Canada Horse Races

When Charles S. Littlefield Sr. guided Don Juan to a win in The Queen's Plate in 1860, who knew Canada would become such a hotbed for championship horse racing? Stakes grade horses flock to Canadian race tracks today, with Woodbine Racetrack leading the way, to compete for some of the richest prizes available in the "Sport of Kings". In addition to hosting its own Triple Crown Racing Series, Canada is also home to several races that are automatic qualifiers into the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Major Canadian Horse Races

Whether you head live to the rail, visit an OTB location, or connect to one of our top ranked online racebooks, check out this impressive line-up of Canadian Championship horse racing:

E.P. Taylor Stakes

Run consecutively since 1956, in honor of past Ontario Jockey Club President (1953-1973), Edward Plunket Taylor, the E.P. Taylor Stakes goes 1 1/4 miles on turf and carries a $500,000 purse.

Northern Dancer Stakes

Named after Canadian super-horse Northern Dancer, this 1 1/2 mile race on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course at Woodbine is part of the Breeders' Cup program and is open to three-year old horses.

Prince of Wales Stakes

Honoring British Royalty is a big thing in Canada. The Prince of Wales Stakes, first run in 1929, does just that and more importantly is also the second jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown series. The race is held at Fort Erie Racetrack.

Woodbine Mile

Officially the Richo Woodbine Mile, this turf race is a prelude to the Breeders' Cup as the winner gets a share of the $1 million purse plus an automatic entry into the BC Mile World Championship race.

Breeders' Stakes

First run in 1889, the Breeder's Stakes Championship became the third jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown back in 1956. Like its US counterpart, the Belmont Stakes, this race covers a grueling 1 1/2 miles, but unlike the Belmont, it is run on the turf rather than dirt.