On Friday (Jan. 13), Woodbine Entertainment released the schedule for its 2023 Standardbred stakes events at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The stakes program at Woodbine Mohawk Park remains the most lucrative in Standardbred racing. More than $15 million in stakes races will be contested in 2023 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The 40th Pepsi North America Cup and fourth edition of the Mohawk Million and Metro Pace headline the stakes calendar at Woodbine Mohawk Park as million-dollar races.

The Pepsi North America Cup for three-year-old pacers is set to return on Saturday, June 17, following eliminations the week before, on Saturday, June 10.

The Pepsi North America Cup card will again include the $450,000 Fan Hanover (three-year-old pacing fillies), $330,000 Roses Are Red (pacing mares), $250,000 Armbro Flight (trotting mares), $250,000 Goodtimes (three-year-old trotters) and $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational.

The Mohawk Million is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23. The $1 million race for two-year-old trotters continues to follow a “buy-in” format with nine slots available for purchase.

Each slot available for purchase in the Mohawk Million is priced at $100,000 (CAD). The 10th and final slot will be awarded to the winner of the $665,000 William Wellwood Memorial. The deadline to purchase a slot is Feb. 15.

The Mohawk Million and Metro card is Canada’s richest night of Standardbred racing with more than $3.5 million in purses up for grabs. The night will again include the $850,000 Metro Pace (two-year-old pacers) and $525,000 Shes A Great Lady (two-year-old pacing fillies), $600,000 Canadian Trotting Classic (three-year-old trotters) and $350,000 Elegantimage (three-year-old trotting fillies).

The end of August and month of September remain filled with major stakes action in 2023.

The $650,000 William Wellwood Memorial (two-year-old trotters) and $350,000 Peaceful Way (two-year-old trotting fillies) will take place on Saturday, Aug. 26.

The following Saturday (Sept. 2) will be headlined by the $600,000 Canadian Pacing Derby (three-year-olds and up pacers) and $600,000 Maple Leaf Trot (three-year-olds and up trotters).

All the familiar Grand Circuit events, the Champlain, Simcoe, Nassagaweya, Eternal Camnation and more, return in 2023.

“We are extremely proud to once again showcase our world-class standardbred racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park,” said Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment. “Featuring marquee events like the prestigious Pepsi North America Cup and Mohawk Million, to some of the sport’s premier pacing and trotting stakes, we are committed to delivering another memorable year of racing and on-track experiences to our fans, horse people and horseplayers.” 

NEW EVENT:

New to the stakes schedule is the Ontario Sired Graduate Series in April and May. These three new series are for Ontario sired four-year-old pacing mares, Ontario sired four-year-old pacing horses and geldings and Ontario sired four-year-old trotters. Each series consists of three legs and a final. The $75,000 OSS Graduate finals will take place on Saturday, May 6.

To view the entire stakes schedule, click here.

Nominations for all 2023 major stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park close on Feb. 15. Horsepeople can find the latest stakes information here.

Woodbine continues to administrate stakes for Ontario racetracks in 2023, 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 though Woodbine or SC Stakes Online.

Please note that all purses listed are estimates.

(Woodbine Entertainment)