Horse Racing

‘Good Demeanor’ A Major Plus As Desert Ride Takes On Boys In Queen’s Plate


Three weeks after a stirring stretch run to take the Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser, Sam-Son Farm standout filly Desert Ride looks for another crowning moment, this time in the Queen’s Plate.

Tenth and last at the quarter-mile mark in the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, eighth at the half and sixth at the stretch call, jockey Steve Bahen and Desert Ride were full of run, but had plenty left to do to catch the front-runners. In the final yards, the daughter of Candy Ride eked out a neck victory at 8-1.

“That’s kind of been her a bit,” said Howard, who has trained over 1,200 winners in his distinguished career. “That’s been her running style. She likes to get her feet under her a little bit. I was so happy to have that mile-and-an-eighth for her. I didn’t think she was going to get there, but going past the 3 /16ths pole, you had that relieved feeling that she was running well and going to finish well. As tough as these races are – you always want to win – as long as they run well and come back good, you have to be satisfied with that. Winning is a bonus.”

But her thrill ride may not yet be over. There’s the matter of the $1 million Canadian classic set for June 29 at Woodbine.

You can count trainer Neil Howard as a big fan of the bay filly, not just for her impressive Oaks performance, but also for the mind she possesses.

“She is a charm,” he praised. “She’s so straightforward and I was telling everyone with Sam-Son, she just does not concern herself with anything. She has a wonderful mind. Good horses, most of the time, they have that good demeanor. And she certainly does. It just makes everything so much better.”

With less than a month between her last race and the Plate, along with traveling 1-1/4 miles, notching an Oaks-Plate exactor is hardly an easy task.

But, as Holy Helena (2017), Lexie Lou (2014) and Inglorious (2011) has recently showed, it can certainly be done.

Sporting a record of three wins and one second from four lifetime starts, Desert Ride will try to follow in the hoofsteps of Sam-Son standout fillies Dance Smartly (1991 Plate champ) and Dancethruthedawn (2001 Plate winner).

Howard would love nothing more than to provide Sam-Son with its sixth Plate victory, the latest coming in 2009 with Eye of the Leopard.

“I’ve always loved Woodbine and for me, I’ve been very fortunate – and I know I am to have worked with so great people. To work with Sam-Son, I can’t even describe how much of a privilege it is and what a delight it is. I work them more on a seasonal basis, but that doesn’t matter. They are really excellent people. It’s also nice when you work for great people who have a complete understanding of what we’re doing.”

Howard, who was the trainer of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft and 1990 Preakness winner Summer Squall, is pleased with how Desert Ride is doing ahead of the 160th running of the Plate.

“She’s doing really well. The timing isn’t great – anybody would say that – but Desert Ride is herself. She couldn’t be doing any better.”





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