Canada's oldest and most prestigious thoroughbred race will complete the rebranding in 2023, Woodbine Entertainment says. Most recently, Ontario's largest horse racing operator announced that, 70 years after being known as Queen's Plate, the tournament would be renamed King's Plate when it returns for 164 races at Woodbine Racecourse in August 2023.
The name change came after the death of Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year and is now succeeded by Charles III. The match was the first of the Canadian Triple Crown, followed by the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Race Track and the Breeders Stakes at Woodbine Race Track.
In a recent press release, Woodbine Entertainment announced that it would rename the historic race to The King's Plate for its 164th edition. The event will take place on August 20, 2023 at Woodbine Racecourse. In addition, the operator also said in the media that it plans to honor Queen Elizabeth, who contributed to the Canadian horse racing industry in 2023.
In the summer, after the Queen's Plate of the Year, Woodbine Entertainment sent an annual telegram to Queen Elizabeth. Thus, Buckingham Palace sent iconic 50 guineas to the champions' owners, informing them that a colt named Moira won the 163rd race on August 21, 2022.
The race first started in 1860 and it was built after the royal consent to a plate for the value of 50 guineas to reward the winner of the one-kilometer race after Queen Victoria. And in 1901 it was renamed the King's Plate in honor of Edward VII, and again Queen's Plate in 1952 when Queen Elizabeth succeeded to the throne.
CEO Jim Lawson said the event is one of the most celebrated events in the horse racing category and the group is now proud to start a new chapter by changing its name. He also shared his excitement about the event and promised that the horse racing operator would provide more details about it in the coming months.
In October, Woodbine Entertainment reported that private operators in Ontario could soon offer bets on the group's world-class races. For now, the state's new division for third-party brands does not allow licensed operators to offer bets on the state's races, but this could soon change, as the horse racing leader is pushing for changes. 홀짝게임
However, to realize this, we first need the approval of the Paris-Mutuel Agency in Canada. Not long ago, operator spokesman Michael Copeland said he expects the company to be able to launch the product in an online sportsbook by the end of the year with regulatory approval.