Toronto, ON – Woodbine’s 2009 Thoroughbred stakes schedule, released today by Woodbine Entertainment Group, spotlights 103 races, worth over $22 million in purses.
The 2009 season will feature an historic moment in the history of Canadian racing. The highly-anticipated Sunday, June 21 renewal of the Queen’s Plate will mark the 150th consecutive edition of the grand race.
The 1 1/4-mile event, worth $1 million, is Canada’s most renowned horse race, North America’s oldest continuously-run stakes event and the first jewel in Canada’s Triple Crown of Racing.
The $200,000 Scotts Highlander Stakes and the $150,000 Singspiel Stakes, both Grade 3 turf races, will complement the Queen’s Plate day programme.
The Toronto oval’s richest event, the Grade 1, $2 million Pattison Canadian International, will take place on Saturday, October 17. The 1 1/2-mile grass event headlines a stellar autumn card during which the world renowned E.P.
Taylor Turf Course takes centre stage. The Grade 1, $1 million E.P. Taylor Stakes, for fillies and mares, and the Grade 2, $500,000 Nearctic Stakes, a six-furlong turf dash, are also slated for International Day.All three added-money events, like in 2008, are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, which features a lucrative “Win and You’re In” incentive that is certain to attract a strong cast of participants.
A score in the International, the E.P. Taylor or the Nearctic guarantees the victor a berth in the corresponding championship event, three weeks later, at the Breeders’ Cup (November 6 & 7) at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
“We are excited with our 2009 stakes schedule,” said Steve Lym, Woodbine’s Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “Our turf stakes have always been popular with fans and horsemen. Our scheduling gives stars crowned on International day the opportunity to go for glory in the Breeders’ Cup.”
ESPN, the prominent U.S. TV sports network, will again broadcast all three International day “Win and You’re In” events, live from Woodbine.
The Woodbine stakes calendar also features three other “Win and You’re In” events, all turf contests carded on the same September weekend.
On Saturday, September 19, the sport’s ‘young guns’ receive their own day to showcase their turf talents in the $300,000 Summer Stakes, a Grade 3 grass test for two-year-olds, and the Grade 3, $150,000 Natalma Stakes, for two-year-old fillies.
The weekend’s third Breeders’ Cup Challenge race is the $1 million Woodbine Mile, the highlight of a lucrative $2-plus million racing day on Sunday, September 20. The Grade 1, $750,000 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes and the Grade 2, $300,000 Canadian Stakes, for turf fillies and mares, will also be contested on Mile day.
“The Mile has always been an attractive event on our calendar,” Lym said. “With the Northern Dancer fully entrenched as a Grade 1 race and the two ‘Win and You’re In’ two-year-old races on Saturday, it makes for a tremendous weekend of racing.”
The Grade 2, $250,000 Sky Classic Stakes is slated for Sunday, August 23. With the new date, the Sky Classic, in combination with the Northern Dancer, creates a natural two-race, $1 million route to the Pattison Canadian International.
The $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, the first leg in the Canada’s Triple Tiara of Racing, is scheduled for Sunday, June 7.
The Grade 3, $250,000 Selene Stakes for three-year-old fillies, traditionally a prep for the Oaks, will now take place on Saturday, September 26. “We moved the graded Selene to give it more prominence on the schedule. It should get plenty of attention as a signature fall race for three-year-old fillies with its big purse,” Lym said.
The Breeders’ Stakes, third and turf gem of racing’s Triple Crown, is set for Sunday, August 2 at Woodbine. The 1 1/2-mile event carries a purse of $500,000. The Woodbine meet runs for 167 dates from Saturday, April 4 to Sunday, December 6. For further details on the schedule, please visit www.woodbineentertainment.com.
