February 26, 2016 - 8:08 AM
TORONTO - Shakhimat was installed as the early 3-1 Winterbook choice for the 157th running of the historic Queen's Plate on Friday.
The hypothetical Winterbook offers early odds on all 88 three-year-olds, 78 colts and geldings as well as 10 fillies, nominated to the 2016 Canadian Triple Crown.
Should Shakhimat win the Queen's Plate, which will be run July 3 at Woodbine Racetrack, it would give Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield a record ninth victory. Attfield is currently tied with Harry Giddings, Jr. for most Plate victories.
"Any record is nice to break and this is quite a prestigious record," said Attfield.
Shakhimat earned an impressive 9 3/4-length win in the Coronation Futurity last fall at Woodbine and is currently training at Payson Park in Florida.
"He's had a number of works and he's doing really well," Attfield said. "We'd given him some time off and just recently started to breeze him a little bit and he's coming along very well.
"He's a pretty special horse. He's only had three starts. He's matured a lot and we're happy where we are with him, for sure."
Shakhimat will look to become the first horse since Norcliffe, who was Attfield's first Plate winner, to score the Futurity-Plate double. It's a feat Attfield achieved in winning the 1975 Coronation Futurity and 1976 Queen's Plate.
Amis Gizmo, unbeaten in four starts — all at Woodbine — is the 7-2 second choice. Battery, trained by Todd Pletcher for owner Harrell Ventures LLC, is the 4-1 early third pick.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016