2022 PA-Bred Stakes Schedule Worth Nearly $4 Million

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association has released the 2022 stakes schedule for state-bred horses, with 27 stakes to be run at Pennsylvania tracks throughout the year.

The stakes action kicks off April 25 at Parx Racing with two seven-furlong $100,000 races for older horses: the Unique Bella Stakes for fillies and mares and the Page McKenney Handicap, an open contest.

Seven $100,000 stakes will be carded on Pennsylvania Day at the Races, Aug. 22 at Parx, including the first two events of the inaugural 2-Year-Old PA-Sired PA-Bred Stallion Series, the Whistle Pig Stakes and the Miss Blue Tye Dye Stakes (for fillies). 

The 2-Year-Old sire series continues on Parx's Pennsylvania Derby (G1) Day card Sept. 24 with the $200,000 Prince Lucky Stakes and Imply Stakes. Also carded are two $200,000 races for older horses, the Plum Pretty Stakes for fillies and mares and the Alphabet Soup Handicap on the turf.

New on the calendar is the $100,000 Jump Start Stakes, named for the state's longtime perennial leading sire, for Pennsylvania-sired state-bred older runners. It is over seven furlongs Oct. 18 at Parx.

Presque Isle Downs will host five $100,000 Pennsylvania-bred stakes starting in July. Penn National Race Course's Penn Mile (G2) card June 3 includes four $100,000 Pennsylvania-bred stakes. In late November, Penn National is once again the host track for the $200,000 Shamrock Rose for juvenile fillies. The final stakes on the schedule is the $200,000 Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes at Parx.