After winning the Queen's Plate last weekend with Not Bourbon, the colt's connections come right back with morning line favorite Society's Chairman in the $300,000 King Edward Breeders' Cup Stakes (Can-II) on the Woodbine turf course June 28.
Venerable Roger Attfield trains Society's Chairman, who is the 9-5 choice but must overcome the rail in the 1 1/8-mile event. Jono Jones rides the 5-year-old Ontario bred horse for Charles Fipke, who also owns Not Bourbon. Fipke co-owns Society's Chairman with George Waud.
Society's Chairman is by Not Impossible, who also sired Not Bourbon, and makes just his fourth start in the King Edward. After back-to-back wins to begin his career this spring, Society's Chairman was defeated by a half-length by Rahy's Attorney in the Connaught Cup (Can-III) when teamed with Jones for the first time May 25.
"We thought for a time that we would never get him to the races," said Attfield, who won last years King Edward with Eccentric and attained his record-tying eighth Queen's Plate victory with Not Bourbon. "He's had to deal with a lot over the years. He fractured a pastern at 2, fractured a tibia at 3 and then bucked his shins. There were also other small things that happened along the way, too."
Bred by Errol Bailey, Society's Chairman's first two wins came in impressive style over maidens at Gulfstream Park in March and in defeating an allowance field by three lengths under Edgar Prado at Keeneland April 25.
A field of nine is entered in the King Edward.
Sam-Son Farms' French Beret, who finished third, nearly two lengths behind Society's Chairman in the Connaught Cup, is the field's second choice for trainer Mark Frostad. A 5-year-old Broad Brush gelding, French Beret has lost four in a row -- while running well each time -- since beginning the year with an 11-1 upset win in the Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) over a good Fair Grounds turf course in January.
William Farish's Seaside Retreat, 10th in the 2006 Kentucky Derby (gr. I), returns to Woodbine, where he has run well in the past for trainer Mark Casse. The 5-year-old son of King Cugat ran second in his most recent effort, the Opening Verse Handicap over the grass course at Churchill Downs on May 31.
Casse also entered Royal Oath, who should improve after his fifth-place finish in the Connaught Cup as the lukewarm favorite in his U.S. debut.
Storm Caller returned from a 7 1/2-month layoff to finish second in the seven-furlong Vigil (Can-III) over Woodbine's Polytrack surface May 19. Reade Baker trains the 5-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding who has two victories in eight tries on the Woodbine grass course.
$300,000 King Edward Breeders' Cup Handicap (Can-II, Race 6, 3:35 p.m.), 3 & Up, 1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, ML Odds
1. Society's Chairman (ON), Jono C. Jones, 115, 9/5
2. Royal Oath (KY), Patrick Husbands, 117, 8/1
3. Can't Beat It (KY), Emma-Jayne Wilson, 115, 10/1
4. Storm Caller (KY), James McAleney, 115, 12/1
5. Ice Bear (ON), Corey Fraser, 117, 12/1
6. French Beret (ON), Robert C. Landry, 121, 4/1
7. Seaside Retreat (KY), Tyler Pizarro, 115, 6/1
8. Believeinmenow (FL), Michael J. Luzzi, 115, 8/1
9. Artie Hot (KY), Eurico Rosa Da Silva, 119, 10/1
Society's Chairman finished second in his most recent start, the Connaught Cup (Can-III) May 25.
