Page 13 - The Game March 2006

Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper The Game, March 2006 13
WOODBINE STAKES - CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
An exciting addition to the 2006 stakes calendar is a mid-summer marquee event. The $700,000 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf Stakes, is set for Sunday, July 23, at 1 1/2-miles over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
The late "Dancer" made a name for himself and his country on the world's biggest stage by winning the 1964 Kentucky Derby, the first Canadian horse to do so. He is still, arguably, Canada's and Woodbine's most famous horse racing export.
"It's appropriate with 2006 being Woodbine's 50th anniversary that we name a race after Northern Dancer," said Chris Evans, Woodbine's Vice-President of Thoroughbred Racing. "He really put Canada and Woodbine on the map during his racing and breeding career."
The Northern Dancer, a Grade 2 event, replaces the Niagara Breeders' Cup Stakes, which was worth $300,000 in 2005.
Bell Canada sponsored Woodbine's Canadian Stakes (Bell Canadian Stakes) in 2005, but will be the name sponsor on one of the gems of the Woodbine racing season this year, as the Grade 1 Bell Woodbine Mile is set for Sunday, September 17.
The $1 million event, one of the world's most valued turf races, was sponsored for the past seven years by Atto Insurance. The 2006 renewal marks the race's 10th running.
"Bell rounds out our sponsorship programme of big races beautifully," said Glenn Crouter, Vice-President of Media & Community Relations and Sponsorship. "The Mile is one of our top properties and we are thrilled to have Bell aboard."
The richest race, and most prominent internationally, on the Woodbine stakes schedule is the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International.
The $2 million event, along with its companion races, the Grade 1, $1 million E.P. Taylor Stakes, for fillies and mares, and the $500,000 Nearctic Stakes, a Grade 2 turf sprint, is set for Sunday, October 22.
The Breeders' Stakes, third and turf gem of racing's Triple Crown, is set for Sunday, August 6 at Woodbine.
The critical 1 1/2-mile turf event carries a purse of $500,000. The middle leg of the three-race series, the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, will be run at Fort Erie on Sunday, July 16.
The $500,000 Labatt Woodbine Oaks, first leg in the Canada's Triple Tiara of Racing, is scheduled for Sunday, June 11 and the $200,000 Scotts Highlander Stakes returns as the complement feature on Queen's Plate day.
Other changes to the stakes schedule this year:
• all stakes purses carry guaranteed money;
• the Ontario Derby received a purse hike to $200,000 from $150,000;
• the Chinese Cultural Centre Stakes is now the Nijinsky Stakes and had its distance extended from
1 3/8 miles to 1 1/2 miles;
• the Chinese Cultural Centre will continue its sponsor-
ship with the Chinese Cultural Centre Seagram Cup Stakes on July 30;
• after two years as a race for three-year-old fillies, the Hill 'N' Dale is now for three-year-old fillies and upward; • the Halton Stakes is now a mile race, a furlong less
than the 1 1/8 miles contested in 2005 and
• there are no more Handicap stakes, just allowance
conditioned stakes.
The entire 2006 Woodbine stakes schedule is subject to
Ontario Racing Commission approval and is listed on the website at www.woodbineentertainment.com.
Information from WEG’s Media Relations Dept.
Did You Know...
That a delay in completing the turf course at Monmouth Park has track officials considering running “all turf” cards at the Meadowlands in June. The proposal, which was reached in principle, would see N.J. Sports and Exposition Authority, who owns and operates both Monmouth and Meadowlands, drop racing at Monmouth on June 1, 7, 14 and 21 and have all turf cards on June 5, 12 and 19 at the Meadowlands.
The new turf course, which is 40% complete, will have a new 5 1/2 furlong chute, better drainage, a new sprinkler system and all the hedges removed along the course. The reconstruction is in anticipation of the 2007 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Monmouth.