The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association today presented its listing of U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes Races for calendar year 2023, the results of its annual grading session conducted Dec. 13 and 14.
The Committee reviewed 901 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 440 of them, nine fewer than were graded in 2022, and Listed status to 206 races. Four Graded races were upgraded; one new Grade 1 and three new Grade 2 races were named; four new Grade 3 races were identified. Twelve new Listed races and one new Listed-Restricted race was upgraded from non-Listed Black Type status.
One race was upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 status for 2023: the Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs.
Five races were downgraded from Grade 1 to Grade 2 status for 2023: the Cigar Mile H. at Aqueduct; Woodward S. at Belmont Park; Clark S. at Churchill Downs; Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Race Course; and Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita Park.
Three races were upgraded to Grade 2 status for 2023: the Beaumont S. and Franklin S. at Keeneland; and Ladies Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs.
Seven races were downgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 3 status for 2023: the Sorrento S. at Del Mar; Dinner Party S. at Pimlico; Monrovia S., San Carlos S., San Marcos S. and Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita Park; and Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.
Four races were upgraded to Grade 3 status for 2023: the Manila S. at Belmont Park; Blame S. and Shawnee S. at Churchill Downs; and Music City S. at Kentucky Downs.
Twelve races were downgraded from Grade 3 to Listed status for 2023: the Nashua S. and Turnback the Alarm H. at Aqueduct; Athenia S. at Belmont Park; Kent S. at Delaware Park; Appleton S. and Tropical Turf S. at Gulfstream Park; Dr. James Penny Memorial S. at Parx Racing; Allaire DuPont Distaff S. at Pimlico; Affirmed S., Santa Barbara S. and Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita Park; and Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga.
Twelve races were upgraded to Listed status for 2023: the Plenty of Grace S. at Aqueduct; Audubon S., Keertana Overnight S. and Rags to Riches S. at Churchill Downs; Daisycutter H. at Del Mar; Duncan F. Kenner S. and Mardi Gras S. at Fair Grounds; Mr. Prospector S. and Sapling S. at Monmouth Park; Lady of Shamrock S. at Santa Anita Park; and Bourbonette Oaks and John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park.
One race was upgraded to Listed-Restricted status for 2023: the Wickerr S. at Del Mar.
Eleven races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status for 2023: the Garland of Roses S. and Jerome S. at Aqueduct; California Derby at Golden Gate Fields; Caesars S. at Horseshoe Indianapolis; Stormy Blues S. at Laurel Park; The Very One S. at Pimlico; Karl Boyes S. at Presque Isle Downs; Baffle S. and Desert Code S. at Santa Anita Park; and Columbia S. and Lightning City S. at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Easy Goer S. at Belmont Park; Jefferson Cup S. at Churchill Downs; My Charmer S. and South Beach S. at Gulfstream Park; Beverly J. Lewis S. at Los Alamitos Race Course; Super Derby at Louisiana Downs; Spring Fever S. at Oaklawn Park; and Fabulous Strike S. and Pennsylvania Governor's Cup S. at Penn National were not eligible for grading in 2023.
Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for 2023 as well as the complete list of 2023 Graded and Listed stakes.
2023 Gr. Stakes Number % Graded %Eligible Change from 2022
Grade I 97 22.0% -4
Grade II 135 30.7% –
Grade III 208 47.3% -5
All Graded 440 48.8%
Listed 193 21.4%
Listed – Restricted 13 1.5%
Non-Listed Eligible 255 28.3%
All Gr., L & NLE Races 901
TOBA American Graded Stakes Committee
Summary of Decisions Made at December 13 and 14, 2022 Grading Session
RACES UPGRADED FOR 2023:
Two-Year-Old Fillies
Rags to Riches S. (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Three-Year-Old Fillies
Beaumont S. (Keeneland) Grade 3 to Grade 2
Music City S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Listed to Grade 3
Bourbonette Oaks (Turfway Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Lady of Shamrock S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Older Fillies and Mares
Franklin S. (T) (Keeneland) Grade 3 to Grade 2
Ladies Sprint S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade 3 to Grade 2
Shawnee S. (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade 3
Daisycutter H. (T) (Del Mar) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Keertana Overnight S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Mardi Gras S. (T) (Fair Grounds) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Plenty of Grace S. (T) (Aqueduct) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Two-Year-Olds
Sapling S. (Monmouth Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Three-Year-Olds
Manila S. (T) (Belmont Park) Listed to Grade 3
Audubon S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
John Battaglia Memorial S. (Turfway Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Older Horses
Stephen Foster S. (Churchill Downs) Grade 2 to Grade 1
Blame S. (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade 3
Duncan F. Kenner S. (T) (Fair Grounds) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Mr. Prospector S. (Monmouth Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed
Wickerr S. (T) (Del Mar) non-Listed Black Type to Listed-R
RACES DOWNGRADED FOR 2023:
Two-Year-Old Fillies
Starlet S. (Los Alamitos Race Course) Grade 1 to Grade 2
Sorrento S. (Del Mar) Grade 2 to Grade 3
Three-Year-Old Fillies
Santa Ynez S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade 2 to Grade 3
Sweet Life S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade 3 to Listed
Stormy Blues S. (T) (Laurel Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
Beverly J. Lewis S. (Los Alamitos Race Course) not eligible
Older Fillies and Mares
Rodeo Drive S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade 1 to Grade 2
Monrovia S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade 2 to Grade 3
Allaire DuPont Distaff S. (Pimlico) Grade 3 to Listed
Athenia S. (T) (Belmont Park) Grade 3 to Listed
Dr. James Penny Memorial S. (T) (Parx Racing) Grade 3 to Listed
Santa Barbara S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade 3 to Listed
Turnback the Alarm H. (Aqueduct) Grade 3 to Listed
Garland of Roses S. (Aqueduct) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
Lightning City S. (T) (Tampa Bay Downs) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
The Very One S. (T) (Pimlico) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
My Charmer S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) not eligible
South Beach S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) not eligible
Spring Fever S. (Oaklawn Park) not eligible
Two-Year-Olds
Nashua S. (Aqueduct) Grade 3 to Listed
Three-Year-Olds
Tampa Bay Derby (Tampa Bay Downs) Grade 2 to Grade 3
Affirmed S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade 3 to Listed
Kent S. (T) (Delaware Park) Grade 3 to Listed
Baffle S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
Caesars S. (T) (Horseshoe Indianapolis) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
California Derby (Golden Gate Fields) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
Columbia S. (Tampa Bay Downs) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
Desert Code S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
Jerome S. (Aqueduct) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
Super Derby (Louisiana Downs) not eligible
Easy Goer S. (Belmont Park) not eligible
Jefferson Cup S. (T) (Churchill Downs) not eligible
Older Horses
Cigar Mile H. (Aqueduct) Grade 1 to Grade 2
Clark S. (Churchill Downs) Grade 1 to Grade 2
Woodward S. (Belmont Park) Grade 1 to Grade 2
Dinner Party S. (T) (Pimlico) Grade 2 to Grade 3
San Carlos S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade 2 to Grade 3
San Marcos S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade 2 to Grade 3
Appleton S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade 3 to Listed
Bernard Baruch H. (T) (Saratoga) Grade 3 to Listed
Tropical Turf S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade 3 to Listed
Karl Boyes S. (Presque Isle Downs) Listed to non-Listed Black Type
Fabulous Strike S. (Penn National) not eligible
Pennsylvania Governor's Cup S. (T) (Penn National) not eligible
The post Five Grade 1 Races Downgraded For 2023; Stephen Foster Renews Grade 1 Status appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
