American Graded Stakes Committee | Horse Racing Free Tips

TOBA: Blue Grass Back to Grade I

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Friday announced the results of its annual grading session conducted Jan. 26 and 27 to determine U.S. Graded and Listed stakes races for February 2022 through January 2023.

The Committee reviewed 891 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 449 of them–four more than were graded in 2021, and Listed status to 204 races. Eight Graded races were upgraded and three new Grade I, five new Grade II races and 13 new Grade III races were named. Twenty new Listed races and two new Listed-Restricted races were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type status.

Among the most notable changes was the upgrading of Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass from Grade II status back to Grade I. Keeneland's major GI Kentucky Derby prep had been downgraded prior to the 2017 running. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and New York S. at Belmont Park also go from Grade II to Grade I for 2022.

Two races were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II status: the Secretariat S. at Arlington Park and Flower Bowl S. at Saratoga.

Five races were upgraded to Grade II status: the Lukas Classic S. at Churchill Downs; Wonder Again S. and Bed o' Roses S. at Belmont Park; Fanduel Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs; and Shuvee S. at Saratoga.

Four races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status: the Falls City S. at Churchill Downs; Best Pal S. at Del Mar; and Adirondack S. and Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga.

Thirteen races were upgraded to Grade III status: the Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. and Pebbles S. at Belmont Park; Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs; Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. at Del Mar; Bryan Station S. at Keeneland; Dueling Grounds Derby and Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon S. at Kentucky Downs; Essex H., Hot Springs S. and Oaklawn Mile S. at Oaklawn Park; and Surfer Girl S. and Zuma Beach S. at Santa Anita Park.

Nine races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status: the Excelsior S. at Aqueduct; Bashford Manor S. at Churchill Downs; Longacres Mile H. at Emerald Downs; Gulfstream Park Sprint S. at Gulfstream Park; Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. at Laurel Park; Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos Race Course; Parx Dash S. at Parx Racing; and Astra S. and Lazaro Barrera S. at Santa Anita Park.

Twenty races were upgraded to Listed status: the Awad S. and Winter Memories S. at Aqueduct; Blame S., Kelly's Landing S., Mamzelle Overnight S., Mighty Beau Overnight S., Opening Verse Overnight S., Shawnee S., and Unbridled Sidney S. at Churchill Downs; Marie G. Krantz Memorial S. at Fair Grounds; Limestone Turf Sprint S., Palisades Turf Sprint S., and Perryville S. at Keeneland; Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. and Music City S. at Kentucky Downs; Temperence Hill S. at Oaklawn Park; Prince George's County S. at Pimlico; Baffle S. and Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita Park; and Galway S. at Saratoga.

Two races were upgraded to Listed-Restricted status: the Oceanside S. at Del Mar and One Dreamer S. at Kentucky Downs.

Nine races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status: the Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park; Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park; Indiana General Assembly Distaff S., Indiana Grand S. and Mari Hulman George Memorial S. at Indiana Grand; Dave's Friend S. at Laurel Park; Satin and Lace S. at Presque Isle Downs; She's All In S. at Remington Park; and Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park.

All Graded and Listed races from 2021 maintained their eligibility for February 2022 through January 2023. Of the 449 Graded stakes races determined by the AGSC, 101 are Grade I's (22.5%), 135 are Grade II's (30.1%) and 213 are Grade III's (47.4%).

For the complete list of Graded and Listed stakes, click here.

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Blue Grass Stakes Resumes Grade 1 Status; Secretariat, Flower Bowl Downgraded For 2022

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 February 2022 through January 2023, the results of its annual grading session conducted Jan. 26 and 27.

The Committee reviewed 891 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 449 of them, four more than were graded in 2021, and Listed status to 204 races. Eight Graded races were upgraded; three new Grade 1 and five new Grade 2 races were named; 13 new Grade 3 races were identified. Twenty new Listed races and two new Listed-Restricted races were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type status.

Three races were upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland and New York S. at Belmont Park.

The Blue Grass Stakes was last run as a Grade 1 in 2016. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint is being upgraded to Grade 1 status for the first time since its debut in 2018.

Two races were downgraded from Grade 1 to Grade 2 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Secretariat S. at Arlington Park and Flower Bowl S. at Saratoga.

Five races were upgraded to Grade 2 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Lukas Classic S. at Churchill Downs; Wonder Again S. and Bed o' Roses S. at Belmont Park; Fanduel Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs; and Shuvee S. at Saratoga.

Four races were downgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 3 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Falls City S. at Churchill Downs; Best Pal S. at Del Mar; and Adirondack S. and Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga.

