Woodbine releases schedule for 2024 stakes season

MILTON, January 19, 2024 – Woodbine Entertainment today released the schedule for its lucrative 2024 Standardbred stakes harness racing season at Woodbine Mohawk Park, featuring three $1 million races for the first-time since 2012.

The Pepsi North America Cup (June 15), Mohawk Million (September 21) and Metro Pace (September 21) will all be contested for a guaranteed purse of $1 million, headlining a stakes season with more than $12 million in Grand Circuit stakes.

The 41^st Pepsi North America Cup for three-year-old pacers will take place on Saturday, June 15. The $2.2 million-plus all-star program will again include the $420,000 Fan Hanover (three-year-old pacing fillies), $305,000 Roses Are Red (pacing mares), $210,000 Armbro Flight (Mare Trot), $250,000 Goodtimes (three-year-old trotters) and $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational.

The Mohawk Million for two-year-old trotters and Metro Pace for two-year-old pacers will be the million-dollar main events on Saturday, September 21. The $3.5 million-plus card will be Canada’s richest night of racing in 2024, with the $660,000 Canadian Trotting Classic (three-year-old trotters), $540,000 Shes A Great Lady (two-year-old pacing fillies) and $375,000 Elegantimage (three-year-old trotting fillies) part of the evening.

Mid-August through September remains the heart of the Grand Circuit action in 2024.

The $620,000 William Wellwood Memorial (two-year-old trotters) and $425,000 Peaceful Way (two-year-old trotting fillies) will be held on Saturday, August 24.

The $615,000 Canadian Pacing Derby (Open Pace) and $530,000 Maple Leaf Trot (Open Trot) land on their usual spot on the Saturday (August 31) of Labour Day weekend.

The Grand Circuit action in August and September again includes events such as the Champlain, Simcoe, Nassagaweya, Eternal Camnation, Casual Breeze and Milton.

New Events

Woodbine Mohawk Park will play host to the Tompkins-Geers Stakes for two-year-olds on Thursday, June 27 (fillies) and Friday, June 28 (colts and geldings).

The Tompkins-Geers Stakes is administrated by The Hambletonian Society and offers an immediate stakes opportunity for two-year-olds to begin their racing career.

The Ontario Graduate Series has been renamed the Canadian Graduate Series and is open to all Canadian sired four-year-olds. The series offers divisions for Open Pacers, Mare Pacers and Open Trotters, with three $25,000 preliminary legs and a $75,000 added final to take place on Saturday, May 4.

Major Race Dates

Saturday, May 4 – Canadian Graduate Series Finals
​Saturday, June 1 – Somebeachsomewhere, Graduate Leg, Miss Versatility
​Saturday, June 8 – Pepsi North America Cup Eliminations
​Saturday, June 15 – Pepsi North America Cup Final
​Saturday, August 24 – William Wellwood Memorial and Peaceful Way
​Saturday, August 31 – Canadian Pacing Derby and Maple Leaf Trot
​Saturday, September 21 – Mohawk Million and Metro Pace Final

To view the full stakes calendar, click here.

Stakes Payment Information

Nominations for all 2024 major stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park closes February 15.

To view the 2024 Stakes Booklet, click here.

Woodbine continues to administrate stakes for Ontario racetracks in 2024, including Grand River Raceway, Flamboro Downs, Clinton Raceway and Hanover Raceway.

Stakes payments for all Woodbine administrated events can be made payable to Woodbine Entertainment. Payments can be made through the Race Office, by mail or online.

by Mark McKelvie, for Woodbine Entertainment