#breeders stakes

Young Winton harness racing horsewomen Chelsea Faithful has a lot of strings to her bow. She successfully trains a small team, works for the busiest stable in the province, is breeding from two mares, is preparing two yearlings for the upcoming sales and is photographing yearlings for a handful of clients. "I was born into it. Mum tried to get me…

Essential Quality, shown winning the Grade I Travers, is among the favorites in a Breeders' Cup Classic field announced this week. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Oct. 29 (UPI) -- It's a week for looking forward as horse racing around the globe nears its annual champion-making events and youngsters get in final licks to make a case…

The 87th Prince of Wales Stakes is set to run on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at the Fort Erie Race Track. Here are five things you need to know. WHAT IS THE PRINCE OF WALES STAKES? The race is the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. Other races making up the series are the Queen's Plate, which ran last month at Woodbine, and the Breeders' Stakes, which…

The 2023 harness racing season might still be in its infancy, but Prebbleton horseman John McDermott and his bonny mare Supreme Gem (Christian Cullen) have made every post a winning one thus far. In the span of eight days, three daughters of Supreme Gem have chalked up race wins at South Island meetings, giving McDermott and his wife Christine…

In the United States there were stables such as Calumet Farm that dominated horse racing for decades. In Canada, the gold standard begins and ends with Sam-Son Farm. Founded in 1972 by Ernie Samuel, Sam-Son has left an imprint on racing and breeding in Canada that has been second to none. It all started when trainer Art Warner claimed Takaring…

Ascot Park harness racing trainer Tyler Dewe continued has great strike rate when Sophie (Bettor's Delight) won at Roxburgh today. The mare was his twelfth race day starter and his sixth winner. The win was a special one for the stable, as the five year old races in colours that part owner Murray Faul used in his thirty year training career. "I…

Desert Encounter, winner of the 2018 and 2019 Pattison Canadian International, is back trying for a "three-peat" in Saturday's renewal at Woodbine. Photo courtesy of Woodbine Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Belmont Park returns to action this weekend with Irish and English horses, including Bolshoi Ballet, chasing the third leg of New York's rich turf…

Troy Harris and Catalyst are greeted by trainer Clayton Chipperfield after winning the Gr. 3 Northland Breeders' Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka in September. If you think jockey Troy Harris has the easiest job in racing steering Catalyst around in the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton today, try losing 22kg. Because that is what the the man in the hot saddle…

In the United States, it took 37 years for American Pharoah to follow up Affirmed's 1978 Triple Crown sweep. In Canada, the sport's iconic achievement has taken place on a far more regular basis. Since 1983, five horses have swept Canada's Triple Crown of the Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales and Breeders' Stakes, and one of them was an amazing…

On North American harness racing tracks it's all about speed over a mile trip, in Australia it's a mix of both standing start and mobile features across a range of track sizes, in New Zealand it could be about an extreme two-mile contest or a grass track race featuring non-race winners and in Europe the champion trotter is celebrated as a king of…

Harness racing is returning to Connell Park Raceway in Woodstock, New Brunswick this Friday evening (Aug. 5) as part of the Old Home Week festivities in the picturesque region. Friday night's program is stacked with some great races, including the New Brunswick Breeders stakes for two-year-old fillies and colts & geldings, an Open Trot and the…

Welcome to another edition of America's Best Racing's Main Track. After a brief vacation, we're back with the most meaningful story of the past seven days, detailing a story that stands out because of its importance or perhaps the emotional response it generates. Looking ahead, if you believe there's a story this week that should be featured in…

Alberta Sires Stakes champ Ernesto Delacruz (Vertical Horizon) impressed in the second Western Canada Pacing Derby harness racing elimination on Saturday (Nov. 26) at Century Mile. After starting sixth, the gelding marched first-over to take the lead at three-quarters. He then fended off previous leader Lets Tie One On (Kelly Hoerdt) and rolled…

Bonny Lass is the favourite for the Counties Bowl but there are questions. Photo / Race Images The last few days have dampened trainer Graham Richardson's enthusiasm about the prospects of Bonny Lass in tomorrow's Group 3 Counties Bowl (1100m) at Pukekohe. Richardson and his training partner Rogan Norvall mapped out a three-race spring campaign for…

CUMBERLAND, ME - Trotting-bred Standardbreds in the Maine Breeders Stakes (MSBS) are the opening act at the historic Windsor Fair on Saturday (Aug. 27) with four $18000-plus harness racing divisions before the regular card. 'A family tradition since 1888' boasts the Windsor (Maine) fair poster, featuring 50 acres of amusement and all the sights and…

The Queen's Plate Stakes takes center stage this weekend at Woodbine in Toronto, Ont. While not as well-known as the American Triple Crown races, the Queen's Plate is just as historic and winning the race is a major accomplishment. Read on for nine fun facts about this year's edition. 1. The Queen's Plate is restricted to horses bred in Canada,…

