The Queen's Plate is Canada's most prestigious race for three-year-olds and is also the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. With Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in attendance, With Approval entered the race as the favorite in a field of fifteen. He raced near the back of the pack in the early going while trapped on the inside by other horses. He started making up ground down the backstretch and passed the early leaders then dueled down the stretch with Most Valiant. "I remember that (Hall of Fame trainer) Charlie Whittingham was there in the box next to us as we watched," said Willmot. "Between Most Valiant and With Approval you just couldn't tell who won, it was that close a finish. Of course, Charlie had seen a few races and while we were there fretting about did he get up and did he win it, Whittingham looked over and said, 'grey horse won it'!"