Prince of Wales Stakes: Is Shaman Ghost a Triple Threat?
The United States had a Triple Crown winner this year when the regally-named American Pharoah became the first horse to sweep the series in 37 years.
Canada’s Triple Crown drought has not been as long. Wando won it in 2003, but that was before Woodbine installed an all-weather, wax-coated dirt surface. Now, each of the three races in the series is run on three different surfaces: the Queen’s Plate on Woodbine’s Polytrack, the Prince of Wales on Fort Erie’s dirt and the Aug. 16 Breeders’ Stakes on Woodbine’s grass.
There have been 12 Canadian Triple Crown winners since the inception of the series in 1959.
Shaman Ghost, this year’s Plate winner, is the first Plate winner to even make the trip down the QEW for the Wales since Big Red Mike in 2010.
In Canada, there is no bonus prize for winning the Triple Crown.
Here’s our prediction for the Prince of Wales, which goes Tuesday night:
WIN
Danish Dynaformer. I picked him in the Plate and he just moved a bit too early. He’s never tried a traditional dirt track but he still may be the best Canadian-bred three-year-old colt.
PLACE
Shaman Ghost. Got the best ride on Plate day, as American jockey Rafael Hernandez let everyone else move their charges too soon before unleashing Stronach Stables’ super colt. Shaman Ghost has won on the dirt.
SHOW
Conquest Boogaloo. To say that this horse has had bad trips in his last three races would be an understatement, but the Mark Casse-trainee seems to find trouble a lot.