Fit for a Queen

The oldest race run in North America, will be run today. The 151st running of the Queen's Plate , a race for 3 year olds bred in Canada, will be run at the distance of a mile and a quarter on polytrack with Queen Elizabeth II in attendance.The million dollar race is the first race in Canada's Triple Crown. There are 11 colts or geldings and 2 fillies in this year's edition.  Sam-Son Farm has three in the Plate, including Dark Cloud Dancer, a colt by Storm Cat out of Dancethruthedawn, she herself a Queen's Plate winner in 2001.The second dam was the brilliant Dance Smartly, an undefeated Canadian Triple Crown winner,  the first Canadian bred to win a Breeder's Cup race and a Hall of Famer. She also had a second Plate winner in Scatter The Gold.
Roger Attfield will be trying for an  amazing 9th win in this race. He trains Mobilizer, who may well be the favorite. Mobilizer is owned by the Stronach Stable, and is by the English sire Motivator, who stands at the Queen's  breeding farm. The Queen has always been very verbal about her love for racing. And the British have always embraced her involvement in the sport. Would our elected officials be accepted like this if they had a passion for the Sport of Kings?