't expect too much movement in position throughout the backstretch, but the final turn will be where the race picks up. In a race that's packed full of closers, the important thing will be to get a clear run at the wire. With just six horses up near the lead, 11 horses may be fighting to get into position and that's where the outside posts selected by Check Your Soul, Queen'splatekitten and Inglorious will be an advantage, assuming they don't drop in on the rail out of the gate. Inside closers like Imhotep, Pender Harbour, Head Honcho and Strike Oil will likely encounter traffic issues, which will most likely hurt their chances.

With all of the talk this week about the race being wide open with a 17 horse field, there are three horses in this race who are much better than the rest. Check Your Soul, Queen'splatekitten and Inglorious will all likely have clean runs at the wire and should finish in the top three positions. When talking about which one will win, you have to like how Check Your Soul has won his last two races, especially the Plate Trial. Taking into account that the winner of the Plate Trial has won the last three Queen's Plates, it's hard not to like Check Your Soul on top. I'm going to take Inglorious in the second spot and stick Queen'splatekitten in third, but wouldn't be suprised if either of them won the race.

At The Post Selects:

1. Check Your Soul
2. Inglorious
3. Queen'splatekitten
4. Bowman's Causeway
Consider: Hippolytus, Pender Harbour

When getting to the window, I will first place a win wager on Check Your Soul. In a 17 horse field, we should be able to get decent odds on Check Your Soul. Odds of 5-2 or 2-1 would be excellent. With the odds being so great on our favourite and the fact that I also think only three horses will finish in the top three, I will key Check Your Soul in an exactor with Inglorious and Queen'splatekitten underneath. If placing $2 wagers, I can return my $6 on a Check Your Soul win and profit between $20 and $40, depending on who finishes second. It could be a good wagering strategy for tomorrow.

Who do you like tomorrow? Have any wagering strategies you're thinking about using? Let us know in the comment box below. Good luck tomorrow and enjoy the race!

Posted in: Queens Plate,Selections