TORONTO, November 22, 2023— The wheels are already in motion for the planning of Canada’s premier thoroughbred horse race and the can’t miss social and fashion event of the summer: The King’s Plate.
Woodbine Entertainment today announced the 165th running of The King’s Plate, one of Toronto’s biggest annual sporting events, will take place Saturday, August 17, 2024 at Woodbine Racetrack.
“This year’s King’s Plate was a big success, delivering a record handle, sold-out crowd and really exciting racing,” said Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine. “The third weekend in August has been a good spot for attracting a quality field on the track and an energetic crowd off the track.
“Building on our momentum created at this year’s Plate, we are excited to make the event even bigger in 2024 and look forward to welcoming everyone to Woodbine for the 165th King’s Plate on August 17.”
The “handle” is the amount of money wagered by bettors. More than $18.1 million was bet across all 13 races on the King’s Plate card this year.
This year’s race was the first under “The King’s Plate” name in more than 70 years after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September of 2022. Since its inception in 1860, The Plate has been named after the reigning British monarch.
A formal invitation to His Majesty King Charles III to attend the event has been extended to Buckingham Palace.
The King’s Plate is North America’s longest continuously run stakes race and serves as the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. It is open to Canadian bred three-year-old Thoroughbreds and is contested at a distance of a mile and a quarter. The purse is $1 million.
Ticket and event information will be announced in the coming months.
For news and updates on Woodbine, visit Woodbine.com or follow @WoodbineTB and @WoodbineComms on X (formerly Twitter).