Canadian Derby tops 72-day meet
TORONTO, Ontario - Thirty-six stakes races, worth a record total of $2.07 million, will be be run during the 2004 Northlands Park meeting. The Edmonton, lberta, track begins its season next Friday.
The highlight of the meeting, as always, will be the Aug. 28 Canadian Derby, which this year receives a $100,000 purse boost to $250,000.
"We wanted to get the purse up, to attract some outside horses," said Fred Hilts, Northlands racing secretary. "For $250,000 we might get some more interest from Eastern Canada and the U.S., particularly from the western states."
The Canadian Derby, a Grade 3 race for 3-year-olds, is the only graded race of the meet.
Races that received $25,000 purse increases are the Sonoma, now worth $100,000, and the Fall Classic Distaff and Alberta Breeders', now both worth $75,000. The Fall Classic Distaff and Alberta Breeders' are among seven stakes on Alberta Fall Classic Day on Sept. 25.
There also will be two new $50,000 sales stakes for older runners this year, one for fillies and mares on Oct. 15 and one for colts and geldings the following day. Both races are at one mile.
The Alberta division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society provided most of the funding for the stakes increases, Hilts said.
The 72-day meeting will run through Oct. 30 with live racing Fridays through Sundays, most Wednesdays, holiday Mondays, and two Thursdays in July.
2004 Northlands Park stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Sat., June 26 | JOURNAL | 3YO & Up | 6 1/2 Furlongs | $40,000 |
| Thurs., July 1 | WESTERN CANADA | 3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., July 3 | WILD ROSE | 3YO & Up F&M | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sun., July 4 | CHARIOT CHASER | 3YO F | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., July 10 | SPANGLED JIMMY | 3YO & Up | 1 Mile | 40,000 |
| Fri., July 23 | KY ALTA | 3YO | 1 1/16 Miles | 40,000 |
| Sat., July 24 | JOHN PATRICK | 3YO & Up F&M | 1 Mile | 40,000 |
| Sun., July 25 | NORTHLANDS OAKS | 3YO F | 1 Mile | 40,000 |
| Fri., July 30 | EDMONTON JUVENILE | 2YO C&G | 6 Furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat., July 31 | KLONDIKE | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 Miles | 40,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 1 | PRINCESS MARGARET | 2YO F | 6 Furlongs | 40,000 |
| Mon., Aug. 2 | SUN SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP | 3YO & Up | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 7 | COUNT LATHUM | 3YO | 1 5/16 Miles | 40,000 |
| Fri., Aug. 13 | MADAMOISELLE | 3YO & Up F&M | 1 1/16 Miles | 40,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 14 | SONOMA | 3YO F | 1 1/16 Miles | 100,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 21 | SALE STAKES | 2YO F | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 60,000 |
| SALE STAKES | 2YO C&G | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 60,000 | |
| Sun., Aug. 22 | WESTERNER | 3YO & Up | 1 5/16 Miles | 40,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 28 | CANADIAN DERBY (Gr. 3) | 3YO | 1 3/8 Miles | 250,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 28 | EDMONTON DISTAFF | 3YO & Up F&M | 1 1/16 Miles | 75,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 4 | BIRD OF PAY | 2YO F | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 50,000 |
| Mon., Sept. 6 | BIRDCATCHER | 2YO C&G | 6 1/2 Furlongs | 50,000 |
| Fri., Sept. 10 | SALES STAKES | 3YO F | 1 Mile | 50,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 11 | SPEED TO SPARE | 3YO & Up | 1 3/8 Miles | 100,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 12 | SALE STAKES | 3YO C&G | 1 Mile | 50,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 25 | FALL CLASSIC DISTAFF* | 3YO & Up F&M | 1 1/16 Miles | 75,000 |
| ALBERTA BREEDERS'* | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 Miles | 75,000 | |
| STURGEON RIVER* | 2YO F | 1 Mile | 50,000 | |
| ALBERTA PREMIER'S FUTURITY* | 2YO | 1 Mile | 50,000 | |
| ALBERTA OAKS* | 3YO F | 1 Mile | 50,000 | |
| BEAUFORT* | 3YO | 1 1/16 Miles | 50,000 | |
| RED DIAMOND EXPRESS* | 3YO & Up | 6 1/2 furlongs | 50,000 | |
| Sat., Oct. 9 | FREEDOM OF THE CITY | 2YO F | 1 Mile | 40,000 |
| Mon., Oct. 11 | CANADIAN JUVENILE | 2YO | 1 1/16 Miles | 75,000 |
| Fri., Oct. 15 | SALES STAKES | 4YO & Up, F&M | 1 Mile | 50,000 |
| Sat., Oct. 16 | SALES STAKES | 4YO & Up, C&G | 1 Mile | 50,000 |
* Restricted to Alberta-breds