His dam was Whisper whose sire Laugh Aloud was a son of U.S.
Trained by Roger Attfield, in 1987 Play the King won several important stakes races at his home base at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto plus the Toboggan Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York.
In 1988, Play the King notably won his second consecutive Nearctic Stakes and Toronto Breeders' Cup Handicap and ran second to Gulch in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Sprint.
In addition to being voted Canadian Horse of the Year, his performances also earned him his second straight Sovereign Award for Champion Older Male Horse and for Champion Sprinter.
On May 20, 1989, Play the King broke an ankle while competing in the Maryland Breeders' Cup Sprint Handicap at Pimlico Race Course.