The American Graded Stakes Committee Aug. 12 made some changes to the eligibility requirements for stakes.
The AGSC met in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, which oversees the committee.
The AGSC announced three changes. It suspended a requirement that states and/or racetracks must adopt the Association of Racing Commissioners International model rule on toe grabs effective July 22, 2009; reduced the grade I purse minimum for 2010 from $300,000 to $250,000; and said that beginning next year, if a race isn’t run for two or more years or not run in two of the last three years, it’s ineligible for grading.
The grade I purse minimum will go back to $300,000 in 2011, the committee said.
The AGSC will meet again in early December for its annual grading session.
Also during the meeting, Peter Willmott, reappointed to a second three-year term, was re-elected AGSC chairman. Due to a TOBA bylaw change in 2009, TOBA members on the committee will now serve three-year terms instead of five-year terms.
John Amerman and Willmott join prior TOBA appointees Rollin Baugh, Seth Hancock, and Bill Heiligbrodt on the AGSC. Also, the three-year term of Fred Seitz concluded; Seitz asked not to be reappointed to another term.