Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) has signed an agreement with Sportsnet to nationally televise four major race days live on Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet ONE.
The four key Woodbine events to be broadcast nationally, live and in high-definition (HD), include Sunday’s $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes, third jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown; the Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day, precursor to the 2013 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society yearling sale; along with a pair of key Grade 1 turf events, the $1-million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, and $1-million Pattison Canadian International.
Eclipse Award winner, Rob Platts, will produce the shows to be hosted by Jason Portuondo with expert analysis to be provided by Jim Bannon, and additional reporting from Chad Rozema and Sandy Hawley. Dan Loiselle will call the races.
The $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile test over the E.P Taylor Turf Course, is slated for Sportsnet 360 from 4:30 p.m. EST to 5:30 p.m. EST.
The revamped Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day, to be held on the evening of Wednesday, August 28, will feature six stakes for graduates of the CTHS Yearling Sale (the $200,000 Muskoka Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong for two-year-old fillies; the $200,000 Simcoe Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for two-year-old colts and geldings; the $125,000 Kenora Stakes, a six furlong sprint for three-year-olds and upward; the $125,000 Elgin Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile route for colts and geldings three-year-olds and upwards; the $125,000 Algoma Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile route for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and upward; and the $125,000 Halton Stakes, a one-mile turf event for three-year-olds and upward).
Woodbine Racetrack will offer total purses in excess of $1,000,000 on the Canadian Millions Sales Stakes card. The races will be broadcast live on Sportsnet ONE from 7:00 p.m. EST to 10:00 p.m. EST.
The $1-million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, a one-mile Grade 1 turf test won last year by eventual U.S. Horse of the Year Wise Dan, is set for Sunday, September 15. The Mile, a Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In event, will be broadcast live on Sportsnet 360 from 4:30 p.m. EST to 6:00 p.m. EST.
The $1-million Pattison Canadian International, the historic 1 1/2-mile Grade 1 turf event, is slated for Sunday, October 27. The International, a race won by the legendary Secretariat in his final career start, was won last year by Joshua Tree under the guidance of world-renowned jockey Lanfranco Dettori. The race will be broadcast live on Sportsnet 360 from 4:30 p.m. EST to 6:00 p.m. EST.
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