Woodbine Entertainment today announced the schedule for its lucrative 2025 stakes season at Woodbine Mohawk Park, featuring three $1 million races and the return of the Breeders Crown.

The prestigious Pepsi North America Cup (June 14), Mohawk Million (Sept. 20) and Metro Pace (Sept. 20) are all guaranteed at a purse of $1 million, while the Breeders Crown (Oct. 24, 25) will offer more than $7 million USD across 12 championship races. These marquee events lead a stakes calendar that features races worth more than $20 million.

The United States Trotting Association recently announced the introduction of Graded Stakes for North American harness racing in 2025. Woodbine Mohawk Park will host 12 Grade 1 races (not including the 12 Grade 1 Breeders Crown races), which is more than any other racetrack. In total, Woodbine Mohawk Park will offer 28 Graded Stakes events in 2025.

“We’re very proud of our stakes program and excited to bring the Breeders Crown back into the mix this season,” said Bill McLinchey, Vice-President of Standardbred Racing. “The new grading of stakes highlights the strength of our racing product and the prestige of our stakes program.

“We pride ourselves on putting on a world-class product and the 12 Grade 1 races we administrate will display that with strong fields and outstanding wagering opportunities.”

The 42nd Pepsi North America Cup (G1) on Saturday, June 14 will bring the finest three-year-old pacers in the sport to Woodbine Mohawk Park. The $1 million event will be the crown jewel on an all-star evening that also includes the $425,000 Fan Hanover (G1) for three-year-old filly pacers, $305,000 Roses Are Red (G1) for pacing mares, $233,000 Armbro Flight (G1) for trotting mares, $225,000 Goodtimes (G2) for three-year-old trotters and $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational (G3) for open pacers.

The Mohawk Million (G1) and Metro Pace (G1) will again be held on the same evening, providing racing fans the opportunity to see two $1 million races on the same card. That lucrative race card on Saturday, Sept. 20 will also feature the $713,000 Canadian Trotting Classic (G1) for three-year-old trotters, $532,000 Shes A Great Lady (G1) for two-year-old filly pacers and $347,000 Elegantimage (G1) for three-year-old filly trotters.

The Breeders Crown returns to Woodbine Mohawk Park on Oct. 24 and 25. The year-end divisional series will feature 12 championship races spread over two nights with more than $7 million USD in purses. Woodbine last hosted the Breeders Crown in 2022 and has hosted more Crown races than any other racetrack operator in the 42-year history of the series. A total of 164 Breeders Crown finals have been held across Woodbine Mohawk Park/Mohawk Racetrack, Woodbine Racetrack and Greenwood Raceway since the series was created in 1984.

Labour Day weekend will again feature harness racing’s top open trotters and pacers competing in the $600,000 Maple Leaf Trot (G1) and $540,000 Canadian Pacing Derby (G1) on Saturday, Aug. 30.

Young trotters will be the main attraction on Saturday, Aug. 23 for the $575,000 William Wellwood Memorial (G1) for two-year-old trotters and $390,000 Peaceful Way (G1) for two-year-old filly trotters.

Woodbine Mohawk Park’s stakes calendar offers owners and trainers the perfect location to race their two-year-olds throughout the summer and fall. Each two-year-old division has stakes racing opportunities from June through October.

Two-Year-Old Colt Pacers

Tompkins-Geers – June 27
Dream Maker Series – July 25, Aug. 1, 8
Nassagaweya (G3) – Aug. 23
Champlain (G3) – Sept. 6
Metro Pace (G1) – Sept. 13, 20
Breeders Crown (G1) – Oct. 17, 24

Two-Year-Old Colt Trotters

Tompkins-Geers – June 27
Millard Farms Series – July 21, 28, Aug. 8
William Wellwood (G1) – Aug. 15, 23
Champlain (G3) – Sept. 11
Mohawk Million (G1) – Sept. 20
Breeders Crown (G1) – Oct. 17, 24

Two-Year-Old Filly Pacers

Tompkins-Geers – June 26
Whenuwishuponastar Series – July 24, 31, Aug.7
Eternal Camnation (G3) – Aug. 23
Champlain (G3) – Sept. 5
Shes A Great Lady (G1) – Sept. 13, 20
Breeders Crown (G1) – Oct. 17, 24

Two-Year-Old Filly Trotters

Tompkins-Geers – June 26
Pure Ivory Series – July 22, 29, Aug. 5
Peaceful Way (G1) – Aug. 15, 23
Champlain (G3) – Sept. 12
Mohawk Million (G1) – Sept. 20
Breeders Crown (G1) – Oct. 17, 24

Woodbine Mohawk Park’s schedule will offer racing opportunities for four-year-olds early in the stakes season. The Canadian Graduate Series for Canadian-sired four-year-olds returns in April, while the Graduate Series (administrated by The Meadowlands) will stop in on May 31. The live card on May 31 will also include a leg of the Miss Versatility for trotting mares and the Somebeachsomewhere (G3) for three-year-old pacers.

To view the full stakes schedule for 2025, click here.

Nominations for all 2025 major stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park close Feb. 15.

To view the 2025 Stakes Booklet, click here.

Woodbine continues to administrate stakes for Ontario racetracks in 2025, 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.

(Woodbine; Photo of 2024 North America Cup winner Nijinsky)