She Feels Pretty tops E.P. Taylor; 13 vie in King's Plate

Saratoga's loss is Woodbine's gain as She Feels Pretty travels north of the border for the C$750,000 E.P. Taylor (G1) on Saturday, which marks the filly's first excursion to Canada in two years.

Woodbine's signature event for fillies and mares on the grass, previously a fall fixture, the E.P. Taylor shares the program with the prestigious C$1 million King's Plate for Canadian-bred three-year-olds, among other stakes on Woodbine's biggest card of the year.

Trainer Cherie DeVaux had said She Feels Pretty was pointing for the Flower Bowl (G2) at Saratoga, run at the same 1 3/8-mile distance as the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Del Mar. But the multiple Grade 1 winner has been rerouted to the E.P. Taylor, run over the same course that She Feels Pretty won the Natalma (G1) in 2023.

The Natalma was the first top-level triumph for She Feels Pretty, who subsequently landed Grade 1s at Keeneland, Santa Anita, and Saratoga. However, the daughter of Karakontie exits an upset head loss in the Diana (G1), which snapped a four-race win streak.

The field of seven also includes reigning Canadian Horse of the Year Caitlinhergrtness, last year King's Plate winner, who was beaten more than six lengths by She Feels Pretty in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) last October. Caitlinhergrtness has dropped two races since taking the Belle Mahone (G3) in her season debut.

Godolphin, which last won on the E.P. Taylor 17 years ago with Folk Opera, is represented by Diamond Rain. The daughter of Shamardal is a two-time stakes winner on grass and was a Group 3 winner over an all-weather surface at Newcastle in late June.

Literate upset Caitlinhergrtness in the Trillium (G3) last out, while Ready for Shirl exits a victory in the Canadian (G2), an E.P. Taylor prep over nine furlongs.

The winner of the E.P. Taylor will receive an automatic bid to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in November.

A field of 13 line up in the King's Plate, which is run over 1 1/4 miles on the Tapeta surface. The filly No Time, dominant winner of the Woodbine Oaks, was installed the 7-2 morning line favorite. Trainer Mark Casse has won three King's Plates (formerly the Queen's Plate), including two with fillies Lexie Lou and Wonder Gadot.

The top three finishers from the Plate Trial -- Sedburys Ghost, Notorious Gangster, and Scorching -- are back for the Plate, while Mansetti enters off an open-company score in the Marine (G3). Tom's Magic, a U.S.-based son of Justify, has a pair of stakes wins on the grass for trainer Mike Stidham.

Runaway Again, who aired by more than nine lengths on debut July 13, is a son of Hard Spun and out of a half-sister to 1997 Queen's Plate and 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Awesome Again, as well as 2000 juvenile champion Macho Uno.