The Metro Pace is one of the premier harness racing events in North America for two-year-old Standardbred pacers. First run in 1988 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, in several of the ensuing years it was hosted by Mohawk Raceway in Campbellville, Ontario where it has been run exclusively since 2005.[1]
| Location | Campbellville, Ontario |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1988 |
| Race type | Harness race for standardbred pacers |
| Website | Official Site |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 mile (1,609 metres or 8 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt, 7⁄8 mile oval |
| Track | Mohawk Racetrack |
| Qualification | 2 year olds |
| Purse | $1,000,000 (2024) |
Historical race events
editThe 1990 Metro Pace winner, Artsplace, was the first horse to ever win and sire a Metro Pace winner, his sons doing it twice in 1998 (Grinfromeartoear) and again in 1999 (The Firepan).[2]
Son of 2007 Metro Pace winner Somebeachsomewhere, Captaintreacherous captured the 2012 edition.
In 2024, Tony Alagna and Tim Tetrick became the first trainer/driver duo to win the race twice. They won with Fallout, a son of Captaintreacherous, whom they won with in 2012.
Records
edit- Most wins by a driver
- 4 – John Campbell (1990, 1996, 1999, 2000), Jody Jamieson (2006, 2010, 2022, 2023)
- Most wins by a trainer
- 4 – Tony Alagna (2012, 2014, 2020, 2024)
- Stakes record
- 1:49 1/5 – Tall Dark Stranger (2019), Fallout (2024)
Winners of the Metro Pace
edit| Year |
Winner |
Driver |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
Purse |
Track |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fallout | Tim Tetrick | Tony Alagna | Robert Leblanc, Pryde Stables, Caviart Farms | 1:49 1/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2023 | Captains Quarters | Jody Jamieson | Herb Holland | Rich Stiles | 1:49 3/5 | $970,000 | Moh |
| 2022 | Stockade Seelster | Jody Jamieson | Dr. Ian Moore | Paul and Sally MacDonald | 1:50 1/5 | $900,000 | Moh |
| 2021 | Monte Miki | Scott Zeron | Mark Evers | Velocity Standardbreds | 1:52 2/5 | $824,000 | Moh |
| 2020 | Exploit | Doug McNair | Tony Alagna | LeBlanc and Kribbs, Joe Sbrocco, In The GYM Partners, Joe Barbera | 1:50 4/5 | $720,000 | Moh |
| 2019 | Tall Dark Stranger | Yannick Gingras | Nancy Johansson | Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms, Howard Taylor | 1:49 1/5 | $750,000 | Moh |
| 2018 | Stag Party | David Miller | Casie Coleman | John Fielding, Mac Nichol, McKinlay & Fielding, West Wins Stable. | 1:50 4/5 | $890,000 | Moh |
| 2017 | Lost In Time | Scott Zeron | James Mulinix | James Mulinix, Denny Miller, William Rufenacht | 1:50 1/5 | $816,000 | Moh |
| 2016 | Beyond Delight | Sylvain Filion | Tony O'Sullivan | Jeffrey & Michael Snyder, Four Friends Racing Stable | 1:51 3/5 | $661,000 | Moh |
| 2015 | Control The Moment | Randy Waples | Brad Maxwell | Brad Maxwell, Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold & Ben Mudry | 1:49 4/5 | $685,000 | Moh |
| 2014 | Artspeak | Scott Zeron | Tony Alagna | Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Joe Sbrocco, In The Gym Partners | 1:50 2/5 | $667,000 | Moh |
| 2013 | Boomboom Ballykeel | Sylvain Filion | Richard Moreau | Ballykeel Racing Inc. | 1:50 4/5 | $683,000 | Moh |
