Queen's Plate 2014: Post Time, Post Positions, Runners Odds and Schedule

The American Triple Crown season has come and gone, but the Canadian version is just set to get underway. The first jewel is the Queen's Plate from Woodbine Racetrack from Toronto, Ontario. This marks the 155th running of the race.

Per the event's website, here are the pertinent details for the race.

Event:	155th Running
When:	Sunday July 6, 2014
Horse Type:	Three-Year-Olds foaled in Canada
Woodbine Post Time:	12 p.m. ET
Queen's Plate Post Time:	Approximately 5:38 p.m. ET
Distance:	One mile and two furlongs (1 1/4 mile)
Location:	Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, ON Canada
Purse:	$1,000,000
Winner to receive:	$600,000
Television:	4:30 p.m. ET on TSN

The field is 15 horses deep. Per the odds shown in this tweet from host/commentator Jeff Bratt, We Miss Artie is the favorite to come out on top:

Here's a table with more information about the horses, their jockeys and trainers:

Post Position	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Odds
1	Cap in Hand	Steven Bahen	Sid Attard	50/1
2	Coltimus Prime	Jesse Campbell	Justin Nixon	20/1
3	Athenian Guard	Omar Moreno	Mike DePaulo	50/1
4	Asserting Bear	Chantal Sutherland-Kruse	Reade Baker	10/1
5	Man o’ Bear	Emma-Jayne Wilson	Reade Baker	30/1
6	We Miss Artie	Javier Castellano	Todd Pletcher	8/5
7	Majestic Sunset	Gary Boulanger	Mark Casse	15/1
8	Lions Bay	David Moran	Jamie Attard	30/1
9	Heart To Heart	Eurico Rosa da Silva	Brian A. Lynch	30/1
10	Matador	Julien Leparoux	Mark Casse	8/1
11	One Destiny	Justin Stein	Alec Fehr	30/1
12	Tower of Texas	John Velazquez	Roger Attfield	20/1
13	Niigon Express	Gerry Olguin	Paul Attard	30/1
14	Lexie Lou	Patrick Husbands	Mark Casse	4/1
15	Ami’s Holiday	Luis Contreras	Josie Carroll	10/1

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

We Miss Artie has the shorter odds, but not everyone is on his bandwagon. Longshots Racing tweeted this on Friday:

Despite what the naysayers are saying about the favorite, his recent resume clearly makes him a formidable presence. World-renowned jockey Javier Castellano, who rode We Miss Artie to victory in the Trial Stakes, will be in the saddle again Sunday.

He won by three-quarters of a length in the Trial Stakes, which was also run at Woodbine. Because of the horse's natural talent, leadership and accomplishment from his jockey, he deserves to be the favorite.

Still, bettors might have their doubts. If not We Miss Artie, then which other horses are prime contenders?

Lexie Lou

At 4-1 odds, Lexie Lou is the next-best pick according to the numbers. The winner of the Woodbine Oaks has obviously had recent success on the track, but can she knock off We Miss Artie?

The field at the Woodbine Oaks was a strong one, so Lexie Lou has clearly proved he can succeed against an elite group of horses.

Over the last 14 months, Lexie Lou has won three races in total. If she can come up with another win on Sunday, she could become the best three-year-old north of the border.

Matador

Matador's initial starting position might not seem favorable, but trainer Mark Casse believes the 10th post position has its advantages. 

Per Horse Racing Nation, he said: "He’s a little slow to begin. If he was down inside, I’m afraid he might eat a little too much Poly. So this way, we have a great rider in Julien Leparoux.   He can see how he’s running early and pick a position.”

That sounds great in theory, but the horse could begin too slowly. If Matador falls too far behind early, even the expert guidance of Leparoux may not be enough.

Heart to Heart

Kenny Martin/Associated Press

Though not the most handsome or amazingly talented horse in the field, Heart to Heart has seemingly been groomed to win the Queen's Plate.

Per his trainer, Brian Lynch, according to Woodbine Entertainment: "He's an unassuming guy." He's not this big, imposing horse. In the barn, you don't even know he's there. But, we've fine-tuned him heading into this race and we've come to know a lot more about him."

Knowing the horse could be key to a surprising win. Perhaps it has clued the team in on details that make Heart to Heart an even bigger threat than most realize.

He does have two wins in the last 14 months, but his last outing was a disappointing sixth-place finish at the Marine. That performance is the biggest reason Heart to Heart hasn't connected with oddsmakers.

Still, if Lynch and Co.'s plan works to perfection, believing in Heart to Heart could pay off big.