Queen’s Plate highlights stakes slate
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The 156th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate headlines Woodbine’s 2015 stakes schedule, which features 102 races worth more than $20 million in total.
The Queen’s Plate is the highlight of the July 5 card, which also will include the Grade 2 Dance Smartly, Grade 2 Highlander, and Grade 3 Singspiel stakes. The $150,000 Clarendon Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Ontario-bred 2-year-olds, also will be contested on the Queen’s Plate card.
The $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes will complete the Canadian Triple Crown series at Woodbine on Aug. 16, while the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, will be run at Fort Erie on July 28.
Four fees-paid berths in the Breeders’ Cup will be offered on back-to-back days in September in the Grade 2 Natalma and Grade 2 Summer Stakes on Sept. 12 and the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 13. The Sept. 13 card also will feature the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes and the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes.
The final two Grade 1 races of the meet, the $1 million Canadian International and the $500,000 E. P. Taylor Stakes, will be run on the Oct. 18 card, which also will feature the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes and the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes.
The annual Canadian Million Sales Stakes Day will be held Sept. 2, featuring six stakes races worth a total of $900,000. The six stakes races – the Algoma, Elgin, Halton, Kenora, Muskoka, and Simcoe – are open to horses who have gone through the sales ring at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s Canadian premier yearling sale.
A major change to the Woodbine stakes program this season is a surface change for the $125,000 Victoria Stakes for 2-year-olds. The Victoria, which was run over five furlongs on Polytrack in 2014, will now be run over six furlongs on turf June 20. Other changes to the stakes schedule include the upgrade of the Marine Stakes to Grade 3 status and an increase in purse to $150,000, and a condition change to the $125,000 Achievement Stakes, which will now be open to Ontario-bred 3-year-olds and up after being restricted to Ontario-bred 3-year-olds last season.
The stakes schedule kicks off April 11 with the $125,000 Woodstock, a six-furlong sprint on Polytrack for 3-year-olds on the meet’s opening day.
Enhanced testing expanded
Track owner Woodbine Entertainment Group and the Ontario Racing Commission have implemented out-of-competition testing measures for all graded stakes races run at Woodbine in 2015.
All horses nominated to a graded stakes race at Woodbine in 2015 must be available to have biological samples collected from them by the commission. The sample collection will take place from the closing of nominations to the running of the race, without notice.
Woodbine and the commission first implemented enhanced testing for Grade 1 and Grade 2 races last August and have enhanced the program to also include Grade 3 races this season.
2015 Woodbine stakes schedule
| Date | Event | Conditions | Distance | Purse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., April 11 | Woodstock | 3YO | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sun., April 12 | Star Shoot | 3YO Fillies | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sat., April 18 | Whimsical (G3) | 4YO & UP F-M | 6F | $150,000 |
| Sun., April 26 | Jacques Cartier | 4YO & UP | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sat., May 2 | Queenston | 3YO* | 7F | $150,000 |
| Sun., May 3 | Fury | 3YO Fillies* | 7F | $150,000 |
| Sat., May 9 | Hendrie (G3) | 4YO & UP F-M | 6 1/2F | $150,000 |
| Sun., May 10 | New Providence | 3YO & UP | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sat., May 16 | Marine (G3) | 3YO | 1 1/16M | $150,000 |
| Sun., May 17 | Vigil (G3) | 4YO & UP | 7F | $150,000 |
| Mon., May 18 | Ballade | 3YO & UP F-M | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sat., May 23 | Nassau (G2) | 3YO & UP F-M | 1M (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., May 24 | Selene (G3) | 3YO Fillies | 1 1/16M | $150,000 |
| Sat., May 30 | Connaught Cup (G2) | 4YO & UP | 7F (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., May 31 | Lady Angela | 3YO Fillies | 7F | $125,000 |
| Sat., June 6 | Steady Growth | 3YO & UP | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Sun., June 7 | Eclipse (G2) | 4YO & UP | 1 1/16M | $200,000 |
| Sat., June 13 | Bold Ruckus | 3YO | 6F (T) | $125,000 |
| Sun., June 14 | Woodbine Oaks | 3YO Fillies* | 1 1/8M | $500,000 |
| Sun., June 14 | Plate Trial | 3YO* | 1 1/8M | $150,000 |
| Sat., June 20 | Victoria | 2YO | 6F (T) | $125,000 |
| Sun., June 21 | King Edward (G2) | 3YO & UP | 1M (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., June 28 | My Dear Stakes | 2YO Fillies | 5F | $125,000 |
| Wed., July 1 | Dominion Day (G3) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/4M | $150,000 |
| Sat., July 4 | Achievement | 3YO & UP** | 6F | $150,000 |
| Sun., July 5 | Queen's Plate | 3YO* | 1 1/4M | $1,000,000 |
| Sun., July 5 | Highlander | 3YO & UP | 6F (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., July 5 | Dance Smartly (G2) | 3YO & UP F-M | 1 1/8M (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., July 5 | Singspiel (G3) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/2M (T) | $150,000 |
| Sun., July 5 | Clarendon | 2YO** | 5 1/2F | $150,000 |
| Sat., July 11 | Passing Mood | 3YO Fillies | 7F (T) | $125,000 |
| Sun., July 12 | Bison City | 3YO Fillies* | 1 1/16M | $250,000 |
| Sun., July 12 | Shady Well | 2YO Fillies** | 5 1/2F | $150,000 |
| Sat., July 18 | Ontario Damsel | 3YO Fillies** | 1M (T) | $150,000 |
| Sun., July 19 | Nijinsky (G2) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/8M (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., July 19 | Duchess | 3YO Fillies | 7F | $125,000 |
