MILTON, April 16, 2018 – The $6 million Breeders Crown, harness racing's richest and most prestigious year-end divisional championship series, is set to return in October 2019 to the newly renovated Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville, Ontario, Canada.
"Woodbine has hosted many Breeders Crown events, however, we are thrilled to welcome the championship series back 35 years later to the new Woodbine Mohawk Park," said Jessica Buckley, President, Woodbine Mohawk Park. "We look forward to having our fans and community experience this world class event with all the top horses in North America."
Woodbine Entertainment has played host to more Breeders Crown events than any other racetrack, with the events contested in the past at Woodbine, Mohawk and Greenwood. Woodbine has held all 12 Breeders Crown events three times in the past seven years, most recently in in 2015, setting a Canadian harness racing handle record of $5.7 million.
Mohawk Racetrack was in the initial rotation of host tracks in 1984, and was granted the $539,825 Two-Year-Old Filly Trot won by the late Hall of Famer George Sholty driving Castleton, Dawson and Simon's Conifer.
The seven-eighths mile oval last staged the four Open divisions in 2008, capped by an epic rematch between open pacers Mr Big and Artistic Fella, with Mr Big emerging the winner.
In 2017, Woodbine Entertainment announced a $10 million renovation and rebranding of Mohawk Racetrack to Woodbine Mohawk Park, to create a year-round showcase for Standardbred racing. Woodbine's continued support of championship events resulted in a commitment to host the Breeders Crown as soon as there was an opening.
"Woodbine Entertainment has been an exemplary partner of the Breeders Crown series since our inaugural year in 1984," said John Campbell, president & CEO of the Hambletonian Society, which owns and administers the races. "We look forward to bringing the Crown back to a familiar but also brand new setting of Woodbine Mohawk Park."
The Breeders Crown series has typically crowned champions in every division for trotters and pacers and been the deciding factor in Horse of the Year honors. A Breeders Crown title is one of the most coveted honors in harness racing.
Woodbine stakes payments due today
Woodbine Entertainment would like to remind owners and trainers of today’s stakes payment deadline for events in 2018.
A round of sustaining payments for all 2018 Woodbine’s major stakes, including the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup, are due today (April 16).
The following major stakes require a sustaining fee payment:
Armbro Flight (Fillies & Mares Trot)
Canadian Pacing Derby (Open Pace)
Canadian Trotting Classic (3-year-old Trot)
Casual Breeze (3-year-old Filly Trot)
Elegantimage (3-year-old Filly Trot)
Eternal Camnation (2-year-old Filly Pace)
Fan Hanover (3-year-old Filly Pace)
Goodtimes (3-year-old Trot)
Maple Leaf Trot (Open Trot)
Metro Pace (2-year-old Pace)
Milton (Fillies & Mares Pace)
Nassagaweya (2-year-old Pace)
North America Cup (3-year-old Pace)
Peaceful Way (2-year-old Filly Trot)
Roses Are Red (Fillies & Mares Pace)
Shes A Great Lady (2-year-old Filly Pace)
Somebeachsomewhere (3-year-old Pace)
William Wellwood Memorial (2-year-old Trot)
The SBOA Stakes for Ontario sired three-year-old fillies also requires a sustaining payment today for this year’s event (foals of 2015) and next year’s event (foals of 2016).
Woodbine continues to handle stakes administration duties for tracks throughout Ontario.
A sustaining payment is due today for Grand River Raceway’s Battle of Waterloo, Battle of the Belles (Ontario Sired 2-year-old Pace) and Flamboro Downs’ Confederation Cup (4-year-old Pace).
For full details regarding stakes payments, including sustaining fee amounts, click here.
Stakes payments can be made online by clicking here.
If sending stakes payments by mail, envelopes must be clearly post-marked no later than April 16, 2018 or payment will not be accepted. Registered mail is recommended.
Mark McKelvie