In The Money Telegraph
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 · By ITM Staff
The King’s Plate Draws Today
With Whitney Day in the books, the racing world turns north. Saturday brings the 167th running of the $1 million King’s Plate at Woodbine — North America’s oldest continuously run stakes and the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, contested at 1¼ miles over the Tapeta for three-year-old Canadian-breds. The post position draw is this morning, using Woodbine’s “pick your post” format, and a full field of roughly a dozen — including two fillies — is expected to go Saturday.
All eyes are on Luster. The grey daughter of Knicks Go romped in the Woodbine Oaks on July 19 and returns to try the boys for trainer Josie Carroll — who in 2006 became the first female trainer to win the Plate — and owners Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen. Not since Moira in 2022 has a filly swept the Oaks and the Plate in the same year. She won’t have it easy: Plate Trial winner HighwayTotheMoon looms, Mark Casse and Kevin Attard each bring a pair, and Brachetto — a homebred for Manitoba’s Ross and Brenda McKague, more than 50 years in the game — tries to become the first Manitoba-bred ever to win the race.
ITM will have the Plate covered all week. Nick Tammaro heads up to Woodbine for the running — his first ever — and will even call a race on Friday’s card, while Mikee P works the story on the ground alongside more from the harness-and-Woodbine crew. Watch for multiple shows, plus a fresh Baby Talk, between now and Saturday.
The Whitney, Dissected: Is Sovereignty All the Way Back?
Sovereignty’s 4¾-length Whitney romp reset the older-horse dirt division — but is it the real him, or a Saratoga special? PTF put the question to two of our sharpest voices. Nick Tammaro, a longtime skeptic, admits the champ delivered, and looks ahead to a mouthwatering Jockey Club Gold Cup at New Belmont, where Sovereignty and Forever Young are set to clash. Give the full weekend recap a watch below.
Then PTF went deep with Total Performance Data’s Adam Mills, who ate a slice of humble pie: the data now explains Sovereignty’s two spring defeats. He’s a relentless galloper — not a horse with a one-furlong turn of foot — so a genuinely fast pace is his best friend. That makes him a fair Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite, but potentially vulnerable in a slow, tactical race. Watch the TPD data deep dive →
A Bright Note for the Clement Family
Amid a big weekend at the Spa, a happy bit of news worth passing along: Miguel Clement and his wife, Acacia, are expecting — and it’s a boy. Congratulations from all of us at ITM. Fittingly, it came the same weekend Clement’s stable star Deterministic defended his Fourstardave crown and ran his turf winning streak to six.
Tour Check-In: The Playoff Field Keeps Filling Up
The ITM Horseplayers Tour is deep into its season, and week by week the playoff picture is taking shape — the top four finishers in each Friday game lock up a playoff spot, where one player walks away with a $10,000 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge seat at no additional cost. Through the July 31 game, 34 players have punched their tickets, with Phil Matzat and Christopher Olsson each qualifying twice. The most recent week’s qualifiers are being finalized now, and we’ll post the updated board once the standings are official.
Not on the board yet? There’s a fresh shot every Friday. The Tour’s $20 feeder runs each week on horseplayers.com, with the house cut going to charity — finish in the money and you advance to that day’s Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge qualifier, or finish top four and you’re into the playoffs. There’s also a Saratoga qualifier coming up this Sunday. Get in the game.
Tonight’s Action
Looking for a play tonight? Mikee P and Justin Christein went through the Assiniboia Downs Late Pick 4 — a $50,000 guaranteed pool with a friendly 15% takeout and a $1 minimum, on the last four races. Coming off a record Manitoba Derby handle night, ASD keeps serving up value. Watch the ASD Late Pick 4 preview →
And Chance Rains is back with a full-card look at Presque Isle, where first post is 3:30 p.m. ET. Read Chance’s Presque Isle card →
ITM Plus
Saratoga, Every Day — and the Plate, Too
Nick Tammaro’s Saratoga notebook lands for ITM Plus members every morning — detailed written selections, a play of the day, exclusive podcasts, and the members’ bet share — with full King’s Plate and Breeders’ Cup coverage rolling all the way through the fall.
More all week at inthemoneypodcast.com and on the ITM YouTube channel, with premium coverage on ITM Plus.
