Thorncliffe Stable is a defunct
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
and
Standardbred horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
and
breeding
Breeding is sexual reproduction that produces offspring, usually animals or plants. It can only occur between a male and a female animal or plant.
Breeding may refer to:
* Animal husbandry, through selected specimens such as dogs, horses, and rab ...
operation established in 1888 in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
by businessman
Robert T. Davies. The stable was based at Davies' Thorncliffe Farm in the
Don River Valley in what is now known as
Thorncliffe Park
Thorncliffe Park is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in the former Borough of East York.
The City of Toronto recognizes Thorncliffe Park's boundaries as the Don River on the south side; Leaside Bridge, Millwood Road, and Laird Driv ...
.
When Robert Davies died in 1916 his sons, Robert, George, Wilfred and Melville took over the racing operation but sold the Thorncliffe farm property to a group of investors from
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
who built
Thorncliffe Park Raceway.
During its existence, Thorncliffe Stable won numerous important races in Ontario including the:
*
Coronation Futurity
The Coronation Futurity Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old horses foaled in Canada. It is run annually in mid-November at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at a distance of miles. Along with its turf counterpart, the ...
(1921, 1922, 1928, 1932)
*
Queen's Plate (1922, 1929)
*
Breeders' Stakes (1923, 1930, 1933)
*
Durham Cup Stakes
The Durham Cup Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Run in mid October, the Graded stakes race, Grade III race is open to horses age three and older. Raced over a distance of miles on ...
(1925)
*
Clarendon Stakes (1928)
The stable's final success came in 1935 when the Thorncliffe-bred
filly
A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use:
*In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old.
*In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...
Sally Fuller won the
King's Plate
The King's Plate (known as the Queen's Plate between 1860 to 1901 and 1952 to 2022) is Canada's oldest Thoroughbred horse race, having been founded in 1860. It is also the oldest continuously run race in North America. It is run at a distance of ...
for
Seagram Stables Seagram Stables was a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing operation founded in 1888 by the wealthy distiller, Joseph E. Seagram. Located in Seagram's hometown of Waterloo, Ontario, the stables and large training facilities were built along Lincoln Ro ...
.
References
Robert Davies and Thorncliffe Stable at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian racehorse owners and breeders
1888 establishments in Ontario
Owners of King's Plate winners