Queen’s Plate Scheduled for September 12

TORONTO, ON – Woodbine Entertainment announced Monday that the $1 million Queen’s Plate Stakes, the oldest continuously-run race in North America, will be held on September 12, 2020.

In what will be the 161st running, the Queen’s Plate was rescheduled from its initial June 27 date after Woodbine Racetrack delayed the start of the 2020 racing season. The track was meant to conduct live racing beginning on April 18, but the pandemic delayed resumption until June 6.

“The history of The Queen’s Plate is so rich and the fact that it’s been held every year since the inaugural race in 1860 is remarkable,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “We are honoured to be able to continue this rich history in face of adversity by hosting the race for the 161st consecutive year.”

The Queen’s Plate traditionally represents the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, which is open to all Canadian-bred 3-year-olds. Several fillies have beaten the boys in the race’s history, including in 2018 when Wonder Gadot set the stakes record time of 2:02.26.

The two traditional prep races for the Queen’s Plate, the Woodbine Oaks (restricted to fillies) and the Plate Trial Stakes, will be held on August 15.

After the Queen’s Plate is held over 1 1/4 miles on Woodbine’s synthetic main track, the second leg is the Prince of Wales Stakes, held at 1 3/16 miles on the Fort Erie dirt. Fort Erie has not yet resumed live racing, but track officials will have plenty of time to prepare for the Prince of Wales that will reportedly be held on September 29.

The third leg heads back to Woodbine for the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes, conducted on the lawn. The Breeders’ Stakes is reportedly scheduled for October 24, two weeks before the Breeders’ Cup World Championships are held at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky.