The Nijinsky Stakes is a Canadian

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide 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 National Hunt racing...

 held annually on the last Sunday of August at Woodbine Racetrack

Woodbine Racetrack

Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred and standardbred horseracing programs on the same day...

 in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

.

The Grade II

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 race is open to horses aged three years and up and is run on Woodbine Racetrack's E. P. Taylor Turf Course at a distance of one and one eight miles. The race currently offers a purse of $300,000.

Inaugurated as the Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Stakes in 1998, it was raced during the third week of July on turf at a distance of 1⅜ miles. In 2002, the Chinese Cultural Centre sponsored the race and it was renamed the Chinese Cultural Centre Stakes. In 2006, the race was renamed the Nijinsky Stakes and the Chinese Cultural Centre assumed sponsorship for the Seagram Cup Stakes

Seagram Cup Stakes

The Chinese Cultural Centre Seagram Cup Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the last week of July/first week of August at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. A Grade III event, it is open to horses Three years old and up...

 .

The race honors the great Canadian-born Nijinsky

Nijinsky II

The racehorse Nijinsky was one of the greatest horses in Thoroughbred horse-racing history. He won the U.K. Triple Crown of racing. Retired to stud he became the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland and the Leading broodmare sire in North America.He was bred at E. P...

, the 1970 English Triple Crown champion and a son of Canada's most famous horse, Northern Dancer

Northern Dancer

Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire of the 20th Century. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls him "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history"....

.

Originally run at 1⅜ miles, as the Nijinsky Stakes it was contested at 1½ miles in 2006 and 2007. In 2008 and 2009 it was run at 1¼ miles and beginning in 2010 at 1⅛ miles.

Records

Time record: (at current distance of 1¼ miles)

• 2:00.60 - Seaside Retreat
  Seaside Retreat
  Seaside Retreat is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in Canada and the United States from a base at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. As a foal of 2003, he was a possible contender for the U.S. Triple Crown in 2006 and finished tenth in the Kentucky Derby.-Connections:Seaside Retreat is...
  
   (2008) (new stakes and course record)

Most wins by a horse

• 2 - Windwards Islands (2010, 2011)

Most wins by an owner:

• 5 - Sam-Son Farm
  Sam-Son Farm
  Sam-Son Farm is a thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms locations in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for hunter/jumper horses...
  
   (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011)

Most wins by a jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

:

• 2 - Todd Kabel
  Todd Kabel
  Todd K. Kabel is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began his career riding at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba and in 1987 started competing at tracks in Ontario, moving to Toronto permanently in 1991.Riding out of Woodbine Racetrack, Todd Kabel won the Sovereign Award for...
  
   (2003, 2004)

Most wins by a trainer

Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

:

• 5 - Mark Frostad
  Mark Frostad
  Mark R. Frostad is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse trainer. He grew up with a father who owned a stud farm but before becoming involved in thoroughbred horse racing, Frostad obtained a BA degree in literature from Princeton University then in 1976 an MBA degree from the University of Western Ontario...
  
   (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011)

