Final 12 months, Canadian Corridor of Famer coach Josie Carroll informed co-owner Andrew Rosen she believed their promising 2-year-old filly Luster would take the connections into the winner’s circle in 2026 with a victory within the 167th King’s Plate Stakes, the historic first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.
On Aug. 15 at Woodbine, Carroll and Luster made good on that prediction. The Knicks Go filly dusted 10 Canadian-bred 3-year-old males and one other 3-year-old filly within the Canadian $1 million race, successful by 7 1/4 lengths underneath jockey John Velazquez. Luster grew to become the fortieth filly to win the King’s Plate, the oldest constantly run horse race in North America.
“I have been within the enterprise over 40 years, and successful a race like that is simply incredible,” added Rosen, who owns Luster with Gainesway Steady.
Navy Time completed again in second, three lengths forward of Fireplace and Wine who held on for the present.
Luster’s efficiency and margin of victory conjured reminiscences of Canadian Horse of the Yr Moira, whose seven-length triumph within the 2022 Plate for coach Kevin Attard signaled her elite potential. A few years later, Moira would win the 2024 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in a victory that propelled her to an Eclipse Award as excellent feminine turf horse.
Moira’s connections selected to forgo operating her within the subsequent legs of the Canadian Triple Crown —- the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes going 1 3/16 miles on the dust at Fort Erie and the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes going 1 1/2 miles on the turf at Woodbine. As a substitute. Moira switched to competing in graded stakes versus open firm.
Twelve horses have swept the collection for the reason that Canadian Triple Crown was formalized in 1959, although none since Wando in 2003 have received all three races.
Carroll received her fourth Plate coming 20 years after her first Plate win with Edenwold. She indicated Luster is perhaps given a brief break, which means {that a} fast return within the Sept. 7 Prince of Wales Stakes is unlikely. One various that permits for a brief freshening is the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Problem Cup Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Oct. 10 on the grass at Keeneland.
“That has definitely been a race that is been tentatively on our radar,” Carroll stated.
All six of Luster’s races have come on Tapeta or turf, leading to 5 victories and one third-place end. She received over the Keeneland turf in an allowance race this spring.
