TORONTO - Filly Wonder Gadot won the 159th running of the $1-million Queen's Plate.
John Velazquez rode the 2/1 favourite to victory in North America's oldest annually-run race in 2:02.26 on a hot, muggy Saturday evening over Woodbine Racetrack's Tapeta course.
The 1 1/4-mile first jewel of Canada's Triple Crown was run in 35 C temperatures, which felt more like 47 C with the humidex.
Trainer Mark Casse earned his second Plate win, the first coming in 2014 with Lexie Lou, another filly.
Wonder Gadot, who was second in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, becomes the second straight filly to win this event after Holy Helena took the victory last year.
Aheadbyacentury, with Woodbine's Luis Contreras aboard at 28/1 odds, was second in the 16-horse field while Cooler Mike took third.
The second Triple Crown race is the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on July 24 on Fort Erie Racetrack's dirt course.
The series concludes with the $400,000 Breeder's Stakes turf race at Woodbine on Aug. 18.