E.P. Taylor Stakes

TORONTO, September 24, 2022 – Queen’s Plate winning filly Moira is one of 23 nominees for this year’s Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes on Saturday, October 8 at Woodbine Racetrack. The Grade 1 event for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, will be run over the famed E.P. Taylor Turf Course at the distance of a mile and a quarter. This year’s E.P. Taylor Stakes will notably be contested for an increased purse of $750,000, up from $600,000 in 2021. Star three-year-old filly Moira could make her first start since capturing The Queen’s Plate in the E.P. Taylor. The Kevin…

TORONTO, October 17, 2021 – It was a win-win for trainer Christophe Clement as Mutamakina and La Dragontea went one-two in another thrilling renewal of the Grade 1 $602,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.   Despite a gutsy win in her last start, the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes, Mutamakina, the five-year-old daughter of Nathaniel-Joshua’s Princess, was somewhat ignored on the toteboard as the 8-1 sixth choice.   At the end of the 1 ¼-mile turf classic, she was tops where it counted the most, albeit barely.   It was 5-2 choice Kalifornia Queen (GER), one of three (defending…

It’s not only what the daughter of Le Havre does on the racetrack that earns high praise from trainer Roger Varian. The four wins and 12 top-three finishes from 14 starts no doubt has made a pleasing impression on the four-year-old filly’s connections. But Waliyak’s allure goes well beyond just the numbers. “She makes my life easy,” said Varian. “She’s a giver without being overly enthusiastic.” A Classic winning trainer, who has amassed over 1,000 winners, Varian is happy to take the reins as the enthusiastic one when it comes to Waliyak. It’s easily understandable as to why he would…

TORONTO, October 14, 2021 – Ten fillies and mares, including Christophe Clement trainees La Dragontea (GB) and Mutamakina (GB), will vie for top honours in the Grade 1 $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes, while 10 starters chase top prize in the Grade 2 $250,000 Nearctic Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine. The E.P. Taylor, a 1 ¼-mile turf test for fillies & mares, three-year-olds and upward, is complemented by the Nearctic, a six-furlong grass engagement for three-year-olds and upward. Conditioner Christophe Clement will be represented by a pair of top contenders in the form of La Dragontea and Mutamakina. A four-year-old daughter of…

Barry Irwin knows exactly what he has in Keyflower (FR). The founder and CEO of Team Valor, one of thoroughbred racing’s most successful and respected operations, has no shortage of high praise for the three-year-old filly he co-owns with Gary Barber, the one who will be making her North American racing debut in this Sunday’s Grade 1 $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. “She is all heart,” said Irwin, of Keyflower, a daughter of Kheleyf-Heather Flower (IRE) who brings a record of 2-2-2 from eight starts into the 1 ¼-mile E.P. Taylor. The man who has worn many hats throughout…

TORONTO, October 18, 2020 – Etoile, runner-up as the favourite when invading from New York for trainer Chad Brown in the August 15 Dance Smartly, made amends at Woodbine on Sunday by taking the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes by a neck under rider Rafael Hernandez. Court Return, an improving half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winners Channel Maker and Johnny Bear, closed resolutely on the far outside to finish second in the field of seven for the $600,000 race over 1 ¼ miles of the renowned E.P Taylor turf course. “It was a good trip,” said Hernandez, who was riding…

TORONTO, October 15, 2020 – Seven fillies and mares will vie for top honours in the $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T), while eight starters chase top prize in the $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T), Sunday at Woodbine. The 64th running of the E.P. Taylor, a 1 ¼-mile turf test for fillies & mares, three-year-olds and upward, is complemented by a trio of stakes events, including the Northern Dancer (formerly the Niagara Handicap and renamed the Northern Dancer in 2006), a 1 ½-mile grass engagement for three-year-olds and upward. Sunday’s card will also see nine starters contest the $250,000 Nearctic…

TORONTO, October 12 – Starship Jubilee, under Luis Contreras, surged to the lead at the top of the stretch, and went on to take all the spoils in the 63rd running of the Grade 1 $603,200 E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares, Saturday at Woodbine. It was mutuel favourite Red Tea who came away with the lead after a cavalry charge into the first turn of the 1 ¼-mile E.P. Taylor. Contreras and Starship Jubilee pressed to the outside, as the pacesetting duo took their eight rivals through an opening quarter-mile in :26.50. Red Tea was a length to…

TORONTO, October 9, 2019 – Ten fillies and mares, including a pair of starters who have recorded high-profile victories at Woodbine, will contest the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes (with an increased purse to $600,000), on Pattison Canadian International day, Saturday at Woodbine. Holy Helena, an eight-time winner from 19 starts, counts the 2017 Queen’s Plate, two editions of Grade 3 The Very One, and the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay among her stakes triumphs. A five-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper, the Stronach Stables’ homebred has had her past two engagements at Woodbine. She took the Grade 2 Dance Smartly on June…