2009 Stakes Schedule
April
$150,000 ACHIEVEMENT STAKES* – Saturday, April 11
$150,000 WHIMSICAL STAKES – Saturday, April 18 (Gr. 3)
$150,000 STAR SHOOT STAKES – Sunday, April 19
$150,000 JACQUES CARTIER STAKES – Saturday, April 25
$150,000 WOODSTOCK STAKES – Sunday, April 26
May
$150,000 QUEENSTON STAKES* – Saturday, May 2
$150,000 FURY STAKES* – Sunday, May 3
$125,000 NEW PROVIDENCE STAKES** – Saturday, May 9
$150,000 HENDRIE STAKES – Sunday, May 10 (Gr. 3)
$150,000 MARINE STAKES – Saturday, May 16
$150,000 LA LORGNETTE STAKES – Sunday, May 17
$150,000 VIGIL STAKES – Monday, May 18 (Gr. 3)
$125,000 LADY ANGELA STAKES** – Saturday, May 23
$150,000 CONNAUGHT CUP STAKES – Sunday, May 24 (Gr. 3, Turf)
$300,000 NASSAU STAKES – Saturday, May 30 (Gr. 2, Turf)
$150,000 PLATE TRIAL STAKES* – Sunday, May 31
June
$150,000 ECLIPSE STAKES – Saturday, June 6 (Gr. 3)
$125,000 STEADY GROWTH STAKES** – Saturday, June 6
$500,000 WOODBINE OAKS STAKES, presented by Budweiser*** – Sunday, June 7
$150,000 VICTORIA PARK STAKES – Sunday, June 7
$125,000 BOLD RUCKUS STAKES** – Wednesday, June 10 (Turf)
$125,000 BALLADE STAKES** – Saturday, June 13
$150,000 VICTORIA STAKES – Sunday, June 14
$100,000 HILL ‘N’ DALE STAKES – Saturday, June 20
$1,000,000 QUEEN’S PLATE STAKES*** – Sunday, June 21
$200,000 SCOTTS HIGHLANDER STAKES – Sunday, June 21 (Gr. 3, Turf)
$150,000 SINGSPIEL STAKES, Sunday, June 21 (Gr. 3, Turf)
$300,000 KING EDWARD STAKES – Saturday, June 27 (Gr. 2, Turf)
$250,000 BISON CITY STAKES*** – Sunday, June 28
$150,000 MY DEAR STAKES – Sunday, June 28
July
$200,000 DOMINION DAY STAKES – Wednesday, July 1 (Gr. 3)
$150,000 CLARENDON STAKES* – Saturday, July 4
$150,000 ONTARIO DAMSEL STAKES* – Sunday, July 5 (Turf)
$150,000 TORONTO CUP STAKES – Saturday, July 11 (Turf)
$300,000 DANCE SMARTLY STAKES – Saturday, July 11 (Gr. 2, Turf)
$150,000 SHADY WELL STAKES* – Sunday, July 12
$125,000 DEPUTY MINISTER STAKES** – Wednesday, July 15
$150,000 COLIN STAKES – Saturday, July 18
$150,000 ONTARIO MATRON STAKES – Sunday, July 19
$150,000 BOLD VENTURE STAKES – Sunday, July 19
$125,000 PASSING MOOD STAKES** – Wednesday, July 22 (Turf)
$250,000 WONDER WHERE STAKES*** – Saturday, July 25 (Turf)
$300,000 NIJINSKY STAKES, presented by Chinese Cultural Centre – Sunday,
July 26 (Gr.2, Turf)
August
$150,000 ROYAL NORTH STAKES – Saturday, August 1 (Gr. 3, Turf)
$125,000 NANDI STAKES** – Sunday, August 2
$500,000 BREEDERS’ STAKES*** – Sunday, August 2 (Turf)
$150,000 SEAGRAM CUP STAKES – Monday, August 3 (Gr. 3)
$125,000 SHEPPERTON STAKES** – Wednesday, August 5
$150,000 DUCHESS STAKES – Saturday, August 8
$150,000 VANDAL STAKES* – Sunday, August 9
$150,000 ONTARIO DEBUTANTE STAKES – Saturday, August 15
$125,000 VICTORIANA STAKES** – Sunday, August 16 (Turf)
$125,000 ETERNAL SEARCH STAKES** – Saturday, August 22
$250,000 SKY CLASSIC STAKES – Sunday, August 23 (Gr. 2, Turf)
$200,000 PLAY THE KING STAKES – Saturday, August 29 (Gr. 2, Turf)
