Canadian Pacing Derby

Updated on Feb 01, 2024

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Inaugurated 1936		Surface Dirt, ⅞ mile oval
Location Campbellville, Ontario, Canada Race type Free For All Harness race for standardbred pacers Website Woodbine Entertainment Group Distance 1 mile (1,609 metres or 8 furlongs)

The Canadian Pacing Derby is a race for three-year-old Standardbred Free For All pacers run at a distance of one mile at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ontario.

Historical race events

The Canadian Pacing Derby was first run on August 12, 1936 at Fountain Park Racetrack in New Hamburg, Ontario operated by the New Hamburg Turf Club. For 1949 only, the race was renamed the Canadian Pacing And Trotting Derby with trotting horses allowed to compete against pacers. The lone trotter entered finished far back. The Derby was suspended after the 1957 running and was not revived until 1965 when it was raced as a 1-3/16 mile event at Greenwood Raceway in Toronto. The following year the race returned to the standard distance of a mile.

Race locations

Fountain Park: 1936-1957

Greenwood Raceway: 1965-1993

Woodbine Racetrack: 1994-2004

Mohawk Racetrack: since 2005

Records

Most wins by a horse

4 – The Count B (1944, 1945, 1947, 1948)

Most wins by an owner

5 – James W. Brown (1941, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948)

Most wins by a driver

4 – John Campbell (1996, 1998, 2002, 2003)

Most wins by a trainer

6 – William Robinson (1978, 1986, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2003)

Most wins by an owner

5 – James W. Brown (1941, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948)

Stakes records

At Fountain Park

2:04 1/5 – Blue Again (1946)

At Greenwood

1:51 1/5 – Staying Together (1993)

At Woodbine

1:48 3/5 – Casimir Camotion (2004)

At Mohawk

1:47 2/5 – A Rocknroll Dance (2013) & Modern Legend (2014)