Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Valedictory Stakes

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Inaugurated
  
1952

Location
  
Woodbine Racetrack Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Race type
  
Thoroughbred - Flat racing

Website
  
www.woodbineentertainment.com

Distance
  
1 ⁄4 miles (14 furlongs)

Surface
  
Synthetic "all weather" dirt

2016 valedictory stakes gr 3 bangkok woodbine


The Valedictory Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late November or early December at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Open to horses age three and older, the Grade III stakes is contested on a synthetic "all weather" dirt surface over a distance of 1 34 miles (14 furlongs).

Contents

History

Inaugurated as the Valedictory Handicap in 1952 at the Dufferin Park Racetrack, it was moved to the new Woodbine Racetrack for the 1956 running where it remained through 1960. From 1991 through 1993, the race was hosted by Greenwood Raceway; thereafter, the race returned to Woodine where it remains.

The Valedictory was originally run on dirt but in 2006 Woodbine switched to a synthetic "all weather" surface (originally Polytrack and then Tapeta starting in 2016). Always a longer distance race, over the years it has been contested at a variety of distances:

  • 1952 : 1 58 miles
  • 1954–1955 : 1 38 miles
  • 1956–present : 1 34 miles
  • There was no race run in 1953 and the regularly scheduled race on December 7, 2008 had to be canceled due to extreme cold weather.

    The Valedictory was upgraded to grade III status in 2011. It is the final stakes event of the year at Woodbine racetrack, which is closed to Thoroughbred racing during the winter.

    Records

    Speed record:

  • 2:52.60 - Major Pots (1994) (On dirt at current distance of 1 34 miles)
  • 2:55.81 - Melmich (2015) (New track record on all-weather surface)
  • Most wins:

  • 2 - Bernfield (1957, 1958)
  • 2 - Whiteborough (1962, 1963)
  • 2 - Caesar B. Good (1967, 1968)
  • 2 - Knight's Turn (1979, 1980)
  • Most wins by a jockey:

  • 4 - Hugo Dittfach (1959, 1966, 1967, 1975)
  • 4 - Patrick Husbands (2005, 2010, 2011, 2013)
  • 4 – Emma-Jayne Wilson (2006, 2012, 2014, 2016)
  • Most wins by a trainer:

  • 5 - Lou Cavalaris, Jr. (1964, 1970, 1974, 1976, 1994)
  • Most wins by an owner:

  • 7 - George R. Gardiner/Gardiner Farms (1961, 1964, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1994)
  • Other North American Marathon races

    On dirt:

  • Brooklyn Handicap
  • Fort Harrod Stakes
  • Gallant Man Handicap
  • Tokyo City Cup
  • Las Vegas Marathon Stakes (formerly the Breeders' Cup Marathon)
  • On turf:

  • San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap
  • Carleton F. Burke Handicap
  • Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes
  • References

    Valedictory Stakes Wikipedia