Queen's Plate, Pattison and Atto Mile Highlight Woodbine Schedule

Three $1 million-plus events, including the 145th edition of the Queen's Plate, highlight Woodbine's 2004 stakes schedule. The Toronto-area oval will offer 101 stakes races, worth $20 million during the upcoming 167-day meet, which opens April 17.

The historic Plate, Canada's most famous race is set for June 27. The 1 1/4-mile Canadian classic is the first jewel in the Triple Crown of Racing and once again worth $1 million. The Breeders' Stakes is set for Aug. 8 at Woodbine. The1 1/2-mile turf event is worth $500,000 in 2004.

An additional $500,000 bonus will be available to the owner of a horse who sweeps all the legs, including the intermediate July 18 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie.

The richest event on the schedule is the $1.5 million Pattison Canadian International (Can-I), which will be contested over 1 1/2 miles on Oct. 2. The Pattison is joined on the card with the $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (Can-I), the International's filly and mare companion, and the $250,000 Nearctic Stakes (Can-IIT).

The Nearctic and the $200,000 Highlander (Can-III) have exchanged spots, with the Highlander moving to turf as the complement feature on Queen's Plate day.

The $1 million Atto Mile (Can-I) celebrates its fifth running on Sept. 19.

The $500,000 Labatt Woodbine Oaks, first gem in the Canada's Triple Tiara of Racing, is scheduled for June 13, a week later than 2003 to accommodate the later start of the 2004 campaign (the 2003 season began on March 22).

Hill 'N' Dale Farms will sponsor the lone new stakes event on the calendar. The Hill 'N' Dale Farms Stakes will offer a purse of $100,000, plus stallion seasons to the first three finishers of the 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-old fillies on July 3.