Atlantic Canada 2025 stakes schedule released

Officials from the provincial harness racing industry associations in the Maritimes released the 2025 regional stakes schedule on Friday, Jan. 24.

The 2025 schedule for three-year-old pacers starts with the Donnie and George Turner Memorial stake for colts and fillies on May 15 at Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia.

Truro Raceway will also host the first two-year-old stakes events during its week of Atlantic Grand Circuit racing from July 4 to July 11. The week will kickstart the Atlantic Sires Stakes program for two-year-old pacing colts and fillies and two- and three-year-old trotters. The 2025 Atlantic Sires Stakes calendar will have events in each Maritime province with the final stop for the stake being at Northside Downs on Sept. 20. The top eight point earners in each division will compete in the prestigious Atlantic Breeders Crown Championships on Sunday, Oct. 12 at the Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Red Shores Summerside Raceway will feature the opening events for both the PEI Colt Stakes and the PEI Colt Stakes Graduate Series on May 25. Summerside Raceway will host its week of Governor’s Plate racing from July 13 – 19. The week will feature a number of stakes events and the 57th Governor’s Plate sponsored by Summerside Chrysler Dodge.

Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park hosts its signature week of Old Home Week racing from Aug. 9 to 16. The week will display the top stakes horses in the region and invitational performers. Highlighting the week this year will be the 66th running of the Gold Cup and Saucer sponsored by Atlantic Lottery. All Gold Cup and Saucer trials will be held on Aug. 9 with a special post time of 4 p.m. (ADT)

Home Hardware returns for its fifth season to sponsor the Home Hardware Maritime Breeders Stakes for two- and three-year-old pacers and two- and three-year-old trotters, with all legs to be held at the Charlottetown Driving Park on Oct. 23 and 25.

Woodstock Raceway in New Brunswick will start its season on June 14th with the first leg of the NB Breeders Stakes for three-year-old pacers. The track will hold a series of stakes for two- and three-year-olds, along with Invitational and Aged Mare events throughout the 2025 season.

Invitational level pacers start their stakes season on June 7 in Charlottetown with the Cecil Ladner Memorial. Competitors will travel to events throughout the Maritimes to earn points towards the Premier’s Cup, which will be part of the Atlantic Breeders Crown weekend in October. This year Inverness Raceway is pleased to host the newly created Inverness Invitational as part of the Invitational circuit during its Gathering Week.

Aged Pacing Mares and Aged Trotters will also have a full schedule of events throughout the season. The complete schedule, available at this link, is also available at peiharnessracing.ca, novascotiaracing.com, atlanticsiresstakes.ca and horseracingnb.com.

From Standardbred Canada