Highland Legacy and Dancethruthedawn Face Off in Queen's Plate

Highland Legacy, Canada's champion 2-year-old colt of 2000, and Dancethruthedawn highlist the list of contenders in the June 24 Queen's Plate at Woodbine.

Highland Legacy prepped with a five furlong workout Thursday morning over Woodbine's fast main track in 1:01 1/5 handily, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 3/5.

"I thought the work was very positive," said trainer and breeder Steve Owens, who has been frustrated by his champion's performance this season, winless in two starts.

While Emile Ramsammy has partnered Highland Legacy in his last seven starts, Owens is undecided who will ride the son of Highland Ruckus in the Plate. He expects to confirm a jockey on Sunday or Monday.

Dancethruthedawn, the regally-bred daughter of Mr. Prospector-Dance Smartly, won last Saturday's Labatt Woodbine Oaks, Canada's premier race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies and now will try to become the 33rd filly to win the Plate.

She'll also be attempting to emulate her illustrious mother Dance Smartly, who won the Oaks, then the Plate as well in 1991 and her full brother Scatter The Gold, who won last year's Plate for the same connections.

Frostad is undecided at this point whether he'll work the filly in the next week or just gallop her up to the race. "I'll play that by ear. I'll see how she's training and see what we need to do."

Besides Highland Legacy and Dancethruthedawn, D. Morgan Firestone's Dawn was clocked in 1:02 3/5 seconds, breezing for the five-furlong move. Dawn Watcher will gallop 1 1/2- 2 miles daily up to the Canadian classic. Achievement Stakes winner, Millennium Allstar clocked a sharp five furlongs in :59 4/5.