Winners of the Nijinsky Stakes

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
2011	Windward Islands	7	Emma-Jayne Wilson Emma-Jayne Wilson Emma-Jayne Wilson is a Sovereign and Eclipse Award-winning jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. The daughter of a computer programmer and a corporate marketing executive, she began taking riding lessons as a girl of nine...	Mark Frostad Mark Frostad Mark R. Frostad is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse trainer. He grew up with a father who owned a stud farm but before becoming involved in thoroughbred horse racing, Frostad obtained a BA degree in literature from Princeton University then in 1976 an MBA degree from the University of Western Ontario...	Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm is a thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms locations in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for hunter/jumper horses...	1:49.82
2010	Windward Islands	6	Chantal Sutherland Chantal Sutherland Chantal Sutherland is a Canadian model, television personality and jockey in North American Thoroughbred horse racing. She is referred to as the Danica Patrick of horse racing...		Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm is a thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms locations in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for hunter/jumper horses...	1:53.58
2009	Rahy's Attorney Rahy's Attorney Rahy's Attorney is a Canadian Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. A turf specialist, he is a Grade 1 winner and has won the Bunty Lawless Stakes on three occasions....	5	Slade Callaghan Slade Callaghan Slade Callaghan is a jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing.Considered tall for a jockey at 5' 8", Callaghan competed in his native Barbados where his success led him to relocate in 1994 to a base at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada.Among his victories, Callaghan captured the 2002 Breeders'...	Ian Black	Ellie-Boje Farm, et al.	2:08.42
2008	Seaside Retreat Seaside Retreat Seaside Retreat is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in Canada and the United States from a base at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. As a foal of 2003, he was a possible contender for the U.S. Triple Crown in 2006 and finished tenth in the Kentucky Derby.-Connections:Seaside Retreat is...	5	Patrick Husbands Patrick Husbands Patrick Husbands is a Barbadian jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. The son of a jockey, he began riding as a young boy, turning professional in his home country where he rode successfully until emigrating to Toronto, Ontario in 1994.Racing out of Woodbine Racetrack, in 2003 Husbands won the...	Mark E. Casse	William S. Farish IV	2:00.60
2007	Last Answer	7	Emile Ramsammy Emile Ramsammy Emile Ramsammy is a Canadian thoroughbred horse racing Champion jockey. He had more than 500 victories racing in the Caribbean before emigrating to Canada in the early 1990s....	Michael Keogh Michael Keogh Michael Keogh, known as Max Keogh was a nationalist politician and journalist in Northern Ireland.Based in Newry, Keogh became the editor of the Frontier Sentinel....	Gus Schickedanz	2:31.25
2006	Rush Bay	4	David Clark David K. Clark David K. Clark is a Champion jockey in Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing. He began riding professionally at Ontario racetracks in 1973 and went on to become one of Canada's most successful jockeys of all-time.Clark won the 1998 Sovereign Award as Canadian Champion Jockey and on July 17 of that...	Tom Amoss	Mueller Thoroughbred Stable	2:33.89
2005	A Bit O'Gold A Bit O'Gold A Bit O'Gold is a Canadian Thoroughbred Champion racehorse.Out of the mare, Annasan, A Bit O'Gold was sired by Grade I winner Gold Fever, a son of the 1987 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, Forty Niner....	4	Jono Jones Jonathan C. Jones Jonathan C. "Jono" Jones is a jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing who has won each of the Canadian Triple Crown races....	Catherine Day Phillips	The Two Bit Racing Stable	2:15.94
2004	Shoal Water	4	Todd Kabel Todd Kabel Todd K. Kabel is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began his career riding at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba and in 1987 started competing at tracks in Ontario, moving to Toronto permanently in 1991.Riding out of Woodbine Racetrack, Todd Kabel won the Sovereign Award for...	Mark Frostad Mark Frostad Mark R. Frostad is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse trainer. He grew up with a father who owned a stud farm but before becoming involved in thoroughbred horse racing, Frostad obtained a BA degree in literature from Princeton University then in 1976 an MBA degree from the University of Western Ontario...	Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm is a thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms locations in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for hunter/jumper horses...	2:12.37
2003	Strut The Stage	5	Todd Kabel Todd Kabel Todd K. Kabel is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began his career riding at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba and in 1987 started competing at tracks in Ontario, moving to Toronto permanently in 1991.Riding out of Woodbine Racetrack, Todd Kabel won the Sovereign Award for...	Mark Frostad Mark Frostad Mark R. Frostad is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse trainer. He grew up with a father who owned a stud farm but before becoming involved in thoroughbred horse racing, Frostad obtained a BA degree in literature from Princeton University then in 1976 an MBA degree from the University of Western Ontario...	Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm is a thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms locations in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for hunter/jumper horses...	2:13.85
2002	Strike Smartly	5	Laurie Gulas	Mark Frostad Mark Frostad Mark R. Frostad is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse trainer. He grew up with a father who owned a stud farm but before becoming involved in thoroughbred horse racing, Frostad obtained a BA degree in literature from Princeton University then in 1976 an MBA degree from the University of Western Ontario...	Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm is a thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms locations in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for hunter/jumper horses...	2:13.16
2001	Allende	4	Na Somsanith	Macdonald Benson Macdonald Benson Macdonald "Mac" Benson is a Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer. A resident of Woodbridge, Ontario, Benson came to Canada in 1978 to train for E. P. Taylor's renowned Windfields Farm...	Augustin Stable	2:16.98
2000	Quiet Resolve Quiet Resolve Quiet Resolve was a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Ontario who was voted the 2000 Canadian Horse of the Year.A turf specialist, the son of U.S. Triple Crown Champion Affirmed set a new track record for 8.5 furlongs at Keeneland Race Course...	5	Robby Albarado Robby Albarado Robby J. Albarado is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began riding at the age of 12 at bush tracks in his native Louisiana and after turning professional, earned his first win at Evangeline Downs in 1990...	Mark Frostad Mark Frostad Mark R. Frostad is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse trainer. He grew up with a father who owned a stud farm but before becoming involved in thoroughbred horse racing, Frostad obtained a BA degree in literature from Princeton University then in 1976 an MBA degree from the University of Western Ontario...	Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm Sam-Son Farm is a thoroughbred horse racing stable with farms locations in Milton, Ontario, Canada and Ocala, Florida. Originating in the 60's by Ernie Samuel, it began as a home for hunter/jumper horses...	2:13.20
1999	Crown Attorney	6	Mickey Walls Mickey Walls Mickey K. Walls is a retired Thoroughbred horse racing jockey who was a Champion in both the United States and Canada....	John MacKenzie	Tony & Mary Jane Lamb	2:18.53
1998	Buck's Boy Buck's Boy Buck's Boy was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.-Background:He was bred by horseman Noel Hickey's Irish Acres Farm of Ocala, Florida who sold him to George Bunn of Quarter B Farm in Pleasant Plains, Illinois. Out of Noel Hickey's mare Molly's Colleen, by multiple stakes winner, Verbatim, his...	5	Earlie Fires Earlie Fires Earlie Stancel Fires is a retired United States' Racing Hall of Fame jockey.Fires began riding professionally in 1964 and led all American apprentices in wins that year with 224. He retired on September 21, 2008 having won 6,470 races at racetracks across North America...	P. Noel Hickey	Quarter B. Farm	2:15.40