Metro Pace

Metro Pace
LocationCampbellville, Ontario
Inaugurated1988
Race typeHarness race for standardbred pacers
WebsiteOfficial Site
Race information
Distance1 mile (1,609 metres or 8 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt, 7⁄8 mile oval
TrackMohawk Racetrack
Qualification2 year olds
Purse$1,000,000 (2024)

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]

Historical race events

The 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

Most wins by a driver
  • 4 – John Campbell (1990, 1996, 1999, 2000), Jody Jamieson (2006, 2010, 2022, 2023)
Most wins by a trainer
Stakes record
  • 1:49 1/5 – Tall Dark Stranger (2019), Fallout (2024)

Winners of the Metro Pace

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

  1. ^ Standardbred Canada Metro Pace articles Retrieved December 21, 2016
  2. ^ Harnesslink.com September 15, 2005 article titled "Metro Pace Notes Retrieved December 21, 2016