Canadian Triple Crown

Woodbine Entertainment has released the nominations for the 2023 OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, consisting of The King's Plate, the Prince of Wales and the Breeders' S. Totaling 124 3-year-olds foaled in Canada, the list of nominees includes star performers from last season, winners south of the border over the winter and many preparing for the upcoming Woodbine meet. Contested over three different surfaces at two courses, the Canadian Triple Crown will kick off Sunday, Aug. 20 at Woodbine with the 164th running of The King's Plate followed...

Woodbine Entertainment unveiled the stakes schedule Monday for the 2023 Thoroughbred racing season at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. The program will offer more than $17 million in purses, including 39 graded stakes, five Grade I events and two $1 million classics, The King's Plate and Ricoh Woodbine Mile. "Highlighted by the return of the Canadian International, and the first running of The King's Plate in 70 years, this year's stakes program at Woodbine will be as exciting as ever," said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. The 164th running of...

Another record was set Saturday at Kentucky Downs when $21,065,982 was wagered on the 12-race card. Perhaps even more impressively, Kentucky Downs out-handled Del Mar, where $19,423,928 was bet. Del Mar ran 11 races on Saturday. That a wagering record was set was hardly a surprise considering that the card at Kentucky Downs was also the best ever offered at the sport's most unique racetrack. There were six graded stakes on the card and five of them were worth $1 million. The average field size was 11, the type of...

X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, and SF Racing LLC's Moira (Ghostzapper) was listed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite during Wednesday morning's post position Queen's Plate draw, held at Woodbine's newly-opened Stella Artois Terrace. In addition to the Woodbine Oaks winner, who will exit gate 8 with regular pilot Rafael Hernandez aboard, a total of 10 colts have signed on for Sunday's $1-million 10-furlong Classic, the first jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown. "Typically, when you win the Oaks, depending on how impressive they are doing it, you always have to...

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG) will return as title sponsor of the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing in 2022, Woodbine Entertainment announced Thursday. The OLG Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of The Queen's Plate, to be run Aug. 21 at Woodbine Racetrack, the Prince of Wales S., to be run Sept. 13 at Fort Erie Race Track, and the Breeders' S., to be run Oct. 2 at Woodbine. "Woodbine is pleased to once again partner with the OLG for the prestigious Canadian Triple Crown," said...

One hundred of the top Canadian-bred 3-year-old Thoroughbreds have been nominated to the 2022 Canadian Triple Crown. Woodbine Entertainment released the nominations for the three-race series, which consists of the Aug. 21 Queen's Plate, Sept. 13 Prince of Wales S. and culminates with the Oct. 2 Breeders' S. The total number of nominees is down from last year's high of 125, but up from only 92 in 2020. Among the top nominees to the series are: Messier (Empire Maker), Ironstone (Mr Speaker), God of Love (Cupid), The Minkster (English Channel),...

Haddassah (Air Force Blue) took to dirt with aplomb to upset Tuesday's Prince of Wales S., the second jewel of Canada's Triple Crown. The 6-1 chance, third in the GIII Marine S. July 11 and eighth after getting rank early in the Queen's Plate last time Aug. 22, both over the Woodbine all-weather, chased in second as they passed the Fort Erie grandstand for the first time. He remained in a perfect, stalking position through a half mile in :47.30, made his move to take over on the far turn...

With the absence of Queen's Plate S. hero Safe Conduct (Bodemeister), who will await the Breeders' S. on turf for his next engagement, a handful of horses who followed him home in that Woodbine feature will try dirt Tuesday at Fort Erie in an eight-horse renewal of the Prince of Wales S., the middle jewel of Canada's Triple Crown. Given the narrowest of nods on the morning line at 5-2 is Ivan Dalos's H C Holiday (Ami's Holiday). Scoring against $40,000 maiden optional claiming foes second out at Woodbine, he...

Eurico Rosa da Silva, one of Canadian Thoroughbred racing's most accomplished riders and popular personalities, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award. The Gomez Award is given to the person, Canadian-born, Canadian-raised or regular rider in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sport. It is named in memory of one of the sport's most heralded and loved performers. The Cuban-born Gomez died of complications after a three-horse accident in the 1980 Canadian Oaks. "What a nice surprise....

What a singular coincidence, and literally so, that two of the best horses recently bred in Canada--and that has never been a negligible distinction--should both have only one eye. True, the origins of Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun) and Mighty Heart (Dramedy) could scarcely be more diverse. The 2019 GI La Brea S. winner, who was retired a few weeks ago, graduated from one of the most admired breeding programs in North America, which routinely sends yearlings to Keeneland as coveted as any making a shorter trip from the...

Heading into Saturday's final jewel in Canada's 2020 Triple Crown, trainer Josie Carroll appeared poised to collect the 129th renewal of the Breeders' S. And while most thought that Queen's Plate S. and Prince of Wales S. hero Mighty Heart (Dramedy) was the most likely to accomplish the feat as even-money choice, it was his stablemate Belichick (Lemon Drop Kid) who landed the Canadian Classic in fine style. Given a 3-1 chance here, Belichick raced two wide in mid-pack as his favored barnmate-prompted by longshot Kunal (Temple City)--blazed through swift...

The tale of a one-eyed horse who has come from nowhere to sweep the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown has been the feel-good story of the year at Woodbine, but the next chapter could end with an uncomfortable twist. Mighty Heart (Dramedy) is the even-money favorite in Saturday's Breeders S., a role he earned after decisive victories in the Queen's Plate and the Prince of Wales S. But there's a rapidly improving, dangerous horse in the field named Belichick (Lemon Drop Kid) who should relish the mile-and-a-half...