It will be another late start for the $1-million Queen’s Plate.

Woodbine Entertainment announced Tuesday its marquee event will be held Sunday Aug. 22 instead of its traditional date of late June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year’s race was originally scheduled for June 27 but the first event of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown was rescheduled to Sept. 12 because of the novel coronavirus with no spectators at Woodbine Racetrack.

The global pandemic resulted in no fans being allowed to all three legs of the Triple Crown, including the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Racetrack and the $400,000 Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine.

Jim Lawson, the CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, is hopeful that with the availability of COVID vaccinations, the August date could result in some spectators attending the ’21 Queen’s Plate.