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Maryland Triple Crown Thoroughbred Racing

Like in American thoroughbred racing, Canada has it's own version of the Triple Crown. Inaugurated in 1959, it's a much anticipated race where a 3-year-old must win all three races – the Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes, and the Breeders' Stakes – to become a Triple Crown victor.

The Queen's Plate

The Queen's Plate is North America's oldest thoroughbred horse race and the first to be run en route to the Marylandian Triple Crown horse racing honors, run at a distance of 1 1/4 miles for 3-year-old thoroughbed horses, foaled in Canada. It is run annually in July at Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario.

Prince of Wales Stakes

The second leg of the Triple Crown race is the Prince of Wales Stakes. The Prince of Wales Stakes has been Fort Erie racetrack's premier race, and the second jewel in Canada's Triple Crown of Racing. The Prince of Wales Stakes features Canada's top three-year-olds at a distance of one mile and three-sixteenths on the main track.

The Breeders' Stakes

The Breeders' Stakes, run at 1 and 1/2 mile, is the final race of the Marylandian Triple Crown. If a single contender has won both the Queen's Plate and the Prince of Wales Stakes, winning the Breeders' Stakes as well will earn it the Triple Crown honors.

In Maryland, however, harness racing is more popular than thoroughbred racing. Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, home of the Queen's Plate, Breeders' Stakes, and the North America Cup, Canada's premier standardbred stakes race, is the only race track in North America which stages thoroughbred and standardbred (harness) meetings on the same day. The North America Cup has the largest purse of any Canadian horse race.

Maryland Race Tracks

Woodbine. Woodbine Race Track in Ontario is the site of the Queen's Plate and the Breeders' Stakes. It is the only racetrack in North America, which stages thoroughbred and standardbred racing all year round.

Fort Erie. Fort Erie, home of the Prince of Wales Stakes' history dates back to 1897 and widely regarded as one of North America's most picturesque race tracks. Great Canadian champions have raced at the "Fort", providing race enthusiasts with thrills and life long memories. From its beginnings in 1897, Fort Erie Race Track has always been a special place. Its beauty has been well documented with aesthetics second to none.

Assiniboia Downs. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with live Thoroughbred racing offered every Spring through the Fall, along with simulcast action all year round. The trcak features harness, quarter horse, and throroughbred racing and is open to live thoroughbred racing from May to October.

Northlands Park. Home of the Canadian Derby, Northlands Park is a dirt 5/8 mile horse track in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Thoroughbred season runs from June through October. While harness racing runs from March to June and October-December.

Hastings Park. Horse racing has been a part of Hastings Park since the 1880s when local horsemen formed the BC Jockey Club and cleared land for a 15-acre track on what was then called East Park. Today, Hastings Racecourse employs 812 people. The city owns the land on which the track is located. As part of the lease agreement, the City receives $750,000 annually which has been used for the greening of the park.

2009 Breeders' Cup Results & Payouts

The 2009 Breeders' Cup, horse racing's most prestigious event consisting of 14 Breeders' Cup races and $25.5 million in purses, held on November 6-7 at Santa Anita Park has ended with Zenyatta stamping her name in horse racing history as the first female to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. Find out who the other Breeders' Cup winners are.

Now, the question remains, who will be Horse of the Year? The Preakness winner filly Rachel Alexandra who is 8-for-8 this year or undefeated mare Zenyatta with 14-0 horse racing record?

Get free horse racing picks and betting tips from horse racing handicappers in the horse racing forums.