'Helena' Attempts Oaks/Queen's Plate Double

Stronach Stables homebred Holy Helena (Ghostzapper) will attempt to become the sixth filly to complete the Woodbine Oaks/Queen's Plate double Saturday as the morning-line favorite in the prestigious Woodbine test. Runner-up on debut sprinting at Aqueduct Apr. 15, the dark bay earned her diploma next out when stretched to 1 1/16 miles at Belmont May 12. Trying synthetic for the first time in the nine-panel Woodbine Oaks June 11, the Jimmy Jerkens pupil launched a four-wide bid in the lane and closed strongly for a one-length success.

Also exiting the Oaks is the Chad Brown-trained Inflexibility (Scat Daddy), who finished third as the favorite in that synthetic debut following a second-out graduation on the Belmont lawn May 4.

Canadian Hall of Famer Mark Casse, who scored his first Queen's Plate win in 2014 with Woodbine Oaks heroine Lexie Lou, saddles two live chances in this renewal in King and His Court (Court Vision) and State of Honor (To Honor and Serve). Winner of the Coronation Futurity and the Display S. over the local strip last term, King and His Court failed to fire when ninth in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 11 and GIII Spiral S. Mar. 25. He returned to winning ways in Woodbine's Wando S. May 7 and was second to 20-1 shot Guy Caballero (Quality Road) last time in the Plate Trial S. June 11.

Unlike his stablemate, State of Honor had a bit more success in his attempt down the GI Kentucky Derby trail finishing third in the Sam Davis and second to eventual GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (Tapit) in the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 11. Runner-up to subsequent KY Derby hero Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) in the GI Xpressbet.com Florida Derby Apr. 1, the bay finished last of 19 on the First Saturday in May and was third in the Plate Trial.

Another runner of intrigue is Chiefswood Stable homebred Aurora Way (Giant's Causeway), who donned cap and gown by four lengths at odds of 13-1 in his career bow here June 10.