Woodbine Releases Revised 2020 Stakes Schedule

Woodbine announced May 20 its revised stakes schedule for the 2020 Thoroughbred racing season, which will take place June 6-Dec. 13 after being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The stakes program includes CA$13.8 million in purses across 75 stakes and features the Sept. 12 Queen’s Plate Stakes and the Sept. 19 Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T), scheduled on back-to-back weekends for the first time in Woodbine history.

"It’s been an unprecedented year which has led to a unique stakes schedule that we are very excited about," said Jim Lawson, the CEO of Woodbine Entertainment. "The summer stakes schedule will build the anticipation for a very busy and exciting fall at Woodbine Racetrack highlighted by the running of our two biggest stakes races on back-to-back Saturdays."

Some highlights of the stakes schedule:

• The Canadian Triple Crown will get underway with the 161st running of the Queen’s Plate, followed by the Prince of Wales at Fort Erie Sept. 29 and concluding on the turf at Woodbine with the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes Oct. 24.
• Designated as Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races, the Woodbine Mile will be followed by the Summer Stakes (G1T) and the filly companion Natalma Stakes (G1T) for 2-year-olds Sept. 20.
• The Woodbine Cares and Ontario Racing Stakes, juvenile inner turf stakes that launched in 2019, will be contested Sept. 19 with purses increased to $135,000 apiece.
• Oct. 18 will feature the $600,000 E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T), the $300,000 Northern Dancer Stakes Presented by Pattison (G1T), and the $250,000 Nearctic Stakes (G2T).
• Woodbine's Ladies of the Lawn Series, which provides the winner with a $75,000 bonus, returns in 2020 with the first leg June 27 with the $175,000 Nassau Stakes (G2T), followed by the $175,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) Aug.15, the $250,000 Canadian Stakes (G2T) Sept. 12, and the E. P. Taylor. The inaugural winner of the 2019 Ladies of the Lawn Series was Starship Jubilee, who was announced as Canada's 2019 Horse of the Year May 19.
• The $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, headlines another major race card Aug. 15 that will include the $150,000 Plate Trial, which is one of six Canadian-foaled classics to receive a purse boost for 2020.
• The Greenwood Stakes has been shifted to Aug. 1 and is one of three Ontario-Bred stakes on the calendar with purses increased from $125,000 to $150,000.
• The other classics for horses foaled in Canada with purse increases, from $225,000 to $250,000, are the Bison City Stakes (Sept. 12), Cup and Saucer Stakes (Oct. 10), Wonder Where Stakes (Oct. 25), Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Oct. 31), and Coronation Futurity (Nov. 1).
• This year’s Yearling Sales Stakes set for Aug. 30 will feature four stakes, including a pair of 2-year-old events (Simcoe and Muskoka) with purse increases to $250,000 and a pair of 3-year-old events (Elgin and Algoma) with purses of $135,000.

The full stakes schedule is on the Woodbine website.

Due to complications with international travel, the Pattison Canadian International Stakes (G1T) has been canceled for the 2020 season, Woodbine said in a news release. For this season, Pattison Outdoor will be the presenting sponsor of the Northern Dancer.