Sky Classic Stakes
| Grade II race | |
| Location | Woodbine Racetrack Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1902 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | Woodbine Racetrack |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄4 miles (10 furlongs) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds & Up |
| Weight | Assigned |
| Purse | C$200,000 (since 2013)[1] |
The Sky Classic Stakes is a Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Raced in mid to late August on turf over a distance of 1+1⁄4 miles (10 furlongs), it is open to horses three years of age and older. In recent years it has become a major prep race for local horses looking to go on to run against the best horses from around the world in Woodbine's $2 million Canadian International.
Renamed in 1995 to honour Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Sky Classic, the race was first run at the Old Woodbine Racetrack in 1902 as the Jockey Club Cup Handicap. It was raced on dirt from inception until 1956 but became a turf race the following year when moved to the new Woodbine racing facility. Over the years, it has been run at various distances:[2]
On dirt:
- 1902–1903 : 2 miles
- 1904–1905 : 2+1⁄16 miles
- 1906–1926 : 2+1⁄4 miles
- 1927–1931 : 1+1⁄2 miles
- 1936–1951 : 1+1⁄8 miles
- 1952–1956 : 1+1⁄4 miles
On turf:
- 1957–1989 : 1+1⁄4 miles
- 1990–1994 : 1+1⁄8 miles
- 1995 : 1 mile
- 1996 : 1+1⁄16 miles
- 1997–2009 : 1+3⁄8 miles
- 2010–2016 : 1+1⁄4 miles
- 2017–present : 1+3⁄8 miles
Records
Time record:
- 2:00.12 - Forte Dei Marmi (2013) (at 1+1⁄4 miles on turf)
- 2:13.05 - Dawson's Legacy (1999) (at 1+3⁄8 miles on turf)
Most wins:
- 2 - Sotemia (1911, 1912)
- 2 - Harrovian (1924, 1925)
- 2 - Carney's Point (1974, 1975)
- 2 - Chief Bearhart (1997, 1998)
- 2 - Forte Dei Marmi (GB) (2012, 2013)
Most wins by an owner:
- 5 - Sam-Son Farm (1991, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 4 - Robin Platts (1974, 1975, 1980, 1981)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 4 - Lou Cavalaris, Jr. (1966, 1974, 1975, 1990)
Winners of the Sky Classic Stakes since 1969
Earlier winners
- 1968 - Petit Duc
- 1967 - Pretko
- 1966 - Orbiter
- 1965 - Quick Pitch
- 1964 - Greek Form
- 1963 - Mr. Sometime *
- 1963 - Bronze Babu *
- 1962 - El Bandito
- 1961 - Prompt Hero
- 1960 - Merry Top II
- 1959 - Sailor's Guide
- 1958 - Grey Monarch
- 1957 - Kitty Girl
- 1956 - Ballydonnell
- 1955 - Hickory Hill
- 1954 - Unbranded
- 1953 - Risque Rouge
- 1952 - Freedom Wins
- 1951 - Harahome
- 1950 - Beau Dandy
- 1949 - Double Briar
- 1948 - Yellowknife
- 1947 - Vice Admiral
- 1946 - Ferry Pilot
- 1945 - Westport Point
- 1944 - Bon Jour
- 1943 - Teeworth
- 1941 - No race
- 1942 - No race
- 1940 - High Honors
- 1939 - Filisteo
- 1938 - Sun Power
- 1937 - Teddy Haslam
- 1936 - Temptestuous
- 1932 - No race
- 1933 - No race
- 1934 - No race
- 1935 - No race
- 1931 - Khorasan
- 1930 - Yarn
- 1929 - Frisius
- 1928 - Sir Harry
- 1927 - Display
- 1926 - Harrovian
- 1925 - Harrovian
- 1924 - Horologe
- 1923 - My Dear
- 1922 - Parisian Diamond
- 1921 - Louis
- 1920 - Exterminator
- 1917 - No race
- 1918 - No race
- 1919 - No race
- 1916 - Fair Mac
- 1915 - Rancher
- 1914 - Great Britain
- 1913 - Airey
- 1912 - Sotemia
- 1911 - Sotemia
- 1910 - Duke of Roanoke
- 1909 - Azo
- 1908 - Cave Adsum
- 1907 - Kelpie
- 1906 - Alma Dufour
- 1905 - War Whoop
- 1904 - Persistence II
- 1903 - Wire In
- 1902 - Orontas
See also
References
- ^ "Play the King Stakes Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- ^ "Woodbine History" (PDF). woodbineentertainment.com. pp. 125–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.