Prince of Wales Stakes Predictions: The Middle Leg of the Canadian Triple Crown

Check out our predictions and odds for the 2022 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie!

Prince of Wales Stakes Predictions and Best Bets

Here are my plays ($50 in total)

$10 Exacta Box – Hunt Master and Ironstone  = $20

$5 Exacta Part Box – Hunt Master, Ironstone and Duke of Love  = $30

Top Upset Pick: Hunt Master (15/1)

Led by the third and fourth-place finishers in the Queen’s Plate, a competitive field of seven is set for Tuesday’s 87th running of the Prince of Wales Stakes, the middle leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Sir for Sure, who won the Plate Trial before finishing third in the Queen’s Plate, has been made the 7/5 morning line favorite for the 1 3/16-mile test at Fort Erie.

Trained by Mark Casse, the son of Sligo Bay will be making his first start on dirt after running on all-weather surfaces in his first six career races. In fact, none of the Prince of Wales runners have ever raced on dirt before.

Ironstone finished one spot behind Sir for Sure in the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown and is right behind him on the morning line at 8/5.

A two-time stakes winner as a juvenile, the speedy son of Mr Speaker has not found the winner’s circle this year, but has cashed a check in all four tries in stakes company.

Two others in the field who competed in the Queen’s Plate are Hunt Master and Duke of Love.

The former finished seventh as a big longshot, while the latter was a disappointing eight as the fourth betting choice just over three weeks ago at Woodbine.

Prince of Wales Stakes Predictions and Race Analysis

Sir for Sure

Third in the Queen’s Plate, edging out Ironstone late, this one will likely go favored off that effort, as well as a victory in the Plate Trial two starts back. Unlike a few others here, though, I see his breeding, by an Irish sire, as less likely to appreciate the switch to dirt.

Considering his recent form for top trainer Mark Casse, he is certainly a major threat if he takes to dirt, but as the betting favorite, I don’t see much value in hoping that he does. I am going to try to beat him in the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Ironstone

This son of Mr Speaker turned in a bullet work over the Woodbine dirt training track last week and looks primed for his first try over the surface. The classiest horse in the field, he has run in eight consecutive stakes races, without a poor performance in the bunch.

In the Queen’s Plate, he chased a solid pace and was able to stick around pretty well to finish fourth. The speed of the field this time around, he has shown the ability to fight gamely down the stretch.

With his class, controlling speed and sharp workout on the new surface, he looks to be the one they will all have to beat on Tuesday.

Duke of Love

Like every horse in the field, this son of Cupid will be making his first start on the dirt on Tuesday. He has run pretty well on both turf and the all-weather track at Woodbine previously, but his pedigree suggests that dirt will be in his wheelhouse.

While his Queen’s Plate was disappointing, he has run enough good races against solid competition to believe he fits right in with this group in the Prince of Wales.

He also had a nice workout on the dirt ten days ago. All in all, he is an interesting candidate and one I plan on using here in the exotics.

Fast Feet

The second from the powerful Casse barn, this son of Tourist has done his best running on the turf so far in his career. He was a debut winner last year and came back to finish second in the Cup and Saucer Stakes on that surface.

His one try on the all-weather track at Woodbine was not as good. He has made only two starts this year, with an improved effort coming in the most recent one last month. If he takes to the dirt, he is a danger in here, but there is not enough to predict that he will. I am going to take a pass.

Hunt Master

The final of the four to come directly out of the Queen’s Plate, this son of Hunters Bay shows a couple of nice workouts over the Woodbine dirt training track. He also was quite competitive in his six career races before finishing in the middle of the pack in the big one last time.

His pedigree suggests that he will like the switch to dirt and with a bit easier field to deal with on Tuesday, I expect him to run a much-improved race. Considering the 15/1 morning line, I believe he will offer excellent value. He is the pick to upset the Prince of Wales.

Ice Road

After finally breaking his maiden in his fifth try, this son of Keen Ice came back to finish 11th against allowance horses last time out. The jump up to the Prince of Wales seems pretty steep, but the last one was against open company.

He also has been working on the dirt of late, and does have the breeding for it. He is a possibility to step up into the exotics, but I like others better in this $400,000 test.

Collaborative

This son of Malibu Moon is the outsider of the field. Still a maiden, he has not threatened against maidens at Woodbine in his last four tries since running a well beaten second in his debut. Clearly a big longshot on Tuesday, perhaps he can improve on the switch to dirt.

He has the pedigree to appreciate the surface change and he has been working pretty well over the Fort Erie track. Still, it’s hard to recommend him given his racing record.

How to Watch the Prince of Wales Stakes