King’s Plate Highlights Woodbine’s 2025 Stakes Schedule

[Wandering Eyes]

The 166th King's Plate will crown the Canadian racing season at Woodbine, set to go Saturday, Aug. 16, and will top a full stakes schedule, the track announced Monday afternoon.

With 39 graded contests–five at the elite level–set for this season, Woodbine will kick off the 2025 Road to the Canadian Triple Crown with the annual running of their Classic Aug. 16, and will then move to Fort Erie Race Track for the Prince of Wales Sept. 9 before concluding in the Breeders' Stakes Sept. 28 at the venue.

Of the five Grade I contests, a notable addition is the return of the GI Canadian International Oct. 4 at the traditional distance of 1 1/2-miles. It, along with several other races, will move to the bet365 Inner Turf for 2025 as the E.P. Taylor Turf Course is scheduled for renovations which will begin after King's Plate weekend. Turf Champions Day Sept. 13 will see three of the Grade Is, and all will carry Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' designations, namely the GI Rogers Woodbine Mile; the GI Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes; and the GI bet365 Summer Stakes.

A change to the line up from last season is that the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes will not carry the 'WAYI' designation, unlike in 2024, as it was moved to King's Plate Day in order to race over the E.P Taylor course before renovation.

For the fillies, the Woodbine Oaks will be held July 20, and is the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara. The Bison City Stakes Aug. 9 and Wonder Where Stakes Sept. 6 complete the series.

The entire 2025 stakes line up may be found here. Racing is scheduled to begin at Woodbine Saturday, Apr. 26.

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