Canadian Derby

Canadian Derby

Grade III race
Location	Northlands Park - Edmonton, Alberta (1957-present) Polo Park Racetrack - Winnipeg, Manitoba (1930-1956)
Inaugurated	1930
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	www.thehorses.com
Race information
Distance	​1 3⁄8 miles (11 furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds
Weight	Assigned
Purse	$152,740 (2015)

The Canadian Derby is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta. A Grade III event held near the end of August, it is open to thee-year-old horses and is raced on dirt over a distance of one and three-eights miles (11 furlongs). It was contested at 1 mile from 1930 to 1933, and at ​1 ¹⁄₄ miles from 1934 through 1956.

The race was the creation of future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee R. James Speers and first run in 1930 at his Polo Park Racetrack in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Inaugurated as the Manitoba Stakes, it was restricted to Manitoba-bred horses until 1936 when the race was renamed the Manitoba Derby and made open to three-year-old horses bred in Canada. In 1941, the name was changed again to its present form as the Canadian Derby. In 1942, future Canadian and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey Johnny Longden won this race.

As the Canadian Derby grew in prestige and its purse money increased, top horses from Toronto and Montreal began coming west to compete in the race. In 1937 the winner of the King's Plate, Canada's most prestigious race, made the 1,300 mile journey from Toronto by rail transport and won the Derby. Budpath, another King's Plate winner, won the 1941 edition of the Canadian Derby. However, not all eastern based horses fared so well. In 1942, Ten To Ace was shipped in from Toronto by leading owner/trainer Harry Giddings, Jr. The colt had won the King's Plate as well as the Prince of Wales Stakes and according to TIME magazine was being called "the greatest Canadian horse of all time." Not only was Ten To Ace defeated in the Canadian Derby, he finished dead last.

In 1956, Polo Park Racetrack was closed and the race was moved to its present location in Edmonton, Alberta.

Records

Most wins by a jockey:

• 4 - John Craigmyle (1933, 1939, 1942, 1951)

Most wins by an owner:

• Harry C. Hatch (1936, 1937, 1941)

Winners of the Canadian Derby since 1996

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2015	Academic	Justin Stein	Tim Rycroft	Bear's Stable/Riversedge Racing Stables	2:18.49
2014	Edison	Rico W. Walcott	Robertino Diodoro	El Kardy/Fouad/ButzRunning Rabbit	2:21.38
2013	Broadway Empire	Rico W. Walcott	Robertino Diodoro	Butz/Howg/Running Rabbit	2:19.60
2012	Toccetive	Jorge Carreno	Joan Petrowski	Southview Ag	2:22 4/5
2011	Freedoms Traveller	Rafael Zenteno	Lianne Knechtel	Randy & Donna Feddema	2:21.80
2010	No Hesitation	Rico Walcott	Jim Meyaard	Barb Side	2:23.40
2009	Tommy Danzigger	Pedro V. Alvarado	Robert Gilker	Edgar B. Smith	2:23.00
2008	Matt's Broken Vow	Emile Ramsammy	Josie Carroll	Robert W. Mitchell	2:19.40
2007	Footprint	Real Simard	Joan Petrowski	Derek G. Milen et al.	2.19.60
2006	Shillelagh Slew	Dino Luciani	Michael DePaulo	David James	2:19.00
2005	Alabama Rain	Pedro Alvarado	Lance Geisbrecht	Peter Redekop	2:20.80
2004	Organ Grinder	Jim McAleney	Sid C. Attard	S & B Stable	2:22.60
2003	Raylene	Rickey Walcott	Rodney Hayes	Calmar Stables & Ranch	2:21.60
2002	Lady Shari	Constant Montpellier	David Cotey	Dominion Bloodstock et al.	2:19.40
2001	Fancy As	Richard Hamel	Red Smith	Red Ron Farms/Linda Smith	2:18.00
2000	Scotman	Chris McGregor	Pam McDougall	Lomar Stable/Scott Wilson	2:19.20
1999	Native Brass	Alex Ferris	Bruce Phelan	Robert & Roberta Giffin	2:19.00
1998	A Fleets Dancer	Real Simard	Rod Cone	Cam Allard	2:19.40
1997	Smoky Cinder	T. G. Adkins	Jenine Sahadi	Ed & Jim Pawluk	2:20.20
1996	Jan Alta	M. J. McMullen	Darrell Hartley	Darrell Hartley & I. Khan	2:18.00

Earlier winners

• 1995 - Sovacianto
• 1994 - Funboy
• 1993 - Cozzy Grey
• 1992 - Josh's Hero
• 1991 - Sounds Fabulous
• 1990 - Hurricane Benny
• 1989 - Haveigotadealforu
• 1988 - Elmtex
• 1987 - Steady Power
• 1986 - Slyly Gifted
• 1985 - Polynesian Flyer
• 1984 - Let's Go Blue
• 1983 - Victorious Lad
• 1982 - Exclusive Canadian
• 1981 - Frost King
• 1980 - Driving Home
• 1979 - All For Victory
• 1978 - Canadian Bill
• 1977 - Western Reason
• 1976 - Laissez Passer
• 1975 - Pampas Host
• 1974 - Progressive Hope
• 1973 - Wing Span
• 1972 - Winning Red
• 1971 - Kim's Kid
• 1970 - Swinging Apache
• 1969 - Wyn D'Amour
• 1968 - Son Costume
• 1967 - Gilmore
• 1966 - Klondike Prince
• 1965 - Chariot Chaser
• 1964 - Quick Quick
• 1963 - Brother Leo
• 1962 - Western Morn
• 1961 - Galindo
• 1961 - General C
• 1960 - Count Lathum
• 1959 - Sonoma
• 1958 - Percy Yates
• 1957 - Spangled Jimmy
• 1956 - Argent
• 1955 - Loyalist
• 1954 - Treheme
• 1953 - Chain Reaction
• 1952 - Lord Strome
• 1951 - Beau Orage
• 1950 - Sir Strome
• 1949 - Yates Senior
• 1948 - Victory Gift
• 1947 - Sir Berrill
• 1946 - Palermo
• 1945 - Ferry Pilot
• 1944 - Gower Mon
• 1943 - Western Prince
• 1942 - Maginot Line
• 1941 - Budpath
• 1940 - Sir Trapseth
• 1939 - Larry Eckardt
• 1938 - Gowerlace
• 1937 - Goldlure
• 1936 - Sweepden
• 1935 - Nellie Quince
• 1934 - Caramar
• 1933 - Carhan Queen
• 1932 - Lady Marnock
• 1931 - Parisienne
• 1930 - Jack Whittier

References

• Wilson, Keith & Lussier, Antoine S. Off And Running - Horse Racing in Manitoba (1978) Peguis Publishers Limited ISBN 0-919566-61-8
• The Canadian Derby at Pedigree Query
• The 2007 Canadian Derby at the NTRA