The King’s Plate ($1,000.000 Purse)
WO- For Three Year Olds Foaled In Canada
One Mile and One Quarter on the Dirt
August 16, 2025
Mo Mentum Farm’s commitment to breeding in Canada has made him a dominant trainer in the King’s Plate, as he has won the race in three of the last four years, and four times overall. He’ll be looking to continue that stranglehold on the race, as he brings three to the starting gate. Also with three entered is Mb Stables, then we have Asgar with two, meaning three trainers will start eight of the eleven total runners. Last year’s winner was Mo Mentum Farm’s Duke Of Love, but it’s still the last time he has won a race. He remains active and has been second for four races in a row. That horse he narrowly defeated in a photo that day was Charlie Jace, who’s gone to have a stronger career. Now, let’s take a moment to look at the eleven entered:
1- Banned (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- Spent the year on the KYD trail, but outside of a nice win in the TAM Derby, Banned came up empty. The trainer hoped for better at the Sexton Mile in late May, but he failed to beat anyone that day. After that, he’d be dropped into an optional claimer, and did not beat anyone then, either. He’s had about two months of rest and Mb can certainly engineer a turnaround, but he doesn’t look like one that’s about to win the King’s Plate.
2- Forever Martian (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by B Curtis)- Most of his races as a two year old came on the grass, leading into a third place run in the BC Juvenile Turf. Understandably, Mo Mentum Farm pursued the KYD with him for a little while and did get a second-place run with Forever Martian in the Risen Star, but other than that, it did not go well. Went back to the grass, though in overnights for a couple and saw better results. Don’t feel that this is the trainer’s most appealing entry in the race.
3- Mango Or Mint (The Sidley Stud, ridden by P Husbands)- Mango Or Mint has been Hot or Cold thus far as a three-year-old. He was one of four horses that took part in the Plate Trial here last month, and he finished second to Straight Cash Homie that day. If he can follow that up, than Mango Or Mint would figure to be a contender in this field. I am just not so sure that he can be counted to do that, given his inconsistency.
4- Smitten (Asgar, ridden by A Jimenez)- Ran well three weeks ago at five-and-a-half-furlongs in a MTH allowance, grabbing the victory, but will now get back to going long like he has done for most of his career. The last time he did so on the dirt was in February, placing fourth in the $175.000 Battaglia Memorial Stakes. Honestly, I’m having a hard time figuring out where he stands in this field. I see the potential, but the speed figures could be a little better.
5- Sweet Caviar (Asgar, ridden by P Lopez)- Won two of his first three starts, including the $125.000 Victoria Stakes here last July. Unfortunately, that’s also that last time that he has won a race. However, with a little more luck in some photo finishes, Sweet Caviar could reasonably have four more wins, including in the Grade 3 Hope Stakes. Only been in optional claimers this year, and he’s hitting the board, just not winning.
6- Love (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by F Geroux)- Last year, it was Duke Of Love that got the win for Mo Mentum Farm, and now he hopes to do it with simply, Love. And there is plenty of reason to love Love, thanks in large part to her win in the $500.000 WO Oaks last month. That’s right, this is indeed a filly, and that gives her a useful five pound weight allowance. Against her own gender, she’s won five of her last six, but it has been a while since I have seen, in one of the races that I have covered, a filly that was entered against the boys, actually get the win. Seems like it used to be more common. She’s a good candidate to pull it off, though.
7- Conscientious (Mb Stables, ridden by Ar Bocachica)- It appears as though Mb Stables has been preparing Conscientious for this race for a little while, an easier decision when you’re stable is as deep as his. This will be the sixth time that he has run here, as it has been his home when derby preps were not attempted, more often than not. Since being gelded in April, he has only raced here, and won the $125.000 Queenston before later coming on late to finish fourth in the Plate Trial.
8- Eighteen Ninety Two (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by O Murphy)- The second filly that is in the race, and both are from Mo Mentum Farm. Eighteen Ninety Two was the runner up to Love in the $500.000 WO Oaks here last month, but has not been as dominant otherwise as her stablemate against her own gender. A bit inconsistent, she can tend to be, so while if she’s on, she can certainly get it done with the weight allowance, I don’t love her as much as Love.
9- Straight Cash Homie (Mb Stables, ridden by A Cedillo)- Earned the win here last month in the $150.000 Plate Trail, and has been here for his last three starts. He’s gone back and forth between the dirt and the turf over his seven career starts, but has looked very comfortable running against fellow Canadian Breds here in his last two. Look for him to be the trainer’s horse on the front end early on.
10- Street Magician (Angelos Stable, ridden by J R Velazquez)- While there are multiple horses here that ran in KYD prep races, Street Magician was the only one in the field to actually make that race. He had also run in the BC Juvenile last fall, as well. Despite those positives, Street Magician was a non-factor in the KYD itself, finishing in the double digits. That can be forgiven, especially with the sloppy track, but I would have liked to have seen more last time out. He was third of four in an optional claimer here last month, one spot behind Straight Cash Homie and one better than Banned. Ironically, the winner, Lotus, was claimed for $50.000 last month and is not here.
11- Consumed By Fire (Big Guns Stables, ridden by L Saez)- Entered the Plate Trail here last month off of back-to-back wins in overnights, but would not have a good race, finishing sixth and being beaten by three lengths. It’s not the first time he had been in a stake, and while he did win two of them as a two-year-old, he has not been as effective as a three-year-old. That can change, and he is working very well coming into this race. Would like to see better speed figures on him, though.
Prediction: 7-6-9-10
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded