Swynford Stakes is a discontinued

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

held annually from 1956 through 2016. It was first run at

Greenwood Raceway Greenwood Raceway (originally Woodbine Race Course) was a horse racing facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. History Woodbine Race Course Inaugurated in 1874 as Woodbine Race Course at the foot of Woodbine Avenue and Lake Ontario, it was owned ...

as a race for horses aged three and older. In 1967 it was moved to Woodbine Racetrack where it was changed to a race for two-year-olds. It received Grade 3 status for 1999 and 2000.

Historical notes

The 1958 Swynford Stakes was won by

Nearctic The Nearctic realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting the Earth's land surface. The Nearctic realm covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico. The parts of North America ...

who was a son of the great undefeated runner and one of the most influential sires in history,

Nearco Nearco (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by '' Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He ...

. Bred by

E. P. Taylor Edward Plunket Taylor, Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, CMG (January 29, 1901 – May 14, 1989), was a Canadians, Canadian business tycoon, investor, and philanthropist. He was a famous breeder of Thoroughbred horse racing, r ...

at his

Windfields Farm Windfields Farm was a six square kilometre (1,500 acre) Thoroughbred Stud farm, horse breeding farm that was founded by businessman E. P. Taylor in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Origin The first stable and breeding operation of E. P. Taylor o ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Nearctic would earn 1958

Canadian Horse of the Year The Canadian Horse of the Year is a thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually since 1951 by the Jockey Club of Canada. It is the most prestigious honour in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing. Part of the Sovereign Awards program since 1975, ...

honours and induction in the

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness racing, harness and Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine ...

. However, Nearctic's most important achievement came when he sired the greatest sire of the 20th Century, the now legendary

Northern Dancer Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred that, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. After being retired from racing, he became one of the most successful Stallion, sires of the 2 ...

. Jockey

Dave Penna David Penna (January 11, 1958 – January 13, 2004) was an American jockey in Thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racing who competed in the United States but had his greatest successes in Canada. Born in Auburn, New York, he began his caree ...

won the 1982 edition of the Swynford Stakes aboard

Sunny's Halo Sunny's Halo (February 11, 1980 – June 3, 2003) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1983 Kentucky Derby. In 1986, Sunny's Halo was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Background Foaled at Oshawa, Ontario, Sunny's Halo wa ...

, a colt who went on to win the 1983

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

. In 2008, the race produced its second Kentucky Derby winner when jockey Chantal Sutherland guided

Mine That Bird Mine That Bird (foaled May 10, 2006) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2009 Kentucky Derby at 50-1 odds and came second in the Preakness Stakes and third in the Belmont Stakes. He had earnings of $2,228,637 and was inducte ...

to a Swynford victory. The 1997

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

winner

Touch Gold Touch Gold (foaled May 26, 1994 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the winner of the Classic Belmont Stakes, in which he ended Silver Charm's bid for the U.S. Triple Crown. Upon the death of 1996 Belmont Stakes win ...

ran second to Holzmeister in the 1996 running of the Swynford. The Swynford Stakes was run at various distances: At Greenwood Raceway: * 1956 : 6 furlongs * 1957 : furlongs * 1958-1960 : 7 furlongs * 1961-1966 : 1 mile At Woodbine Racetrack: * 1967-1970 : 5 furlongs * 1971-1972 : furlongs * 1973–1975, 2016 : 6 furlongs * 1976-1979 : 5 furlongs * 1980-1985 : 7 furlongs 1986-1995 : furlongs 1996 to 2015 : 7 furlongs

Records

Speed record: (at distance of 7 furlongs) * 1:23.00 - Holzmeister (1996) (recorded in fractions of 1/5 seconds) * 1:23.02 -

Turf War A turf war is a fight over territory or resources, or may refer to: Music * ''Turf Wars'', a 2007 album by the Canadian band Daggermouth * "Turf War", a song on the 2001 album '' Filmtracks 2000'' by American composer Bill Television * '' Turf ...

(2007) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 5 -

Robin Platts Robin Platts (born c. 1949 in Leicester, England) is a Canadian thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. He began his jockey career at age 16 and went on to become the winner of the 1979 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey, a record four ...

(1968, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1992) Most wins by a trainer: * 6 -

Mark E. Casse Mark E. Casse (born February 14, 1961) is a Thoroughbred racehorse horse trainer, trainer whose most notable horses include 2015 American champion turf mare Tepin (horse), Tepin and Canadian Horse of the Year, Canadian Horses of the Year Sealy Hi ...

(1999, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014) Most wins by an owner: * 2 - Lanson Farm (1956, 1960) * 2 -

(1958, 1987) * 2 - Stafford Farms (1976, 1978) * 2 - John C. Oxley (2011, 2012) * 2 - Conquest Stables (2013, 2014)

Winners

*Run in two divisions in 1973.

References

{{reflist Discontinued horse races in Canada Horse racing in Ontario Flat horse races for two-year-olds Recurring sporting events established in 1956 Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1956 Woodbine Racetrack