AN EARLY LOOK AT THE PROBABLE FIELD FOR THE $800,000 GRADE 1 PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL (7) Horse – Trainer – Owner – Jockey Alounak (FR) – Waldemar Hickst – Darius Racing – Clement Lecoeuvre Desert Encounter (IRE) – David Simcock – Abdulla Al Mansoori – Andrea Atzeni Nessy – Ian Wilkes – Sierra Farm – Chris Landeros Pivoine (IRE) – Andrew Balding – King Power Racing Co. Ltd. – Rob Hornby Pumpkin Rumble – Kevin Attard – Al and Bill Ulwelling – Eurico Rosa Da Silva Tiz a Slam – Roger Attfield – Chiefswood Stables Limited – Steven Bahen Ziyad…

AN EARLY LOOK AT THE PROBABLE FIELD FOR THE $800,000 PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL (7) Horse – Trainer – Owner – Jockey Alounak (FR) – Waldemar Hickst – Darius Racing – Clement Lecoeuvre Desert Encounter (IRE) – David Simcock – Abdulla Al Mansoori – Andrea Atzeni Nessy – Ian Wilkes – Sierra Farm – Chris Landeros Pivoine (IRE) – Andrew Balding – King Power Racing Co. Ltd. – Rob Hornby Pumpkin Rumble – Kevin Attard – Al and Bill Ulwelling – Eurico Rosa Da Silva Tiz a Slam – Roger Attfield – Chiefswood Stables Limited – Steven Bahen Ziyad (GB) –…

Million-dollar Queen’s Plate and Ricoh Woodbine Mile headline 2019 Thoroughbred stakes schedule  Woodbine’s new inner turf course scheduled to open this spring TORONTO, February 19, 2019 – Woodbine Entertainment has unveiled its stakes schedule for the 2019 Thoroughbred racing season highlighted by the prestigious $1 million Queen’s Plate and the $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, which will kick off Woodbine’s championship fall turf season. The grand opening of Woodbine’s new inner turf course this spring will add a new level of excitement and competition to the mix. Strengthened by the previously announced purse increases for 2019, the $16 million-plus stakes…

TORONTO, October 13, 2018— Sheikha Reika capped off a stellar Saturday afternoon at Woodbine for jockey Andrea Atzeni, winning the 62nd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares, one race after the rider teamed with Desert Encounter to reign victorious in the Grade 1, $800,000 Pattison Canadian International. In the 1 1/4-mile E.P. Taylor, Atzeni guided the Roger Varian-trained three-year-old Sheikha Reika to her third win in five starts this season for owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. Local fan favourite and Sovereign Award winner Starship Jubilee tussled with Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes…

TORONTO, October 10, 2018 – An impressive field of nine fillies and mares will go postward in the Grade 1, $500,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes, slated for Saturday on Pattison Canadian International day at Woodbine Racetrack. Trainer Chad Brown will have three opportunities to win the E.P. Taylor, sending out a pair of Irish-breds, Elysea’s World and Pollara, along with British-bred Santa Monica. A five-year-old daughter of Mastercrafstman, Santa Monica made her first trip to Woodbine a successful venture, when the bay mare took the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes on June 30. Owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Madaket Stables and…

EARLY LOOK AT THE GRADE 1 PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL (13) Horse – Owner – Trainer – Jockey Arklow – Donegal Racing, Bulger, Joseph and Coneway, Peter – Brad H. Cox – TBA Bandua – Calumet Farm – Jack Sisterson – Adam Beschizza Desert Encounter (IRE) – Abdulla Al Mansoori – David Simcock – Andrea Atzeni English Illusion – 4U Thoroughbred Racing Stable Inc. – Sylvain Pion – Rafael Hernandez Focus Group – Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence – Chad C. Brown – Jose Ortiz Funtastic – Three Chimneys Farm – Chad C. Brown – John Velazquez Johnny Bear –…

EARLY LOOK AT THE GRADE 1 PATTISON CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL (13) Horse – Owner – Trainer – Jockey Arklow – Donegal Racing, Bulger, Joseph and Coneway, Peter – Brad H. Cox – TBA Bandua – Calumet Farm – Jack Sisterson – Adam Beschizza Desert Encounter (IRE) – Abdulla Al Mansoori – David Simcock – Andrea Atzeni English Illusion – 4U Thoroughbred Racing Stable Inc. – Sylvain Pion – Rafael Hernandez Focus Group – Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence – Chad C. Brown – Jose Ortiz Funtastic – Three Chimneys Farm – Chad C. Brown – John Velazquez Johnny Bear –…

TORONTO, September 28, 2018 – Twenty-seven horses have been nominated to the 81st running of the $800,000 Pattison Canadian International, a 1-1/2 mile Grade 1 event which will be contested on Saturday, Oct. 13 over Woodbine’s world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course in Toronto. The Pattison Canadian International will headline a stellar stakes program, which also includes the $500,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (Grade 1), a 1-1/4 mile turf event for fillies and mares that drew 28 nominees. Turf sprinters will face off on the undercard in the $250,000 Nearctic Stakes (Grade 2) over six furlongs and three-year-olds will have their turn in…