Woodbine Entertainment has unveiled its stakes schedule for the 2021 Woodbine meet, which is scheduled for April 17-Dec. 12. The meet will offer more than $16.5 million in purses for 87 stakes and will feature two prestigious $1 million events, the Queen's Plate (Sunday, Aug. 22), and the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile (Saturday, Sept. 18), a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In qualifier. :: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more. The Grade 1, $600,000 Canadian International returns after a year hiatus forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be on the Woodbine Mile card, along with the Grade 2, $250,000 Canadian Stakes. The Grade 1 Natalma and Grade 1 Summer, both BC Win and You're In races, have each received a purse increase to $400,000 from $250,000. The Grade 1 Highlander Stakes, with an increased purse of $350,000 (up from $300,000), also returns after a hiatus forced by the pandemic and will be run on the Queen’s Plate card. Purses for all Grade 3 stakes races are also receiving a 20 percent increase to $150,000. “We are excited to bring back the Canadian International as part of our world-class stakes schedule for the 2021 Thoroughbred meet at Woodbine Racetrack,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. Woodbine will host the first and third legs of the Canadian Triple Crown, starting with the 162nd running of the Queen's Plate and concluding with the $400,000 Breeders' Stakes on Oct. 3. The second leg, the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, will be run at Fort Erie on Sept. 14. The Grade 1, $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes heads the Oct. 17 card. It serves as the final leg of Woodbine's Ladies of the Lawn series, which offers $75,000 in bonuses to the top performers based on points accumulated in the designated graded turf routes for fillies and mares. The series also includes Grade 2, $175,000 Dance Smartly, and the Grade 2, $250,000 Canadian. The winner of the 2020 Ladies of the Lawn Series was Elizabeth Way. The $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, heads another major race card on July 25, which includes the $150,000 Plate Trial, a key Queen’s Plate prep. Ontario-bred stakes that have been reinstated are the Sir Barton, Shady Well, and Clarendon, all with a $150,000 purse. “Our Ontario-bred and Ontario-sired stakes calendar and strong overnight opportunities remain an integral part of our racing program at Woodbine,” Lawson said. “We have very attractive opportunities for Ontario horses to stay and race at home and are excited about the return of the stakes races we were not able to run last year.” The other classics for horses foaled in Canada are the Bison City (Aug. 15), Wonder Where (Oct.  2), Cup and Saucer (Oct. 10), Princess Elizabeth (Oct. 23) and Coronation Futurity (Oct. 30). Each race carries a purse of $250,000.  :: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more. Woodbine will celebrate Canada Day with a special Thursday afternoon program on July 1, highlighted by the Grade 3 Dominion Day. This year's Yearling Sales Stakes Day on Aug. 29 will feature four stakes, including a pair of 2-year-old events (Simcoe and Muskoka) and a pair of 3-year-old events (Elgin and Algoma). Listed races have gotten a purse increase to $125,000 from $100,000. “Last year was obviously a challenging year for the industry due to COVID-19,” said Lawson. “While Woodbine Entertainment and the horse racing industry continue to be impacted, we are hopeful that the pandemic in Ontario improves in the coming months, allowing businesses and industries to safely reopen, including our ability to start our 2021 meet as planned on Saturday, April 17.” Woodbine's 2021 stakes schedule is subject to approval by the Graded Stakes Committee.