Summer Stakes (Canada)
| Grade II race | |
| Location | Woodbine Racetrack Toronto, Ontario |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1953 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | woodbineentertainment.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 mile (8.0 furlongs) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Two-year-olds |
| Weight | Scale Weight |
| Purse | $150,780 (2015) |
The Summer Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Contested on turf over a distance of 1 mile (8 furlongs), it is open to two-year-old horses. Raced in late September/early October, the Grade III event was a Grade II event but in 2006 was downgraded to a Grade III status. It has since returned to a Grade II.
Part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, the winner of the 2008 Summer Stakes automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.[1]
Inaugurated in 1953 at Fort Erie Racetrack as a sprint race on dirt, the Summer Stakes was moved to the turf in 1962. Since inception it has been run at various distances:
- 5 furlongs : 1953-1956 on dirt at Fort Erie Racetrack
- 5.5 furlongs : 1957-1960, 1961 on dirt at Fort Erie Racetrack
- 8 furlongs (1 mile) : 1962-1984 on turf at Fort Erie Racetrack, since 1985 on turf at Woodbine Racetrack
The race was run in two divisions in 1958, 1967, and 1969.
Records
Speed record: (Through 1998, times were recorded in fifths of a second. Since 1999 they are in hundredths of a second)
- 1:34.40 - Native Regent (1994)
- 1:34.51 - Speed Gun (2000)
Most wins by an owner:
- 8 - Sam-Son Farm (1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 6 - Robin Platts (1975, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1988)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 8 - James E. Day (1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993)