Casse holds strong hand for Queen’s Plate

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Queen’s Plate Watch: DRF contenders list for May. 20, 2016

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The 157th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine is now six weeks away, and a number of top contenders are beginning to emerge. A total of 88 Canadian-bred 3-year-olds were nominated to the Canadian Triple Crown in February, but that number has been whittled down to 39 who remain eligible after the second subscription deadline on May 4.

Mark Casse trains 10 of the remaining 39 nominees in search of his second career Queen’s Plate victory, including current leading contender Leavem in Malibu. Leavem in Malibu, who has shown potential in his first two starts, is a full brother to Danzig Moon, who ran fifth in last year’s Kentucky Derby before suffering a tragic breakdown in the Plate Trial Stakes.

Leavem in Malibu, trained by Mark Casse, wins a maiden race on May 1 at Woodbine. Photo by Michael Burns

Leavem in Malibu broke slowly in his debut over 6-1/2 furlongs on April 16 but recovered to finish third. He followed that effort with a 4-1/4-length victory over 1-1/16 miles on May 1.

Another of Casse’s top contenders is Conquest Enforcer, who was scheduled to make his first start since October in Saturday’s $125,000 Queenston Stakes. Conquest Enforcer debuted with a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes last September before romping in the Cup and Saucer Stakes on turf Oct. 11. Conquest Enforcer finished 8-3/4 lengths ahead of Shakhimat in the Cup and Saucer but hasn’t raced since. He could be short on time to make the Queen’s Plate in July.

The Queen’s Plate winter-book favorite was Shakhimat, who …

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