Thirteen races were upgraded to Grade 3 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. and Pebbles S. at Belmont Park; Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs; Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. at Del Mar; Bryan Station S. at Keeneland; Dueling Grounds Derby and Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon S. at Kentucky Downs; Essex H., Hot Springs S. and Oaklawn Mile S. at Oaklawn Park; and Surfer Girl S. and Zuma Beach S. at Santa Anita Park.

Nine races were downgraded from Grade 3 to Listed status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Excelsior S. at Aqueduct; Bashford Manor S. at Churchill Downs; Longacres Mile H. at Emerald Downs; Gulfstream Park Sprint S. at Gulfstream Park; Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. at Laurel Park; Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos Race Course; Parx Dash S. at Parx Racing; and Astra S. and Lazaro Barrera S. at Santa Anita Park.

Twenty races were upgraded to Listed status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Awad S. and Winter Memories S. at Aqueduct; Blame S., Kelly's Landing S., Mamzelle Overnight S., Mighty Beau Overnight S., Opening Verse Overnight S., Shawnee S., and Unbridled Sidney S. at Churchill Downs; Marie G. Krantz Memorial S. at Fair Grounds; Limestone Turf Sprint S., Palisades Turf Sprint S., and Perryville S. at Keeneland; Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. and Music City S. at Kentucky Downs; Temperence Hill S. at Oaklawn Park; Prince George's County S. at Pimlico; Baffle S. and Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita Park; and Galway S. at Saratoga.

Two races were upgraded to Listed-Restricted status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Oceanside S. at Del Mar and One Dreamer S. at Kentucky Downs.

Nine races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park; Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park; Indiana General Assembly Distaff S., Indiana Grand S. and Mari Hulman George Memorial S. at Indiana Grand; Dave's Friend S. at Laurel Park; Satin and Lace S. at Presque Isle Downs; She's All In S. at Remington Park; and Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park.

All Graded and Listed races from 2021 maintained their eligibility for February 2022 through January 2023.

Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for the period from February 2022 through January 2023 as well as the complete list of February 2022 through January 2023 Graded and Listed stakes.

2022-23 Gr. Stakes Number % Graded %Eligible Change from 2021

Grade I 101 22.5% +1

Grade II 135 30.1% –

Grade III 213 47.4% +3

All Graded 449 50.4%

Listed 192 21.5%

Listed – Restricted 12 1.3%

Non-Listed Eligible 238 26.7%

All Gr., L & NLE Races 891

TOBA American Graded Stakes Committee Summary of Decisions Made at January 26 and 27, 2022 Grading Session

RACES UPGRADED FOR FEBRUARY 2022 through JANUARY 2023:

Two-Year-Old Fillies

Surfer Girl S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Listed to Grade III

Three-Year-Old Fillies

Wonder Again S. (T) (Belmont Park) Grade III to Grade II

Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. (T) (Belmont Park) non-Listed Black Type to Grade III

Pebbles S. (T) (Belmont Park) Listed to Grade III

Winter Memories S. (T) (Aqueduct) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Mamzelle Overnight S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Limestone Turf Sprint S. (T) (Keeneland) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Music City S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Galway S. (T) (Saratoga) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Older Fillies and Mares

New York S. (T) (Belmont Park) Grade II to Grade I

Shuvee S. (Saratoga) Grade III to Grade II

Bed o' Roses S. (Belmont Park) Grade III to Grade II

Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Listed to Grade III

Shawnee S. (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Unbridled Sidney S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Marie G. Krantz Memorial S. (T) (Fair Grounds) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

One Dreamer S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed-Restricted

Two-Year-Olds

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (T) (Breeders' Cup) Grade II to Grade I

Street Sense S. (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade III

Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. (T) (Del Mar) Listed to Grade III

Zuma Beach S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Listed to Grade III

Awad S. (T) (Aqueduct) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Speakeasy S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Three-Year-Olds

Toyota Blue Grass S. (Keeneland) Grade II to Grade I

Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. (T) (Belmont Park) non-Listed Black Type to Grade III

Bryan Station S. (T) (Keeneland) non-Listed Black Type to Grade III

Dueling Grounds Derby (T) (Kentucky Downs) Listed to Grade III

Perryville S. (Keeneland) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Palisades Turf Sprint S. (T) (Keeneland) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Baffle S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Oceanside S. (T) (Del Mar) non-Listed Black Type to Listed-Restricted

Older Horses

Lukas Classic S. (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Grade II

Fanduel Turf Sprint S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade III to Grade II

Essex H. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to Grade III

Oaklawn Park Mile S. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to Grade III

