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PrintPENDER HARBOUR TAKES THE 2011 PRINCE OF WALES BY A NOSE
For a recap or race chart for the 2010 Prince of Wales Stakes please click here.
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Since 1959, The Prince of Wales Stakes has been Fort Erie's premier race. The second jewel in Canada's Triple Crown of Racing. The Prince of Wales is a glowing centrepiece to the Queen's Plate and The Breeders' Stakes, both of which are contested at Woodbine. 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. |
Many past Canadian champions have performed at Fort Erie in the classic event. Mr. E.P. Taylor's New Providence won the first running at Fort Erie in 1959. That year, The Canadian Triple Crown was introduced and New Providence won the inaugural series. Four years later, Canebora was hailed a Triple Crown champion. Canebora was also a product of Mr. Taylor's Windfields Farm.
Twenty-six years passed before another Triple Crown champion emerged. Kinghaven Farms' brilliant grey, With Approval, survived two photo-finishes to win The Plate, then The Prince of Wales, before he cake-walked to victory in The Breeders' Stakes.
Triple Crown winners came in quick succession after With Approval ended the drought. In 1990, another grey from Kinghaven Farms, Izvestia was named the top three-year-old in the country winning the three-race series. The most popular winner of the Prince of Wales waltzed to victory in 1991, super filly Dance Smartly, 'kicked sand at the boys' as she became the first and only lady to win the Canadian Triple Crown. In 1993, the immensely talented Peteski peaked in all three races. There was not another Triple Crown winner until Wando completed the trick in 2003.
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In 1959, the Prince of Wales Stakes became the marquis event on the Fort Erie racing calendar. That was also the year the race became the second jewel in Canada's Triple Crown of Racing.
The first edition of the Prince of Wales Stakes was held at Thorncliffe Park in Toronto on June 3, 1929. During the 1930's, the race was restricted to 3 year olds foaled in Canada, utilizing the same format as both the Queen's Plate and the Breeders' Stakes, the other two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown |
| Over the years the purse structure has soared to over $500,000 from its initial running in 1929, which was worth $7,500. Until 1953, the race was known as the Prince of Wales Plate, but the size of the purse was dramatically less. After the first two runnings, the purse for the Prince of Wales was dropped to just $2,500 added as the country was in the midst of a depression. |  |
| 1959 New Providence | 1986 Golden Choice |
| 1960 Bulpamiru | 1987 Coryphee |
| 1961 Song of Evan | 1988 Regal Classic |
| 1962 King Gorm | 1989 With Approval |
| 1963 Canebora | 1990 Izvestia |
| 1964 Canadillis | 1991 Dance Smartly |
| 1965 Good Old Mort |
1992 Ben Burb |
| 1966 He's A Smoothie | 1993 Peteski |
| 1967 Battling | 1994 Bruce's Mill |
| 1968 Rouletabille |
1995 Kiridashi |
| 1969 Sharp-Eyed Quillo |
1996 Stephanotis |
| 1970 Almoner |
1997 Cryptocloser |
| 1971 New Pro Escar |
1998 Archers Bay |
| 1972 Presidial |
1999 Gandria |
| 1973 Tara Road |
2000 Scatter the Gold |
| 1974 Rushton's Corsair |
2001 Win City |
| 1975 L'Enjoleur |
2002 Le Cinquieme Essai |
| 1976 Norcliffe | 2003 Wando |
| 1977 Dance in Time |
2004 Bit O'Gold |
| 1978 Overskate | 2005 Ablo |
| 1979 Mass Rally |
2006 Shillelagh Slew |
| 1980 Allan Blue |
2007 Alezzandro |
| 1981 Cadet Corps |
2008 Harlem Rocker |
| 1982 Runaway Groom | 2009 Gallant |
| 1983 Archdeacon | 2010 Golden Moka |
| 1984 Val Dansant | 2011 Pender Harbour |
| 1985 Imperial Choice |
