Fewer Graded Races, Net Loss Of Four Grade I Events For 2024

A total of 429 graded stakes races–down from 440 in 2023–and four fewer top-level events will be contested in 2024, the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association announced following its two-day grading session Dec. 14 and 15.

The Committee reviewed 970 overall with purses of at least $75,000 and also assigned listed status to a further 213 races. Some 10 races were upgraded from their previous status–one new Grade I and nine Grade Iis. Four new Grade III events were also listed. Fourteen new listed raced and two new listed/restricted races were upgraded from non-listed black-type status.

The Franklin-Simpson S. at Kentucky Downs is the lone new Grade I for 2024, while the Carter H., the Man o'War S., the Beverly D. S., the United Nations S. and Hollywood Gold Cup each lost its elite-level grading. Nine races were upgraded to Grade II, four races received an upgrade to Grade III, 14 races were upgraded to listed status and two races were awarded listed/restricted status.

Ten races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III, 15 were downgraded from Grade III to listed status and 13 races were downgraded to non-listed black-type.

In 2024, a total of 93 Grade I races will be staged, 137 at the Grade II level and 199 Grade IIIs. Click here for the 2024 U.S. graded and listed stakes listing.

Upgraded Stakes

Grade II to Grade I

Franklin-Simpson S., Kentucky Downs

 

Grade III to Grade II

Intercontinental S., Belmont Park

Charles Town Oaks, Charles Town

Locust Grove S., Churchill Downs

Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Gulfstream

Valley View S., Keeneland

Music City S., Kentucky Downs

Fantasy S., Oaklawn

Saratoga Oaks Invitational, Saratoga

Troy S., Saratoga

 

Listed to Grade III

Unbridled Sidney S., Churchill Downs

Giant's Causeway S., Keeneland

Perryville S., Keeneland

Kentucky Cup Classic, Turfway Park

 

Downgraded Stakes

Grade I to Grade II

Carter H., Aqueduct

Man o'War S., Belmont

Beverly D. S., Colonial Downs

United Nations S., Monmouth

Hollywood Gold Cup, Santa Anita

 

Grade II to Grade III

Forty Niner S., Aqueduct

Hill Prince S., Belmont at Aqueduct

Vosburgh S., Belmont at Aqueduct

Sheepshead Bay S., Belmont at Aqueduct

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. at BC host site

Penn Mile S., Penn National

Californian S., Santa Anita

Goldikova S., Santa Anita

Royal Heroine S., Santa Anita

Prioress S., Saratoga

 

Grade III to Listed

Bay Shore S., Aqueduct

Fall Highweight H., Aqueduct

La Jolla H., Del Mar

Golden Gate H., Golden Gate Fields

Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S., Gulfstream

Smile Sprint S., Gulfstream

Sugar Swirl S., Gulfstream

Swale S., Gulfstream

Smarty Jones S., Parx

BWI Invitational Turf Cup, Pimlico

Iowa Oaks, Prairie Meadows

Remington Park Oaks, Remington

Desert Stormer S., Santa Anita

Kona Gold S., Santa Anita

Schuylerville S., Saratoga

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Dankeschoen, Dalika!: German-Bred Star Mare Fetches $1.65M In Foal to Flightline at Keeneland November

Cataloged as hip 223 as part of Case Clay Thoroughbred Management draft, Dalika (Ger) (Pastorius {Ger}) was hammered down to Pursuit of Success/Bryan Prentice for $1.65 million as the opening session of the Keeneland November Sale began to wind down. In six years at the races, Dalika made 32 trips to the races, good for 10 victories, seven of which came at the stakes level, including a track record-setting performance in the 2022 GI Beverly D. S. where she covered nine furlongs on the turf in 1:46.31. Her other graded scores included the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. in 2021 and the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies' Turf and GIII Cardinal S. at 2022. She was trained in the U.S. by Al Stall, Jr., having broken her maiden in three starts in Germany at the front end of her career. Dalika is one of 11 mares in the November catalog that was was covered by Flightline in his first year at stud this past winter.

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Santa Barbara Does It Again in Beverly D

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL–Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who overcame a troubled trip to win the GI Belmont Oaks in her last trip to the races, had no such difficulties this time around, as she was produced in upper stretch and rolled home to post an easy three-length victory in Saturday's GI Beverly D. S. In joining Euro Charline (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) as the only 3-year-olds to best their elders in the 9 1/2-furlong test, Santa Barbara was–remarkably–providing trainer Aidan O'Brien his first win in the race.

Mean Mary (Scat Daddy), the narrow second wagering choice, broke through the gate, and, once reloaded, found her way to the front from her inside draw and was allowed to lob along while taking token pressure to her outside from GIII Modesty S. winner Naval Laughter (Midshipman) as Ryan Moore tucked Santa Barbara away neatly from third. Mean Mary continued to control a moderate tempo as Naval Laughter shadowed her from the outside, but Mean Mary began to get away from her company as the field neared the stretch. With Moore riding high in the saddle and with a fistful of horse passing the quarter pole, Santa Barbara was pulled out three deep into the lane traveling supremely well, quickly raced up to Mean Mary and was punched out mostly hands and heels to score comfortably. Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass) boxed on gamely to just miss second money while earning valuable Grade I black-type for two-time Beverly D. winner Peter Brant.

