By The Canadian Press

Woodbine Entertainment releases its stakes schedule for 2026 racing season.

Mar 4, 2026 | 11:10 AM

TORONTO — Canadian thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown will begin with the Kings Plate on Aug. 15 and conclude with the Breeders’ Stakes on Sept. 27.

Woodbine Entertainment unveiled its ’26 Stakes schedule Wednesday. The thoroughbred season will begin April 18 at Woodbine Racetrack and featured 39 graded stakes, including five Grade 1 events.

The 167th running of the $1-million King’s Plate at Woodbine will be followed by the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on Sept. 7 at Fort Erie Racetrack. The Breeders’ Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile turf event, will also be run at Woodbine.

Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor Turf Course remains on schedule for completion by September. On Sept. 12, the $1-million Woodbine Mile, $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes, $500,000 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes and $500,000 bet365 Summer Stakes — all Grade 1 races and the winners earn direct Breeders’ Cup entry — will be held at Woodbine.

It will mark the first time Woodbine will host four Breeders’ Cup qualifying races on the same card.

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The Grade 1, $750,00 Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile turf race, will be run Oct. 3 on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

The $500,000 Woodbine Oaks and $150,000 Plate Trial — two key prep races for the King’s Plate — will be run July 19. The Oaks is also the opening event of the Canadian Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies.

The other two races are the $250,000 Bison City Stakes on Aug. 8 and $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes on Sept. 6.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2026.

The Canadian Press