Holy Helena tabbed as early Queen’s Plate favourite

• Luis Contreras has been here before.

The Mexican- born jockey will lead early 3-1 favourite Holy Helena into the $ 1- million Queen’s Plate on Sunday at Woodbine Racetrack. The dark bay is not only trying to become the first filly since Lexie Lou in 2014 to capture the Plate after winning the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, but also be the first filly to earn the first jewel of Canada’s Triple Crown for Stronach Stables.

“It ( being favourite) is good for me, I prefer to be one of the favourites,” Contreras said Wednesday fol- lowing the race draw at Woodbine. “I’ve won it with a filly (2011 aboard Inglorious) and it’s happened before so why not again?”

Inglorious was Contreras’ first Plate mount. He rallied the filly from 10th position through threequarters of a mile to a remarkable 2½-length win over 60-1 long-shot Hippolytus.

In the 1 1/ 8- mile Oaks on June 11, Contreras and Holy Helena sat third on the final turn. But a strong late kick earned Holy Helena her second victory in three career starts. She also posted a faster time than 20-1 long- shot Guy Caballero did in winning the $ 125,000 Plate Trial, also run June 11.

The other starting positions with post, horse, jockey and odds, include: 1) Channel Maker, Rafael Hernandez, 4-1; 2) Guy Caballero, Jose Ortiz, 10-1; 4) Spirit of Caledon, Jerome Lermyte, 50-1; 5) Inflexibility, Javier Castellano, 10-1; 6) King and His Court, Gary Boulanger, 5-1; 7) State of Honor, Patrick Husbands, 8-1; 8) Malibu Secret, Alan Garcia, 20-1; 9) Megagray, Jesse Campbell, 30-1; 10) Vaughan, Slade Callaghan, 50-1; 11) Aurora Way, Julien Leparoux, 6-1; 12) Tiz a Slam, Eurico Rosa da Silva, 10-1; 13) Watch Me Strut, David Moran, 30-1.