Known as the Canadian Handicap until 2006, it was inaugurated at the now defunct Greenwood Raceway in 1955 as a 1+1⁄16 mile race on dirt and was open to horses of either sex, aged three and older. In 1964, the event was transferred to Woodbine Racetrack where in 1970 it became a race on the grass for fillies and mares only.
In 1996, the race was run on dirt and was split into two divisions in 1982 through 1985 and again in 1989.