The Queen’s Plate is now called the King’s Plate

After 70 years as the Queen’s Plate, Canada’s oldest thoroughbred race will be getting a name change next year.

The $1-million stakes race will be known as the King’s Plate when it is run for the 164th time on Aug. 20 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

The change follows the death of Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 8 and the accession to the throne by King Charles III.

Woodbine Entertainment added in a release that it plans to honour Queen Elizabeth for her contributions to horse racing in Canada for the past 70 years.

The Queen’s Plate was first run in 1860 and named after Queen Victoria, who gave royal assent for “a plate to the value of 50 guineas” to be awarded to the winner of the 1 1⁄4- mile race in Toronto.

It was also renamed the King’s Plate in1901, when Edward VII succeeded Victoria on the throne. It became the Queen’s Plate again in 1952 upon Elizabeth’s accession.

Woodbine Entertainment sent its traditional telegram to Queen Elizabeth after the 163rd running of the Queen’s Plate on Aug. 21, informing her that a filly named Moira had won the race.

In return, Buckingham Palace sent 50 guineas to the owners of the winning horse.

The Plate is the first race of the Canadian thoroughbred Triple Crown, followed by the Prince of Wales Stakes and Breeders’ Stakes.

A horse bred by Queen Elizabeth won a race at Pimlico two days after her death.

West Newton, a six-year-old gelding, rallied from sixth place to win by a half-length in Baltimore.