| 2012 | Captaintreacherous | Tim Tetrick | Tony Alagna | Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Joe Sbrocco, White Birch Farm | 1:49 2/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2011 | Simply Business | Ronald Pierce | Jimmy Takter | Brixton Medical Ab, Order BY Stable, et al. | 1:50 1/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2010 | Mystician | Jody Jamieson | Jeff Gillis | Jeff Gillis, Ken Henwood | 1:53 4/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2009 | Sportswriter | Mark J. MacDonald | Casie Coleman | Steve Calhoun, West Wins Stable | 1:49 2/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2008 | Major In Art | Brian Sears | Justin Lebo | Major In Art Syndicate | 1:51 2/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2007 | Somebeachsomewhere | Paul MacDonell | Jean-Louis Arseanault | Schooner Stables | 1:49 3/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2006 | Yankee Skyscaper [sic] | Jody Jamieson | Christopher Ryder | Yankee Skyscaper Partners | 1:53 4/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2005 | Jeremes Jet | Paul MacDonell | Tom Harmer | Genesis Racing Stable | 1:50 4/5 | $1,000,000 | Moh |
| 2004 | Rocknroll Hanover | Brian Sears | Brett Pelling | Jeffrey S. Snyder, Lothlorien Equestrian Centre | 1:49 4/5 | $1,211,800 | Wdb |
| 2003 | Camelot Hall | George Brennan | Darren McCall | David Scharf, Steven Arnold, Jerry Silva, et al. | 1:51 4/5 | $1,122,700 | Wdb |
| 2002 | Sir Luck | Mike Saftic | William Budd | C. and I. Racing Satble | 1:51 3/5 | $1,100,000 | Wdb |
| 2001 | Mach Three | Michel Lachance | Shawn Robinson | Linda Magid | 1:51 4/5 | $1,123,400 | Wdb |
| 2000 | Pro Bono Best | John Campbell | Des Tackoor | Levy Racing (John Levy), Mark Scholes, Des Tackoor | 1:51 0/0 | $661,800 | Wdb |
| 1999 | The Firepan | John Campbell | Nat Varty | Peter Pan Stables, Inc. (Robert Glazer) | 1:51 2/5 | $600,000 | Wdb |
| 1998 | Grinfromeartoear | Luc Ouellette | Duane Marfisi | Perfect World Enterprises | 1:52 3/5 | $600,100 | Wdb |
| 1997 | Rustler Hanover | Paul MacDonell | William Wellwood | Wellwood & AFJ Stables | 1:52 3/5 | $601,400 | Wdb |
| 1996 | Gothic Dream | John Campbell | Jack Darling | Danniel W. Smith, Darling Stables (Jack Darling) | 1:51 3/5 | $603,100 | Moh |
| 1995 | A Stud Named Sue | George Brennan | Liz Quesnel | Liz Quesnel, R. & C. Beltrame | 1:53 3/5 | $505,100 | Wdb |
| 1994 | Rover Hanover | Joe Hudon | Joe Hudon | Wayne Giles, Dr. Herbert Boggs, Joe Hudon | 1:54 3/5 | $531,600 | Wdb |
| 1993 | Historic | Doug Brown | Stewart Firlotte | Robert H. Grand Holdings | 1:53 1/5 | $534,200 | Moh |
| 1992 | Presidential Ball | Jack Moiseyev | William G. Robinson | Antonio Chiaravalle | 1:54 3/5 | $719,000 | Wdb |
| 1991 | Shipps Saint | Tim Twaddle | John Burns | Harold G. Shipp Stable | 1:54 3/5 | $716,000 | Moh |
| 1990 | Artsplace | John Campbell | Gene Riegle | George Segal, Brian Monieson | 1:53 4/5 | $797,400 | Wdb |
| 1989 | Road Machine | Trevor Ritchie | Blair Burgess | Cantario Farms, D. Thompson | 1:56 1/5 | $581,000 | Wdb |
| 1988 | Totally Ruthless | Bill O'Donnell | Steve Elliott | Totally Ruthless Stable | 1:55 3/5 | $491,000 | Wdb |
References
edit- ^ Standardbred Canada Metro Pace articles Retrieved December 21, 2016
- ^ Harnesslink.com September 15, 2005 article titled "Metro Pace Notes Retrieved December 21, 2016