$150,000 ONTARIO COLLEEN STAKES – Sunday, August 30 (Turf)
September
$150,000 SEAWAY STAKES – Saturday, September 5 (Gr. 3)
$125,000 VICE REGENT STAKES** – Sunday, September 6 (Turf)
$125,000 MUSKOKA STAKES*** – Monday, September 7
$125,000 SIMCOE STAKES*** – Monday, September 7
$125,000 ELGIN STAKES*** – Monday, September 7
$125,000 KENORA STAKES*** – Monday, September 7
$125,000 ALGOMA STAKES*** – Monday, September 7
$125,000 HALTON STAKES*** – Monday, September 7 (Turf)
$125,000 LA PREVOYANTE STAKES** – Saturday, September 12 (Turf)
$150,000 SWYNFORD STAKES – Sunday, September 13
$125,000 OVERSKATE STAKES** – Sunday, September 13
$150,000 NATALMA STAKES -Saturday, September 19 (Gr. 3, Turf) WAYI
$300,000 SUMMER STAKES – Saturday, September 19 (Gr. 3, Turf) WAYI
$300,000 CANADIAN STAKES – Sunday, September 20 (Gr. 2, Turf)
$750,000 NORTHERN DANCER TURF, presented by VTECH – Sunday, September 20
(Gr. 1, Turf)
$1,000,000 WOODBINE MILE – Sunday, September 20 (Gr. 1, Turf) WAYI
$250,000 SELENE STAKES – Saturday, September 26 (Gr. 3)
$150,000 ONTARIO DERBY – Sunday, September 27
October
$125,000 VICTORIAN QUEEN STAKES** – Saturday, October 3
$150,000 DURHAM CUP STAKES – Sunday, October 4 (Gr. 3)
$150,000 CAROTENE STAKES* – Sunday, October 4 (Turf)
$125,000 CLASSY’N SMART STAKES** – Wednesday, October 7
$250,000 MAZARINE STAKES – Sunday, October 10 (Gr. 3)
$250,000 GREY STAKES – Sunday, October 11 (Gr. 3)
$125,000 BULL PAGE STAKES** – Monday, October 12
$500,000 NEARCTIC STAKES – Saturday, October 17 (Gr. 2, Turf) WAYI
$1,000,000 E.P. TAYLOR STAKES – Saturday, October 17 (Gr. 1, Turf) WAYI
$2,000,000 PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL – Saturday, October 17 (Gr. 1,
Turf) WAYI
$250,000 CUP & SAUCER STAKES* – Sunday, October 18 (Turf)
$125,000 BUNTY LAWLESS STAKES** – Saturday, October 24 (Turf)
$150,000 FANFRELUCHE STAKES* – Sunday, October 25
$250,000 PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES*** – Saturday, October 31
November
$150,000 ONTARIO FASHION STAKES – Sunday, November 1
$125,000 FROST KING STAKES** – Wednesday, November 4
$175,000 MAPLE LEAF STAKES – Saturday, November 7
$250,000 CORONATION FUTURITY*** – Sunday, November 8
$125,000 SOUTH OCEAN STAKES** – Wednesday, November 11
$150,000 AUTUMN STAKES – Saturday, November 14 (Gr.2)
$150,000 JAMMED LOVELY STAKES* – Sunday, November 15
$150,000 GLORIOUS SONG STAKES – Sunday, November 15
$150,000 KENNEDY ROAD STAKES – Sunday, November 21 (Gr.3)
$150,000 BESSARABIAN STAKES – Sunday, November 22
$125,000 KINGARVIE STAKES** – Saturday, November 28
$150,000 ONTARIO LASSIE STAKES* – Sunday, November 29
December
$125,000 SIR BARTON STAKES** – Wednesday, December 2
$150,000 DISPLAY STAKES – Saturday, December 5
$150,000 VALEDICTORY STAKES – Sunday, December 6
*starters must be foaled in Ontario
**starters must be sired by Ontario-based stallions
***starters must be foaled in Canada WAYI “Win and You’re In”
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