Wonder Gadot faces five in Prince of Wales

Jul 22, 2018 Jennifer Caldwell/Brisnet.com

Only four colts and one gelding have signed on to face WONDER GADOT Tuesday in the C$400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie. The contest is the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown and takes place over 1 3/16 miles on the dirt.

The Triple Crown most people are familiar with – comprised of the Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) – is open to all three-year-old Thoroughbreds and is run on dirt tracks.

The Canadian Triple Crown is restricted to Thoroughbred sophomores bred in Canada and is conducted on three different surfaces. The first leg, the 1 1/4-mile Queen’s Plate, is run over the synthetic Tapeta at Woodbine. The second jewel, the 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales, takes place on traditional dirt at Fort Erie. And the third and final leg, the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes, returns to Woodbine but over that venue’s turf course.

Wonder Gadot is a winner on all three surfaces. The Mark Casse-trained daughter of Medaglia d’Oro broke her maiden debut over Woodbine’s turf by four lengths last August, captured the Mazarine Stakes (Can-G3) two races later on the Tapeta and scored a 3 3/4-length triumph in the Demoiselle Stakes (G2) on Aqueduct’s dirt two races after that.

The dark bay lass proceeded to place in her next six starts, all against stakes/graded rivals, including a half-length second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and head runner-up finish in the Woodbine Oaks.

Wonder Gadot returned to the winner’s circle in style last out in the Queen’s Plate, romping by 4 3/4 lengths against the boys, and continues her journey on Tuesday in the Prince of Wales. She’s seeking to become the first filly to win the race since Dixie Strike in 2012, and the first Queen’s Plate winner to score in the Prince of Wales since Wando prevailed in 2003 en route to sweeping the Canadian Triple Crown.

Even if she wins, though, Casse indicated after the Queen’s Plate that Wonder Gadot would skip the Breeders’ Stakes in favor of the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on August 18.

For now, Wonder Gadot has taken her act on the road to Fort Erie and should put on quite the show.