Prince of Wales Stakes - Historical Notes

Historical Notes

The E.P. Taylor colt New Providence emerged as a Triple Crown champion in its first year of existence and in the ensuing years, six more three-year-olds have equaled the feat.

According to the racetrack's website, for fans, the most popular winner of the race was the Canadian and American Hall of Fame filly Dance Smartly who went on to win the 1991 Triple Crown.

In 1995 Barbara J. Minshall became the first woman to train the winner of a Canadian Triple Crown race when the Minshall Farms colt Kiridashi won. To date, no female jockey has won the Prince of Wales Stakes, although Francine Villeneuve and Autumn Snow lost the 2005 running by a nose to Ablo.

Uniquely, the 2003 edition featured the first "father vs. daughter" match up in a Canadian Triple Crown race, when jockeys David and Cory Clark competed against one another. David finished third aboard Shoal Water, while Cory brought her horse, Sonofawac, home in sixth position.

From 1959 through 1987 the Prince of Wales Stakes was run on turf. Since inception, it has been contested at four different Ontario racetracks and at various distances:

• 1⅛ miles : 1929–1930 at Thorncliffe Park Raceway, 1957–1958 at Woodbine Racetrack
• 1 1/16 miles : 1932–1942 and 1947–1952 at Thorncliffe Park Raceway, 1944–1945 and 1953–1955 at Old Woodbine Racetrack, 1956 at Woodbine Racetrack
• 1⅜ miles : 1959–1975 at Fort Erie Racetrack
• 1½ miles : 1976–1987 at Fort Erie Racetrack
• 1 3/16 miles : 1988–present at Fort Erie Racetrack