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REFLECTIONS By Nelson Dunsian Queens Plate One of Worlds Colorful Races Oldest Classic Run on American Continent Queens Fifty Guineas Encouraged Breeding Only Canadian-Breds Can Start in Fixture WOODBINE PARK, Toronto, Ont., May 23. On occasion, turf followers have endeavored to name the five great horse races of the world. Generally, they agree that the Ascot Gold Cup is "No. 1," but after that there is wide difference in opinion. Nationality plays its part in these selections, for every country where the thoroughbred is raced has one or more events that figure in the worlds overall picture. Here, at Woodbine Park tomorrow, the Queens Plate will have its ninety-third running and as the oldest classic on the American continent, with its unique conditions, it ranks as one of the outstanding turf events of the world. The competing three-year-olds may not measure up in quality to those who contest the. Epsom, Irish or Kentucky Derby, 1 or the Grand Prix de Paris. But, for sporting interest, and "neighbor versus neighbor" rivalry, it has no counterpart in any country. The conditions are exacting in that the horse must be a Canadian-bred three-year-old and the bona fide property of a British subject residing in Canada. But more, the horse cannot have been outside Canadian boundaries in 1952, nor have started in any race this year with the one exception of the Plate Trial, which was run in three divisions last Saturday at six furlongs. In the long ago of 1859, a Toronto turf club petitioned Queen Victoria for a royal donation of 50 guineas for a Queens Plate, "to be run at Toronto, or such other place in Upper Canada, as Her Majesty might appoint." From that year to this, the reigning King or Queen has made this donation and, in the old days, the coins were sent over in a small bag from England. Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901, and, strangely enough, tomorrows renewal will be run on her birthday. It became the Kings Plate in 1902 when King Edward VH. assumed the throne. In 1939,the Ontario Jockey Club enjoyed the signal honor of the presence of His Majesty, King George VI., with the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth II., for the eightieth running of the Kings Plate. The recent death of King George VI. changed the name to the Queens Plate again, and, as a lover of horses, it was only natural that Queen Elizabeth BT. continued the donation that has been made for the past 92 years. To the 50 guineas from the Queen, the Ontario Jockey Club adds 5,000. The race has an estimated value of 1,000. Purses are not as large here as in the United States, but just as there are many Marylanders who would rather win a Preakness than any other event, so are there Canadians to whom the Queens Plate, with its trophy, is the one race above all others they would like to win. The donation from the Queen or King was designed to encourage the breeding of thoroughbreds in Canada and it has ac- . complished its purpose. Woodbine came into existence in 1876, but veteran Canadian horsemen tell us Canadas modern turf era began with the Ontario Jockey Club which was founded in 1881 by T. C. Patteson, who, though of British birth, was a true Canadian. The inaugural meeting of the Ontario Jockey Club was held on September 16-17, 1881, and it proved both a sporting and financial success. The president was Sir Casimir Gzowski aide-de-camp to the Queen , while the vice-president was William Hendrie, who, though a dominant factor in Canadian racing, was the first of his country to attain a truly historic success on the major courses in the States, when his colt, Martimas won the Futurity at Sheepshead Bay, and in 1898, when Lyddite won the Kings Plate. The name of Hendrie has been closely associated with Ontario racing, and today George C. Hendrie is the managing director of the Ontario Jockey Club, under the president, Col. K. R. Marshall, C.M.G, D.S.O. Another name that will ever be associated with Canadian racing is that of Joseph E. Seagram. At the beginning of the nineties his "black, yellow sash" began to be carried by the winners of important events and, for many seasons, they were dominant on Dominion courses. In the Queens Plate, the products of his stud farm at Waterloo, established a record unprecedented, and still unequalled, in the annals of North American stakes. In 1891, the Seagram colorbearer, Victorious, won the Queens Plate and in the next seven years he won successively with ODonog- . hue, Martello, Joe Miller, Bonniefield, Millbrook Ferdinand and Bon Ino. There had never been a record like it, unless it was that of Fredick Tesio in the Italian Derby. But that was by no means the, end of the string, for, after Butter Scotch won for William Hendrie in 1899, Seagram again won with Dalmoor in 1900 and John Rus-kin in 1901. The Seagram colors were then carried to victory by Inferno in 1905, Slaughter in 1906, Seismic in 1908 and, after another lapse, by Mandarin in 1916 and Belle Mahone in 1917. In all, Seagram has won 20 renewals of the Queens or Kings Plate. The stables other winners were Flowerful in 1923, Haplite in 1926, Young Kitty in 1928, King OConnor in 1933, and, finally, Sally Fuller in 1935. Search the records and you will not find one family in any country dominating one race as the Seagrams have in this Canadian classic. There are many names that must be linked with those of Hendrie and Seagram in the Queens or Kings Plate, and one of the foremost is that of the late Harry Hatch, who won five renewals, the last being with Uppermost in 1945. In 1949 E. P. . Taylor, who is well known in the United States, came into the ! Plate picture with Epic, the son of Bunty Lawless, one of Canadas premier sires in recent years. In 1950, V. J. Sheridans McGill was the winner, and this horse, too, was by Bunty Lawless, who is the only Canadian-bred ever to top the Canadian sire list. Last year, Taylor again won the Toronto race, this time with Major Factor. Apparently, he holds a very strong hand this year for, of the six horses he named, Dress Circle and Acadian were winners of two of the three Plate Trials, at Woodbine, last Saturday. This writer is leaving to Frank Armstrong and other Canadian friends the job of selecting the winner of this years renewal, for they are much more familiar with the candidates. But, it is always a pleasure to get up here to Toronto and see this race, which holds a unique place among the outstanding events of all countries.