ELMONT - As the American Triple Crown series comes to conclusion this weekend on Long Island, the Canadian Triple Crown will start to heat up north of the border. The $125000 Plate Trial and the $500000 Woodbine Oaks will be run at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday afternoon, both major prep races for the $1 million Queen's Plate on June 29. The Plate…

In Canada, there's a horse racing Triple Crown for 3-year olds, just like in the United States. The distances are the same and contested in the same order, too. The first leg is the 1 ¼- mile Queen's Plate at Woodbine just outside of Toronto at the end of June; the second leg is the 1 3/16- mile Prince of Wales Stakes, run at Fort Erie Racetrack.…

Life Is Good warms up for Breeders' Cup with a win in Saturday's Grade I Woodward at Aqueduct. Photo by Dom Napolitano, courtesy of New York Racing Association Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Some monumental showdowns loom in next month's Breeders' Cup World Championships after impressive weekend performances by the likes of Life Is Good, Hot Rod Charlie, Ce Ce…

CUMBERLAND, ME - Thursday's (Sept. 29) two divisions of Maine Breeders Stakes (MSBS) for sophomore harness racing trotters at First Tracks Cumberland were captured by the two leading stables in the Maine-sired series: Marc Tardif and Valerie Grondin. The second race on the fifth Cumberland Fair card featured the $18714 MSBS 3-year-old trotting colt…

Life Is Good, seen winning the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January, warms up for the Breeders' Cup Classic in Saturday's Grade I Woodward at Aqueduct. Photo courtesy of Katsumi Saito Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Seven Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" races, from New York through Kentucky and on to California highlight the weekend U.S.…

CUMBERLAND, ME - Veteran harness racing horseman Ron Cushing has done nothing but make money with his new acquisition Newsy N (Bettor's Delight), a recent New Zealand import with American bloodlines. The pair handily captured the $6500 featured conditioned pace at the Cumberland Fair on Tuesday (Sep. 27), taking a new 1:55.3h record in the…

We're just five weeks from the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland, and final rehearsals are taking place around the world. Santa Anita's fall meet opens Friday with a welcome sign for prospects across as many as 10 divisions, while Belmont-at-Aqueduct hosts superstar Life Is Good for Saturday's Woodward Stakes. Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby…

Once again, we highlight some of the harness racing breeding successes from around the country for the week ending the 25 of September. Leading Pacing Sire: Bettor's Delight | 6 winners Leading Trotting Sire: Peak | 3 winners Leading Pacing Broodmare Sire: Christian Cullen | 6 winners Leading Trotting Broodmare Sire: Sundon | 3 winners Not much…

Keep Grinding named 4-1 morning-line favourite in 162 Queen's Plate TORONTO, August 18, 2021 - Thirteen hopefuls, including four Kevin Attard trainees, will vie for top prize in the $1 million Queen's Plate, first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, highlighting a stakes-laden, entertainment-filled Sunday card of racing at Woodbine. The 162…

TORONTO, September 28, 2020 - Queen's Plate winner Mighty Heart will continue his pursuit of the prestigious OLG Canadian Triple Crown when he takes on eight contenders at Fort Erie Race Track in the 85th Prince of Wales Stakes, on Tuesday, September 29. After a dominating 7 ½-length triumph in the Queen's Plate, Mighty Heart, bred and owned by…

TORONTO, August 20, 2021 - With The Queen's Plate just a few days away, Woodbine Entertainment has released the final Queen's Plate Power Rankings for this year's 162nd edition. The 162nd Queen's Plate will take place on Sunday (August 22) at Woodbine Racetrack. Canada's most famous horse race will launch the 2021 OLG Canadian Triple Crown, which…

FORT ERIE - Kevin Attard didn't quite have the Queen's Plate he wanted. The veteran trainer had never won the race, but had three good chances on Aug. 22 at Woodbine. However, his best finish was third with H C Holiday. He also watched Harlan Estate finish seventh and Haddassah end up eighth. On Tuesday, a change of location and surface changed his…

TORONTO, October 28, 2021 - The Grade 3 $150000 Ontario Derby, for three-year-olds, and the $125000 Ontario Damsel, for three-year-old fillies, co-headline Sunday's 10-race card at Woodbine. Riptide Rock, a son of Point of Entry, heads into the 1 1/8-mile main track Ontario Derby off a runner-up effort to British Royalty (who'll also run) in the…

CUMBERLAND, ME - Harness racing trainer Marc Tardif swept both $17000-plus divisions of the Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes (MSBS) for 2-year-old filly pacers at Topsham Fair on Tuesday (Aug. 9). Katelyn's Angel (Western Maverick) went a tough first over trip around the narrow Topsham turns to grab her first stakes victory while winning the…