TORONTO, May 11, 2018 – A total of 15 horses have been nominated to the $175,000 Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes slated for Saturday, May 26 as part of the Greenwood Stakes celebration at Woodbine Racetrack, in Toronto. Contested at a distance of 1 1/16-miles over the Tapeta main track, the Eclipse Stakes annually features some of the top older horses across North America and this year is no exception. Alan Garcia guides Are You Kidding Me to victory in the Grade II Eclipse Stakes in 2017. (Michael Burns Photo) Among the list of nominees are millionaires Are You Kidding Me, Camelot Kitten, Melmich, Ring Weekend and 2016 Queen’s Plate champion Sir Dudley Digges. Are You Kidding Me, trained by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield, won back-to-back editions of the Eclipse Stakes in 2015 and 2016. The eight-year-old bay, who boasts 11 wins from 37 career starts and $1,338,379 in earnings, nearly notched a third straight Eclipse score when he missed by a narrow neck in the 2017 edition won by Dragon Bay. Sir Dudley Digges, named after an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1610 to 1629, entered the history books in 2016 when he earned a half-length score in Canada’s most famous horse race, The Queen’s Plate. He is trained by Michael Maker for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Julien Leparoux (red and white silks) guides Sir Dudley Digges to victory in the Queen’s Plate Stakes (Michael Burns Photo) Also nominated to this year’s Eclipse Stakes are Black Sea, Chip Leader, Decorated Soldier, First Premio, Frostmourne, Hollywood Critic, Kingsport, Tiz a Slam and Tizzarunner. Not all of the 15 nominated horses will contest this year’s Eclipse, fans will have to wait until entry day on Wednesday, May 23 for the official list of contenders and assigned jockeys. The Eclipse Stakes will headline the on-track action at the Greenwood Stakes event on Saturday, May 26 at Woodbine. For more information or to purchase tickets to the fashion-forward social affair, visit www.greenwoodstakes.com. Share This:Share
