Caitlinhergrtness looking to become first Plate-E. P. Taylor Stakes champion

TORONTO — ​It’s a race Kevin Attard has won twice, but a third victory would be historic.

Caitlinhergrtness, last year’s $1-million King’s Plate champion, will be among seven horses competing in Saturday’s $750,000 Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack. A win would make the heralded filly the first to complete the Plate–E.P. Taylor double.

“I don’t think that far ahead to be quite honest,” said Attard, Canada’s top trainer last year. “You focus on getting the horse as prepared as possible, hope for a little racing luck, and know afterwards if she’s able to accomplish the feat that it’s going to be very meaningful.

“She’s a special horse already in my heart, obviously, winning the King’s Plate with her. To win the E.P. Taylor would be a feather in the cap, so to speak.”

It would also move Attard into a tie with Lou Cavarlaris Jr., Frank Merrill Jr. and Maurice Zilber for the most E.P. Taylor Stakes wins by a trainer. Attard captured last year’s race with Full Count Felicia and won in 2019 with Starship Jubilee.

Caitlinhergrtness, named after WNBA star Caitlin Clark, has a win and second-place finish over three starts this year while having registered eight top-three finishes (four wins, twice second, twice third) in 12 all-time races.

Canada’s ’24 champion three-year-old filly has amassed lifetime earnings over $800,000. Caitlinhergrtness is coming off a second-place finish in the $150,000 Grade III Trillium Stakes at Woodbine on July 26 with jockey Rafael Hernandez.

On Saturday, Flavien Prat — a multiple stakes-winning jockey from France — will be aboard Caitlinhergrtness. Hernandez will ride the French horse Venencia in the race.

The race is being held Saturday rather than in September as upgrades to the E.P. Taylor turf course are slated to begin following this weekend’s action. The date change could be good news for both the horse and trainer, given last year’s Plate victory.

Attard will definitely have an eye on the Plate. He has three starters in the 13-horse field — Dewolf, Faber and Mansetti — and is looking for a third victory in the opening jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown.

A factor working in Caitlinhergrtness’s favour is the E.P. Taylor covers 1 1/4 miles, the same distance as the Plate. But the former is run on grass while the Plate goes over Woodbine’s Tapeta track.

“Some horses appreciate the turf a little bit more; some horses are naturally only turf,” Attard said. “She’s been versatile, which is nice.

“Her only race on the E.P. Taylor was a little disappointing, I’m not sure why. We were really confident going into that race but for some reason she didn’t run to her potential. Hopefully, she transitions Saturday a lot better than she did last time.”

Caitlinhergrtness was a distant eighth in the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes on June 28 at Woodbine.

Attard said the E.P. Taylor Stakes will present his horse with a big challenge. The field also features She Feels Pretty, a four-time Grade 1 winner that captured ’23 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes at Woodbine.

That earned She Feels Pretty a Breeders’ Cup entry, eventually finishing third in the Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Saturday’s winner will secure a berth in the US$2-million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar later this fall.

“A win in the E.P. Taylor would give her an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup, that would solidify that,” Attard said. “She’s a very good horse, definitely has the potential.

“She has to up her game and put her running shoes on, no doubt about it. Saturday is going to be a good test.”

This will mark just the second Grade 1 entry for Caitlinhergrtness after taking third last October in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, Kentucky. She Feels Pretty won that race.

“We were on the lead, which surprised me a bit, but she’s comfortable there,” Attard said. “The winner was in a race of her own that day, but we were in the hunt, so there’s no disgrace in the effort there.”

Caitlinhergrtness will break from the No. 5 post Saturday and a seven-horse field should ensure a clean start for all. But Attard said being in a good position by the first turn is important.

“Obviously, with seven horses it’s not hugely detrimental, but you can still get parked out a little wide on that first bend,” Attard said. “You never want to lose ground, especially against top-quality horses.

“We’re breaking from the five hole, so it’s not a bad post, and she’s also pretty tactical to boot. She’s doing really well right now, which is all you can ask of her at this point.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2025.