Victorious in a single trip to the races, a Curragh maiden last September, Santa Barbara was the 5-2 favorite for the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas May 2, but could do no better than fourth to stablemate Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Unable to see out the 12-furlong trip of the G1 Cazoo Oaks when distant fifth June 4, she raced in heavy traffic for most of the opening nine furlongs of the Belmont Oaks and, with time ticking away, was shown daylight four off the inside and whooshed home to best recent GIII Saratoga Oaks winner Con Lima (Commissioner).

Pedigree Notes:

Already valuable as a half-sister to Breeders' Cup winners Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}, Mile) and Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler of the World {Ire}, F/M Turf) from the same sire line, Santa Barbara is a maternal granddaughter of Starine, whose most important career victory came in the 2002 Filly & Mare Turf right here at Arlington. Santa Barbara is the last listed produce for Senta's Dream.

Saturday, Arlington
BEVERLY D. S.-GI, $392,000, Arlington, 8-14, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 3/16mT, 1:54.55, gd.
1–SANTA BARBARA (IRE), 117, f, 3, by Camelot (GB)
                1st Dam: Senta's Dream (GB), by Danehill
                2nd Dam: Starine (Fr), by Mendocino
                3rd Dam: Grisonnante (Fr), by Kaldoun (Fr)
'TDN Rising Star' O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor,
Derrick Smith, & Westerberg; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd
(IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien; J-Ryan L. Moore. $240,000.
Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, $731,612. *1/2 to Iridessa (IRE)
(Ruler of The World (IRE)), GISW-USA, G1SW-Eng,
MG1SW-Ire, $1,988,198; 1/2 to Order of Australia (IRE)
(Australia (GB)), Hwt. at 3-Ire- at 7 – 9 1/2 f., GISW-USA,
GSW-Ire, $1,268,170. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mean Mary, 123, m, 5, by Scat Daddy
                1st Dam: Karlovy Vary (GISW, $448,596), by Dynaformer
                2nd Dam: The Right Pew, by Pulpit
                3rd Dam: Packet, by Polish Navy
O-Alex G. Campbell, Jr.; B-Alex G. Campbell, Jr.
Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $80,000.
3–Lemista (Ire), 123, f, 4, by Raven's Pass
                1st Dam: Shortmile Lady (Ire), by Arcano (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Jinsiyah, by Housebuster
                3rd Dam: Minifah, by Nureyev
(€16,000 Wlg '17 GOFNOV). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Drumlin
Bloodstock (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown. $40,000.
Margins: 3, NK, 2. Odds: 1.00, 1.10, 5.80.
Also Ran: Joy Epifora (Arg), Naval Laughter. Scratched: Bramble Queen, Oh So Terrible.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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‘Mary’ Meets ‘Barbara’ in Beverly D.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL–For all leading trainer Graham Motion has accomplished in an illustrious career, missing from his resume is a victory in any of Chicago's Grade I events. Alex Campbell, Jr.'s Mean Mary (Scat Daddy) will try to right that wrong as the 9-5 morning-line selection for Saturday's GI Beverly D. S., the first of the afternoon's top-level tests.

A treble graded winner in 2020, the homebred was just run down by champion Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) in the GI Diana S. last August and weakened to seventh at 7-2 after setting a demanding pace in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in November. The dark bay made her seasonal return with a deceptively easy victory in the GIII Gallorette S. at Pimlico May 15, besting a pair of next-out GSWs in the process, and exits a narrow defense of her title in the GII New York S. June 4 in ground that she may not have relished. Luis Saez has the riding assignment.

Remarkably, trainer Aidan O'Brien has never sent out a winner of the Beverly D., but Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) will be well-backed to rectify that anomaly. Fourth as the favorite to recent G1 Prix Rothschild heroine and stablemate Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas first off a September maiden win, Santa Barbara failed to fire in the G1 Cazoo Oaks June 4, finishing a distant fifth, before bouncing back with a narrow loss against older females in the G1 Pretty Polly S. June 27. She was back on 13 days' rest in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. and things looked bleak entering the final eighth of a mile before she exploded late to decision Con Lima (Commissioner) and Higher Truth (Ire), first and second home in last weekend's GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. Santa Barbara gets six pounds from Mean Mary as she tries to join Euro Charline (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) as the only 3-year-old winners of the Beverly D.

If Chad Brown is to win the Beverly D. for the sixth year running, it will be with Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass), whose owner Peter Brant campaigned 2018/2019 winner Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}). A two-time group winner in Ireland for Ger Lyons, she rallied into no pace whatsoever to just miss to GISW Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) in the GIII Beaugay S. on U.S. debut in May. She will try to rebound from a last-of-eight effort in the GI Diana S. July 17 with Flavien Prat at the controls.

Naval Laughter (Midshipman), who broke her maiden by nearly 20 lengths over the synthetic track June 3, most recently belied odds touching 9-1 to upset the course-and-distance GIII Modesty S. July 17 over Joy Epifora (Arg) (Fortify) and Bramble Queen (Silent Name {Jpn}).

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