2024 Metro Pace back to $1 million purse

MILTON, ON – January 11, 2024 – Woodbine Entertainment today announced the 2024 Metro Pace for two-year-old harness racing pacers will have a guaranteed purse of $1 million.

Established in 1988, the Metro Pace is annually harness racing’s premier race for two-year-old pacers. The list of past Metro Pace winners includes Hall of Famers Artsplace, Presidential Ball, Rocknroll Hanover, Somebeachsomewhere and Captaintreacherous.

The 2024 Metro Pace, to be held on Saturday, September 21 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, will be the 13^th edition to have a purse of $1 million and the first since 2012.

“The Metro Pace has a rich history and is supported strongly each year in nominations,” said Bill McLinchey, Vice-President of Standardbred Racing. “We’ve been able to get the purse of the Metro back up towards seven-figures in recent years, including a $970,000 purse in 2023.

“We’re proud of our elite stakes program and it’s very exciting to offer to our racing participants and fans three million-dollar races in 2024.”

The Metro Pace joins the Pepsi North America Cup and Mohawk Million as Canada’s only million-dollar Standardbred races.

Nominations for this year’s Metro Pace close on February 15.

The full 2024 Standardbred stakes schedule for Woodbine Mohawk Park will be released next week.

For the latest information on live racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park, click here or follow @WoodbineSB and @WoodbineComms on X (formerly Twitter).

by Mark McKelvie, for Woodbine Communications