California Shipper One Bad Boy Leads Queen’s Plate Rivals Gate-To-Wire

Queen’s Plate contender One Bad Boy from California gallops under exercise rider Calvin Giles,for trainer Richard Baltas.

Making his first start outside of California, Sayjay Racing, Greg Hall, and Brooke Hubbard’s One Bad Boy took to the synthetic Tapeta with ease and led the $1 million Queen’s Plate field from gate to wire at Woodbine. The 3-year-old son of Twirling Candy, ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer RIchard Baltas, was challenged by Avie’s Flatter at the head of the lane but repelled that rival and drew away to win by three lengths. Sent to post at odds of 7-2, One Bad Boy covered 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.98.

Breaking from post five in the 14-horse field, One Bad Boy was away cleanly and strode out to take a one-length lead under Prat. Moon Swings was up close early with Avie’s Flatter moving up into a joint second through a first quarter in :24.42. Tone Broke, who broke awkwardly, kept pace with the frontrunners while three wide.

Maintaining his one-length advantage, One Bad Boy set a half-mile fraction of :49.52. Avie’s Flatter moved up to put pressure on the leader approaching the far turn, a half-length behind the leader through six furlongs in 1:14.18.

Those two pulled away from the field through the turn and were head-and-head at the top of the stretch. Down on the inside, One Bad Boy refused to give way and kept on fighting back against juvenile champion Avie’s Flatter. At the eighth pole, One Bad Boy pulled away and continued to extend his lead through the wire, winning by about three lengths. Avie’s Flatter had to settle for second, while Tone Broke carried on to finish third. He’s A Macho Man picked up the pieces late in fourth, while the filly Desert Ride finished fifth.

Bred in Ontario by Ron Clarkson, One Bad Boy is out of the stakes winning Stormy Atlantic mare Cumulonimble. He commanded a final bid of $65,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale, and required three starts to break his maiden at Santa Anita Park. Trying synthetic for the first time on May 19, the ridgling finished second in the listed Alcatraz stakes over a mile at Golden Gate Fields. The Queen’s Plate victory improves his overall record to 2-2-1 from five starts, with earnings of over $650,000.