On Wednesday, December 1, 2021, Woodbine Entertainment surprised horse racing fans and athletes with an update on the 163rd running of its prestigious Queen’s Plate. The corporation confirmed that the first CA$1 million race, which is the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing will be taking place on Sunday, August 21, 2022.
The Queen’s Plate is considered by many as one of the most prestigious horse racing events in North America. It is a competition to determine Canada’s best performing three-year-old Thoroughbreds, and it is the longest-run stakes race in the country. Once again next year the CA$1 million purses event will be held at the company’s Woodbine Racetrack in Etobicoke.
Coming Next August
After the successful running of this year’s edition of the Queen’s Plate, the prestigious competition is once again set to be held in late August. CEO and President of the company Jim Lawson said that the horse racing leader is already excited about the prospect of hosting yet another edition of the Queen’s Plate during next year’s live racing season.
According to him, the new date of late August is quite successful among fans, which was seen during this year’s edition and the massive wagering volume it accumulated. Mr. Lawson explains that the hosting of the event, has brought an electric feeling to the track, and the company is now determined to host one more eye-catching event next summer.
The horse racing leader has also informed that the tickets for the 163rd edition of the Queen’s Plate will be available to purchase in the coming months. Additionally, the company also informed that it plans on running a 133-day Thoroughbred meet next season, while the 2022 racing season has a tentative starting date of April 16, and it should conclude on December 11, 2022.
And finally, the equine leader revealed that the race dates for the 2022 racing season are currently being reviewed for one final approval by the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario. Once, the company receives the final permission, it will reveal the race dates for the new season. More information can be found on the company’s official web portal woodbine.com
The 162nd Edition
This year’s running of the famous The Queen’s Plate has witnessed plenty of thrill and action. In August, the son of Bodemeister – Safe Conduct managed to emerge victorious with a final time of 2:02.85. With Irad Ortiz Jr. at the reigns, the horse trained by Phillip Serpe and owned by WellSpring Stables managed to outclass names like Take a Chance and Riptide Rock.
Shortly after the conclusion of the historic race, Woodbine Entertainment revealed that this year’s edition which welcomed guests at half capacity is one for the history books. The Sunday’s card during which the event was held managed to generate CA$16.1 million in wagering handle. Out of which CA$3.5 million has been accumulated by The Queen’s Plate. This year’s card comes shot to 2019’s one when fans wagered over CA$18 million.
Source: “163rd Queen’s Plate scheduled for Sunday, August 21, 2022”, Woodbine Entertainment, December 1, 2021