| Wed., July 22 | Deputy Minister | 3YO | 7F | $125,000 |
| Sat., July 25 | Colin | 2YO | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sat., July 25 | Ontario Matron (G3) | 3YO & UP F-M | 1 1/16M | $150,000 |
| Sun., July 26 | Toronto Cup | 3YO | 1 1/8M (T) | $125,000 |
| Sun., July 26 | Royal North (G3) | 3YO & UP F-M | 6F (T) | $150,000 |
| Wed., July 29 | Eternal Search | 3YO Fillies | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 1 | Victoriana | 3YO & UP F-M | 1 1/16M (T) | $125,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 2 | Seagram Cup (G3) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/16M | $150,000 |
| Mon., Aug. 3 | Nandi | 2YO Fillies | 6F | $125,000 |
| Mon., Aug. 3 | Shepperton | 3YO & UP | 6 1/2F | $125,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 8 | Seaway (G3) | 3YO & UP F-M | 7F | $150,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 9 | Ontario Debutante | 2YO Fillies | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 9 | Wonder Where | 3YO Fillies* | 1 1/4M (T) | $250,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 15 | Vandal | 2YO** | 6F | $150,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 16 | Sky Classic (G2) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/4M (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 16 | Breeders' | 3YO* | 1 1/2M (T) | $500,000 |
| Sat., Aug. 22 | Ontario Colleen (G3) | 3YO Fillies | 1M (T) | $150,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 23 | Play the King (G2) | 3YO & UP | 7F (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 23 | Victoria Park | 3YO | 1 1/8M | $125,000 |
| Sun., Aug. 30 | Vice Regent | 3YO | 1M (T) | $125,000 |
| Wed., Sept. 2 | Muskoka | 2YO Fillies* | 6 1/2F | $200,000 |
| Wed., Sept. 2 | Simcoe | 2YO C&G* | 6 1/2F | $200,000 |
| Wed., Sept. 2 | Kenora | 3YO & UP* | 6F | $125,000 |
| Wed., Sept. 2 | Elgin | 3YO & UP C&G* | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Wed., Sept. 2 | Algoma | 3YO & UP F-M* | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Wed., Sept. 2 | Halton | 3YO & UP* | 1M (T) | $125,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 5 | Swynford | 2YO | 7F | $125,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 12 | Natalma (G2) | 2YO Fillies | 1M (T) | $200,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 12 | Summer (G2) | 2YO | 1M (T) | $200,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 13 | Woodbine Mile (G1) | 3YO & UP | 1M (T) | $1,000,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 13 | Northern Dancer (G1) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/2M (T) | $300,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 13 | Canadian (G2) | 3YO & UP F-M | 1 1/8M (T) | $300,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 13 | Bold Venture (G3) | 3YO & UP | 6 1/2F | $150,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 19 | Overskate | 3YO & UP | 7F | $125,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 20 | Ontario Derby (G3) | 3YO | 1 1/8M | $150,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 20 | La Lorgnette | 3YO Fillies | 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Sat., Sept. 26 | La Prevoyante | 3YO Fillies | 1M (T) | $125,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 27 | Bull Page | 2YO C&G | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sun., Sept. 27 | Classy 'N Smart | 3YO & UP F-M | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Sat., Oct. 3 | Durham Cup (G3) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/8M | $150,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 4 | Mazarine (G3) | 2YO Fillies | 1 1/16M | $150,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 4 | Grey (G3) | 2YO | 1 1/16M | $150,000 |
| Sat., Oct. 10 | Victorian Queen | 2YO Fillies | 6F | $125,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 11 | Cup & Saucer | 2YO* | 1 1/16M (T) | $250,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 11 | Bunty Lawless | 3YO & UP | 1M (T) | $125,000 |
| Mon., Oct. 12 | Carotene | 3YO Fillies** | 1 1/8M (T) | $150,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 18 | Canadian Intl. (G1) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/2M (T) | $1,000,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 18 | E. P. Taylor (G1) | 3YO & UP F-M | 1 1/4M (T) | $500,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 18 | Nearctic (G2) | 3YO & UP | 6F (T) | $300,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 18 | Ontario Fashion (G3) | 3YO & UP F-M | 6F | $150,000 |
| Sun., Oct. 25 | Fanfreluche | 2YO Fillies ** | 6F | $150,000 |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Maple Leaf (G3) | 3YO & UP F-M | 1 1/4M | $150,000 |
| Sun., Nov. 1 | Princess Elizabeth | 2YO Fillies* | 1 1/16M | $250,000 |
| Wed., Nov. 4 | Frost King | 2YO | 7F | $125,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Jammed Lovely | 3YO Fillies** | 7F | $150,000 |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Coronation Futurity | 2YO* | 1 1/8M | $250,000 |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Autumn (G2) | 3YO & UP | 1 1/16M | $200,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | South Ocean | 2YO Fillies | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Bessarbian (G2) | 3YO & UP F-M | 7F | $200,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Glorious Song | 2YO Fillies | 7F | $125,000 |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | Kennedy Road (G2) | 3YO & UP | 6F | $200,000 |
| Wed., Nov. 25 | Sir Barton | 3YO & UP | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Ontario Lassie | 2YO Fillies** | 1 1/16M | $150,000 |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Display | 2YO | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Kingarvie | 2YO | 1 1/16M | $125,000 |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Valedictory Stakes (G3) | 3YO & UP | 1 3/4M | $150,000 |
*Canadian-foaled
**Ontario-bred