The Queen's Plate Stakes, the first race in the Canadian Triple Crown, had a celebrity guest this year. Queen Elizabeth II was in attendance to watch Big Red Mike pull away in the stretch at Woodbine Racetrack to win by a length and a half.

Big Red Mike, the wire-to-wire leader in the $944,316 race for Canadian-born three-year-olds, is trained by Nicholas Gonzalez. Kentucky Equine Research Team Member Brooks Feed Store in Port Perry, Ontario supplies feed to Gonzalez' training stable.

Big Red Mike is owned by the Terra Racing Stable and is named for owner Dom Romeo's red-haired son. The horse's next start will be in the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Raceway.