The $6.7 million (USD) Breeders Crown, harness racing’s richest and most prestigious year-end divisional championship series, returns in the last weekend of October 2022 to Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville, Ont.
All Breeders Crown divisions are now guaranteed at $600,000, with the exception of the Open Mare Pace and Trot, which have been raised to a minimum of $350,000.
Eliminations, if necessary, for freshman races will be held Friday, Oct. 21, with three-year-old and older eliminations raced Saturday, Oct. 22. Finals for two-year-olds get underway the next Friday, Oct. 28 with sophomore finals and open events following on Saturday, Oct. 29.
Woodbine Entertainment last hosted all 12 events in 2019, smashing handle and attendance records at the seven-eighths-mile track, with $11.1 million wagered over the four fall nights. The 2019 events were capped by a sensational victory in the Crown Trot by French star Bold Eagle, who retired with earnings of $5,689,855.
The 2019 Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park also initiated the successful and subsequent three-year sponsorship of the Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership, which was also responsible for creating and executing the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge. The Breeders Crown Charity Challenge, brainchild of breeder/owner Marvin Katz, has since raised more than $800,000 in three years, supporting numerous local charities in Crown host track communities.
Woodbine Entertainment has hosted more Breeders Crown events than any other venue at their tracks of Woodbine, Mohawk and Greenwood, for a total of 152.
“The Woodbine name is recognized as one of harness racing’s leading brands and we are excited and proud to partner with them and bring the Breeders Crown series back to Canada,” said John Campbell, President & CEO of the Hambletonian Society, which owns and administers the races.
“Woodbine is thrilled to welcome back the Breeders Crown to Woodbine Mohawk Park this October,” said Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment. “Hosting the Breeders Crown continues our commitment to a world-class racing product, and we’re focused on once again producing an exceptional two-night event showcasing the very best in our sport.”
The Breeders Crown series has typically crowned champions in every division for trotters and pacers and been the deciding factor in Horse of the Year honours. A Breeders Crown title is one of the most coveted honours in harness racing.
The Hambletonian Society is a non-profit organization formed in 1924 to sponsor the race for which it was named, the Hambletonian Stake. The Society’s mission is to encourage and support the breeding of Standardbred horses through the development, administration and promotion of harness racing stakes, early-closing races and other special events. For more information, visit hambletonian.com.
(With files from Hambletonian Society)
The Breeders Crown used to
The Breeders Crown used to rotate annually between 4 tracks, Mohawk, Hoosier, Meadowlands and Pocono, which last hosted the event in 2018 and thus would host it again this year. Pocono is now receiving a much smaller percentage of its casino's wagering revenue than it has in the past; money which was used for racing purses, and has already eliminated about half of its major stakes races. It appears that The Breeders Crown is next to go.
For several years in the 1980's and 90's, every Breeders Crown event was hosted by Pompano Park in Florida. Pompano will close its doors forever and be demolished in April.
GOOD! I think in four of
GOOD! I think in four of last five years, including MOH. in 2019 the track was sloppy for half of events, or more.
Let's hope for fast tracks!! We are due.