Playing the Pick 5 on Queen’s Plate Day

Sunday is Queen’s Plate Day and Woodbine is offering a Pick 5 culminating with the 158th running of the Canadian classic. Here are my thoughts on the sequence and the ticket I will be playing:

Race 6, King Edward (G2): The Pick 5 kicks off with a nine-horse field at a mile on turf and my top choice is #3 Monster Bea, who returns to stakes company off a strong showing at Belmont Park in which he registered a 112 BRIS Speed Ratings. The gelding turned in some solid efforts versus graded rivals on the West Coast last year and makes his third start off the layoff today for new trainer Mark Casse.

I’m not too keen on #5 Tower of Texas, who figures to be overbet off an all-out nose win in the Connaught Cup (G2), but will include the classy gelding along with #1 Dragon Bay, #2 Hollywood Handome and #6 Shakhimat.

Race 7: Entry-level allowance drew a field of seven for 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta and #4 Synthesize was going to be formidable regardless of pace scenario. But without any front-runners among his rivals, the 4-year-old gelding appears capable of having his way on the front end following a pair of commendable efforts to open his 4-year-old campaign. I will single the Casse trainee.

Race 8, Singspiel (G3): The 1 ½-mile turf affair didn’t attract any standouts among its seven entries and #3 Reporting Star could prove tough to run down on the front end. #4 Bangkok is a legitimate threat to hold his form off back-to-back wins and #1 Aldous Snow has run well off the layoff previously for Malcolm Pierce and figures to be rolling late under Eurico Da Silve.

Race 9, Dance Smartly (G2): Winner of the Canadian (G2) over the course last September, #4 Rainha Da Bateria experienced a rough trip when opening 2017 with a fourth in the Beaugay (G3) at Belmont and is capable of moving forward significantly in the second start back for Chad Brown. Bill Mott has a top contender in #5 Suffused, who missed by only a nose in the E.P. Taylor (G1) last October.

Race 10, Queen’s Plate: Thirteen Canadian-bred sophomores were entered for the 1 ¼-mile Queen’s Plate and I was surprised to see so little speed in the line-up. #7 State of Honor brings stamina concerns into the race, weakening to 19^th after setting the pace in the Kentucky Derby, but he couldn’t receive a better set-up on paper as the probable lone speed. Runner-up to a pair of American classic winners in the Florida Derby (G1) and Tampa Bay Derby (G2) (Always Dreaming and Tapwrit), State of Honor is eligible to move forward off a close third in the Plate Trial over the Tapeta and I’ll tab him for wire-to-wire theft job today.

#1 Channel Maker, #8 Malibu Secret and #12 Tiz a Slam will be added to the Pick 5 ticket.

Pick 5 Ticket (Races 6-10)

Here is the 20-cent Pick 5 ticket I am playing:

1,2,3,5,6 with 4 with 1,3,4 with 4,5 with 1,7,8,12 ($24)

Good luck on Queen’s Play Day!