Woodbine Entertainment today released the full list of horses nominated to this season’s major stakes races at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Woodbine’s lucrative Standardbred stakes program again received strong support from owners and trainers for the Feb. 15 nomination deadline. From 18 major stakes requiring a nomination, half of the events had numbers increase or remain the same.
The $850,000 Metro Pace for two-year-old pacers had the biggest increase from 180 nominations last year to 213 for this year’s event. The filly counterpart, $540,000 Shes A Great Lady, also had nominations rise from 164 to 175.
The $640,000 William Wellwood Memorial for two-year-old trotters remains popular with 188 nominations, down just nine per cent from 2022. The $400,000 Peaceful Way for two-year-old filly trotters had nominations rise by 30 horses with 165 trotting fillies made eligible.
The winner of the William Wellwood Memorial receives a free slot in the prestigious Mohawk Million. Since the introduction of the Million in 2020, the Wellwood Memorial has averaged 198 nominations, up from an average of 168 nominations the four years prior (2016-2019).
The Canadian Pacing Derby and Maple Leaf Trot continue to be top Open events in North America.
The Pacing Derby received 46 nominations, including 2021 winner Allywag Hanover and 2022 runner-up Tattoo Artist. A total of 37 nominations came in for the Maple Leaf Trot, highlighted by the returning Alrajah One IT, who was scratched due to injury from last year’s race as the morning-line favourite. Superstar mares Bella Bellini and Joviality S are also among the eligible trotters.
Woodbine’s top three-year-old races had three of four receive a bump in nominations.
As announced on Monday, the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup had nominations increase from 62 to 86, marking the highest number of nominations since 2010.
The $600,000 Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-old trotters received 70 nominations (up 13 from 2022). O'Brien Award winner and Breeders Crown champion Gaines Hanover and Dan Patch Award winner Volume Eight are among the eligible horses.
On the filly side, the $450,000 Fan Hanover for pacers jumped from 51 nominations to 64 for 2023. O’Brien and Dan Patch Award winner Sylvia Hanover is the star eligible. The $375,000 Elegantimage for trotters dropped from 67 nominations to 57, with O’Brien Award winner Righteous Resolve and Breeders Crown champion Special Way both nominated.
To view all the eligible horses for Woodbine’s 2023 major Standardbred stakes, click here.
To view the 2023 Woodbine Standardbred stakes calendar, click here.
Woodbine reminds all owners and trainers that sustaining payments for all major stakes and several other events are due March 15.
(With files from Woodbine)
CPD: Saulsbrook Victor? Wheels On Fire?
I'm surprised that Saulsbrook Victor and Wheels On Fire, the two hottest horses at Mohawk this Winter, both weren't nominated to The Canadian Pacing Derby.