How to bet the 2023 King's Plate

A massive field of 17, with an additional two on the also-eligible list, will contest Sunday’s $1 million King’s Plate S. at Woodbine. The 1 1/4-mile event on the All-Weather surface is the longest continually run race in North America and attracted a bevy of Canadian-bred sophomores in what promises to be a memorable event.

King’s Plate Wagers

$10 win/place/show #8 Wickenheiser ($30)

$4 exacta key box 8 with 6,13,15 ($24)

$2 exacta box 6,8,13,15 ($24)

I will use multiple three-year-olds in a field with value attached to nearly every runner in the cast. Conditioner Kevin Attard, who has five in the field, saddled the winner of the storied race with a filly in 2022 when Moira strode clear to a fantastic victory. And I believe that he can do it again with #8 Wickenheiser (12-1).

The bay daughter of Lemon Drop Kid had a solid juvenile campaign and has shown some improvement in 2023. She was second in an allowance test on the oval to commence her three-year-old season, prior to rallying from well back to be runner-up in the Woodbine Oaks last time out. The bay has the pedigree to thrive at 10 furlongs, and I also expect her to run a peak race while making her third appearance off the bench, as well.

Her full-brother, Belichick, is a Classic winner who ran second in the 2020 edition of the tilt, and Wickenheiser can go one better on Sunday. She will have fine local pilot Rafael Hernandez in the stirrups.

#13 Paramount Prince (10-1) was a facile, five-length winner of the Plate Trial S. in his route debut most recently for conditioner Mark Casse. By Society’s Chairman, the gelded three-year-old has improved his Brisnet Speed figure in three races in succession and came home well after showing speed at 1 1/8 miles in advance of this lucrative feature. He has good early presence, and the chestnut will be able to overcome a fairly wide post slot under the guidance of Patrick Husbands.

Chad Brown’s #6 Kalik (3-1) is a deserving morning-line choice leading up to his synthetic bow. The chestnut son of Collected is a Grade 2 hero on the sod and faced tons better when finishing unplaced in the deep Belmont Derby (G1) in his latest assignment. He has trained well this campaign, and it’s worth noting that Kimura got off of others to guide the Ontario-bred. The colt will be forwardly placed from the opening stages.

The post assigned to #15 Kaukokaipuu (6-1) makes it impossible for me to back him with total confidence, but the son of Mr Speaker is in fine form and has to be considered for the exotics at the very least. It took the gelding nine tries to break his maiden, but he enters the race with a pair of fine stakes efforts as of late, and the gray also fired a rapid four-furlong bullet on the oval in his latest morning drill. Rico Walcott will ride for conditioner Tedston Holder.