Hot Springs S. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to Grade III

Blame S. (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Temperence Hill S. (Oaklawn Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Opening Verse Overnight S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Prince George's County S. (T) (Pimlico) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Kelly's Landing S. (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Mighty Beau Overnight S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

RACES DOWNGRADED FOR FEBRUARY 2022 through JANUARY 2023:

Two-Year-Old Fillies

Adirondack S. (Saratoga) Grade II to Grade III

Three-Year-Old Fillies

Bourbonette Oaks (Turfway Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Indiana Grand S. (T) (Indiana Grand) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Older Fillies and Mares

Flower Bowl S. (T) (Saratoga) Grade I to Grade II

Falls City S. (Churchill Downs) Grade II to Grade III

Astra S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed

Mari Hulman George Memorial S. (Indiana Grand) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

She's All In S. (Remington Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Indiana General Assembly Distaff S. (T) (Indiana Grand) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Satin and Lace S. (Presque Isle Downs) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Two-Year-Olds

Best Pal S. (Del Mar) Grade II to Grade III

Bashford Manor S. (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Listed

Arlington-Washington Futurity (Arlington Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Three-Year-Olds

Secretariat S. (T) (Arlington Park) Grade I to Grade II

Los Alamitos Derby (Los Alamitos) Grade III to Listed

Lazaro Barrera S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed

Mystic Lake Derby (T) (Canterbury Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Older Horses

Bernard Baruch H. (T) (Saratoga) Grade II to Grade III

Excelsior S. (Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed

Longacres Mile H. (Emerald Downs) Grade III to Listed

Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. (Laurel Park) Grade III to Listed

Gulfstream Park Sprint S. (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed

Parx Dash S. (T) (Parx Racing) Grade III to Listed

Dave's Friend S. (Laurel Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

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‘Off Turf’ American Oaks Retains Grade 1 Status; AGS Committee Alters Grading Schedule for 2022

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's American Graded Stakes Committee said the Dec. 26 American Oaks – taken off turf and run on dirt because of wet conditions at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. – would have its Grade 1 standing reinstated. Under the AGS Committee's rules, races run on a different surface than that originally scheduled are automatically downgraded and reviewed for possible reinstatement.

The American Oaks, won by Queen Goddess, drew 11 entries. Only one original entry was scratched from the race, and it was not surface-related.

The committee also reinstated the Grade 2 standing for the Santa Anita Mathis Mile Stakes, run the same day as the American Oaks. Law Professor won the race in a field of eight. One horse, Zoffarelli, scratched because of the surface change.

A third stakes run Dec. 26, the San Gabriel, will remain a Grade 3 race for 2021 after automatically being downgraded from Grade 2 when it was taken off the turf. Three of the original seven entries were scratched after the surface change, including morning line favorite Hit the Road.

The AGS Committee will meet Jan. 26-27 to assign grades for 2022. The timing is a departure from previous years when the committee would meet in early December, assessing races run after the previous year's Breeders' Cup through the current year's Breeders' Cup.

The new schedule permits the committee to assess races for the entire calendar year.

Andy Schweigardt, TOBA's senior director of industry relations and development and the secretary of the AGS Committee, said, “The committee made the change to a calendar year for its statistical measurements so that the important Grade 1 and Grade 2 races conducted after the Breeders' Cup and before Dec. 31 could be included in the grading session workbooks in a timelier manner. Under the former Breeders' Cup to Breeders' Cup statistical year, a race run Thanksgiving weekend and the stats earned by the horses in it would not be reflected in the workbooks until a year later.”

Schweigardt said the 2022 grades are expected to be announced Jan. 28 and will cover the period from Feb. 1, 2022, through Jan. 31, 2023.

For more information on how the grading process works, click here.

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American Oaks Grade I Status Reinstated

Automatically downgraded to a Grade II after coming off the turf and being contested on Santa Anita's main track Dec. 26, the GI American Oaks was reinstated to Grade I status after its review by TOBA-directed American Graded Stakes Committee Thursday. Queen Goddess (Empire Maker) won the 1 1/4-mile test for sophomore fillies.

Also reinstated by the committee is the GII Santa Anita Mathis Mile S., also run last Sunday. Conversely, the third turf test of the afternoon, the GII San Gabriel S., was automatically downgraded to Grade III status and will not be reinstated to a Grade II for the 2021 renewal.

It is the policy of the American Graded Stakes Committee that a race that is scheduled for the turf, however, is moved to the dirt after the closing of nominations because of unsuitable turf conditions, is automatically downgraded for that running only. It is at the committee's discretion to reinstate its former status.

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