The Valedictory Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late November or early December at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Open to horses age three and older, the Grade III stakes is contested on a synthetic "all weather" dirt surface over a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles (12 furlongs).

History

Inaugurated as the Valedictory Handicap in 1952 at the Dufferin Park Racetrack, it was moved to the new Woodbine Racetrack for the 1956 running where it remained through 1960. From 1961 through 1993, the race was hosted by Greenwood Raceway; thereafter, the race returned to Woodine where it remains.

The Valedictory was originally run on dirt but in 2006 Woodbine switched to a synthetic "all weather" surface^[1] (originally Polytrack and then Tapeta starting in 2016). Always a longer distance race, over the years it has been contested at a variety of distances:

• 1952: 1+5⁄8 miles
• 1954–1955: 1+3⁄8 miles
• 1956–2019: 1+3⁄4 miles
• 2021-Present: 1+1⁄2 miles

The Valedictory was not run in 1953. The 2008 Valedictory was canceled due to extreme cold weather, while the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Valedictory was upgraded to grade III status in 2011.^[1] It is the final stakes event of the year at Woodbine racetrack, which is closed to Thoroughbred racing during the winter.^[2]

Records

Speed record:

• 2:31.10 - Who's The Star, Wentru (2022 - Dead heat) (At current distance of 1+1⁄2 miles)

Most wins:

• 2 - Bernfield (1957, 1958)
• 2 - Whiteborough (1962, 1963)
• 2 - Caesar B. Good (1967, 1968)
• 2 - Knight's Turn (1979, 1980)
• 2 - Pumpkin Rumble (2018, 2019)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 4 - Hugo Dittfach (1959, 1966, 1967, 1975)
• 4 - Patrick Husbands (2005, 2010, 2011, 2013)
• 4 - Emma-Jayne Wilson (2006, 2012, 2014, 2016)
• 4 - Eurico Rosa da Silva (2007, 2015, 2018, 2019)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 5 - Lou Cavalaris, Jr. (1964, 1970, 1974, 1976, 1994)
• 5 - Mark E. Casse (2003, 2010, 2017, 2021, 2022)

Most wins by an owner:

• 7 - George R. Gardiner (1961, 1964, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1994)
• 7 - Gardiner Farms (1961, 1964, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1994)

Winners

Other North American Marathon races

On dirt:

• Brooklyn Handicap
• Fort Harrod Stakes
• Gallant Man Handicap
• Tokyo City Cup
• Las Vegas Marathon Stakes (formerly the Breeders' Cup Marathon)

On turf:

• San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap
• Carleton F. Burke Handicap
• Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes

See also

• List of Canadian flat horse races

References

• Race details and entrants for the 2008 Valedictory Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack
• The 2007 Valedictory Stakes at Woodbine Entertainment