Belmont Park will host the opening leg of the inaugural Empire Trillium Series later this year after the new cross-border initiative received an encouraging response from breeders and owners in both Canada and the United States. More than 700 two-year-olds have been nominated for the series, underlining early confidence in a programme designed to showcase New York-bred and Canadian-bred Thoroughbreds while strengthening ties between two of North America’s leading racing jurisdictions.
Empire Trillium Series nominations.
A total of 703 juveniles have been nominated for lifetime enrolment in the inaugural series after entries for the 2026 two-year-old crop closed on 19 June. The list includes 547 New York-foaled horses and 156 Canadian-foaled runners, providing a solid foundation for the new programme.
First announced in March, the Empire Trillium Series nominations cover a 14-race stakes programme worth a combined $3.2 million in prize money. The series is restricted to horses foaled in either New York or Canada and has been created through a partnership between Woodbine Entertainment and the New York Racing Association (NYRA).
Tim Lawson, Vice-President of Thoroughbred Racing for Woodbine Entertainment, welcomed the level of support shown during the nomination period.
“We’re pleased with the response to the Empire Trillium Series, as the number of nominations speaks to the enthusiasm for this new series,” Lawson said.
He added that the programme would provide an important platform for Canadian horses, the people behind them and Woodbine Racecourse, while expressing anticipation for the opening races later this year at Belmont Park.
NYRA Racing Secretary Rob MacLennan also praised the cross-border participation, saying the backing from horsemen on both sides of the border reflected growing confidence in the concept.
“We really appreciate the support from the participants on both sides of the border,” MacLennan said. “The enthusiasm surrounding the program is great to see as we look to build the Empire Trillium Series into a major piece of our New York-bred racing program.”
The Empire Trillium Series nominations will lead into the opening meeting on 26 December at Belmont Park, where four $200,000 stakes races will be staged on the venue’s new one-mile Tapeta track. The programme will continue with two $300,000 races on 23 January 2027 before another pair of $200,000 contests on 27 February.
Attention will then turn to Canada, where the remaining six races of the series will be held at Woodbine from 24 April 2027. Those events will be open to horses aged three years and older.
Organisers have also confirmed that nominations for the older horses eligible to compete in the 2027 Woodbine leg of the series will close on 20 November 2026.
The launch of the series represents a significant step in expanding opportunities for regional breeding programmes while creating a stronger competitive link between New York and Canadian racing. With more than 700 young horses already enrolled, the Empire Trillium Series nominations suggest the new initiative has made a promising start.
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