The Whimsical Stakes is a

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 ...

run annually in mid April at

Woodbine Racetrack Woodbine Racetrack is a race track for Thoroughbred horse racing in the Etobicoke area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Woodbine Entertainment Group, Woodbine Racetrack manages and hosts Canada's most famous race, the King's Plate. The track ...

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, Canada. A Grade III race since 2006, it is open to

fillies A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, th ...

and

mares A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...

aged four and older. It is raced over a distance of 6

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...

s on Tapeta synthetic dirt and currently carries a purse of $115,500. Since its inception in 1956 at Toronto's

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 ...

, the race has been contested at various distances: * 6 furlongs : 1956 at Greenwood Raceway, 1975 at

Fort Erie Racetrack Fort Erie Race Track is a horse racing facility in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, that opened on June 16, 1897. The racetrack is often referred to as "the border oval" because of the track's proximity (barely a mile) to the U.S. border. Its most imp ...

, 1976–1979, and since 1986 at Woodbine Racetrack * furlongs : 1957 at Greenwood Raceway, 1968-1974 at Fort Erie Racetrack * 7 furlongs : 1958-1960, 1980-1985 at Greenwood Raceway * 1 mile : 1961-1966 at Greenwood Raceway * 1 mile : 1967 on

turf Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses. In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...

at Fort Erie Racetrack The race was run in two divisions in 1981 and 1984.

Records

Speed record: (at current distance of 6 furlongs) * 1:08.88 - Leigh Court (2016) Most wins: * 3 -

Prospective Dolly {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Prospective Dolly , image = , caption = , sire = Prosperous , grandsire = Mr. Prospector , dam = Dolly Deb , damsire = Villamor , sex = Filly , foaled = 1987 , country = United States , colour = Che ...

(1991, 1993, 1994) Most wins by an owner: * 3 - Estate of M. Rich & N. Clements (1991, 1993, 1994) * 3 - Larkin Maloney &

Conn Smythe Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe Military Cross, MC (; February 1, 1895 – November 18, 1980) was a Canadian businessman, soldier and sportsman in ice hockey and horse racing. He is best known as the principal owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs ...

(1958, 1959, 1960) * 3 - Stafford Farm (1966, 1976, 1979) 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 ...

: * 6 -

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 ...

(1984, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 -

Jerry C. Meyer Jerome C. "Jerry" Meyer (July 2, 1927 – July 15, 2005) was a Canadian national champion trainer and Hall of Fame inductee in Thoroughbred racing. Meyer began his career in racing as a jockey but weight gain soon ended that, and at age 18 he tu ...

(1956, 1962, 1963, 1964) * 4 -

Yonnie Starr Joseph "Yonnie" Starr (August 11, 1905 – March, 1990) was a Canadian Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse Horse trainer, trainer about whom the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame says has a "reco ...

(1958, 1959, 1960, 1981) * 4 - Tony Mattine (1986, 1991, 1993, 1994)

Winners of the Whimsical Stakes

References

{{reflist Graded stakes races in Canada Flat horse races for four-year-old fillies Sprint category horse races for fillies and mares Recurring sporting events established in 1956 Woodbine Racetrack Fort Erie Race Track

Records

Winners of the Whimsical Stakes

See also

References