Ontario Derby
| Grade III race | |
 Norcliffe, painted by Bob Demuyser (1920–2003) | |
| Location | Woodbine Racetrack Toronto, Ontario |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1972 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Tapeta synthetic dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds |
| Weight | Allowances |
| Purse | C$150,000 (2015)[1] |
The Ontario Derby is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-October at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. A Grade III stakes since 2012, it is open to three-year-old horses. Raced over a distance of 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) on Tapeta, the Ontario Derby currently offers a purse of C$150,000.
Inaugurated in 1972 as the Colonel R. S. McLaughlin Handicap, the race was renamed the Ontario Derby for the 2003 running. Originally contested at 1+3⁄16 miles, it was changed to its current 1+1⁄8-mile distance in 1992.
Records
Speed record: (Through 1998, times were recorded in fifths of a second. Since 1999 they are in hundredths of a second)
- 1:48.30 – Ami's Gizmo (2016) (at current distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on Tapeta) – new track record[2]
- 1:49.38 – Sand Cove (2008) (at current distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on Polytrack)
- 1:49.45 – Kiss A Native (2000) (at current distance of 1+1⁄8 miles on natural dirt)
Most wins by an owner:
- 3 – Sam-Son Farm (1974, 1987, 2013)
- 2 – Frank Stronach (1983, 1994)
- 2 – Frank DiGiulio, Jr. (1989, 2001)
- 2 – Minshall Farms (1995, 1996)
- 2 – Gus Schickedanz (1999, 2003)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 5 – Sandy Hawley (1972, 1975, 1977, 1989, 1991)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 4 – Roger Attfield (1976, 1986, 2005, 2008)
Winners of the Ontario Derby
* In 1996 Steady Climb finished first but was disqualified and set back to second place.
See also
References
- ^ "Ontario Derby Stakes Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
- ^ "Chart for 2016 Ontario Derby". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 17 September 2016.