The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) on Friday presented its listing of U.S. Graded and listed stakes for 2013, the results of its annual grading session conducted November 28 in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Committee reviewed 673 unrestricted U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned graded status to 457 of them, eight fewer than were graded in 2012, and listed status to 201 races.
This is the first year the Committee is responsible for assigning listed status.
A total of five graded races were upgraded, including two new Grade 1 races and three new Grade 2 races; one new Grade 2 race and six new Grade 3 races were upgraded from listed status. Nine races which carried graded status in 2012 are no longer eligible for grading.
Two races were upgraded to Grade 1 status for 2013 -- the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga and Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park.
Three races were downgraded from Grade 1 to Grade 2 for 2013 -- the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park, Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct and Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Four races were upgraded to Grade 2 status for 2013 -- the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Colonial Turf Cup Stakes (from listed) at Colonial Downs, Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar and Monrovia Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Seven races were downgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 3 in 2013 -- the Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct, W. L. McKnight Handicap at Calder Race Course, General George Handicap at Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park and Robert J. Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The Kentucky Cup Stakes at Turfway Park was not eligible for grading in 2013.
Six races were upgraded to Grade 3 status for 2013 -- the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park, Arlington Classic Stakes at Arlington Park, Gallant Bob Stakes and Parx Dash Handicap at Parx Racing and Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs.
Six races were downgraded from Grade 3 to listed status for 2013 -- the Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes and Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park, Spend A Buck Handicap at Calder Race Course, Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs, Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes at Arlington Park and Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct.
The La Habra Stakes, San Rafael Stakes and Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita Park; Kentucky Cup Stakes, Kentucky Cup Distaff Stakes, Kentucky Cup Sprint Stakes and Turfway Park Fall Championship Stakes at Turfway Park; and Kentucky Juvenile Stakes and Locust Grove Handicap at Churchill Downs were not eligible for grading in 2013.
Fifteen races were downgraded from listed to non-listed black-type status for 2013 -- the Gold Rush Futurity at Arapahoe Park; Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park; Zia Park Derby at Zia Park; Sophomore Sprint Stakes, Memorial Day Handicap, Summer Finale Stakes, Decoration Day Handicap and Firecracker Stakes at Mountaineer Park; Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn Park; Rumson Stakes at Monmouth Park; San Juan County Commissioners Handicap at SunRay Park; Brandywine Stakes at Parx Racing; Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes at Prairie Meadows; and Femme Fatale Stakes and Red Carpet Stakes at Penn National Race Course.
Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels. Click here for a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for the 2013 racing season and here for the complete list of 2013 graded and listed stakes.
| 2013 Graded Stakes | Number | % Graded |
% Eligible |
Change from 2012 |
||||
| Grade 1 | 111 | 24.3% | -1 | |||||
| Grade 2 | 148 | 32.4% | -3 | |||||
| Grade 3 | 198 | 43.3% | -4 | |||||
| All Graded | 457 | 67.9% | ||||||
| Listed | 201 | 29.9% | ||||||
| All Graded and Listed Races | 658 |