AGSC elevates Fourstardave to G1, ups 8 to G3's
 

TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2016

LEXINGTON, Ky. – 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 2016, the results of its annual grading session conducted December 2 in Lexington.

The Committee reviewed 788 unrestricted U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 464 of them, one more than were graded in 2015, and Listed status to 173 races. Six Graded races were upgraded; Eight new Grade III races were named; 31 new Listed races were upgraded from Non-Listed Black Type status. Twenty races which carried Graded or Listed status in 2015 are no longer eligible for grading.

One race was upgraded to Grade I status for 2016: the Fourstardave S. at Saratoga.

Two races were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II for 2016: the Eddie Read S. at Del Mar and Las Virgenes S. at Santa Anita Park.

Five races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2016: the Eight Belles S. at Churchill Downs, Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds, Shakertown S. and Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. at Keeneland, and Hillsborough S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

Six races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III in 2016: the Distaff H. at Aqueduct, Futurity S. and Matron S. at Belmont Park, Hawthorne Gold Cup H. at Hawthorne Race Course, Adena Springs Beaumont S. at Keeneland, and Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

Eight races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2016: the Pennine Ridge S. at Belmont Park, Locust Grove S. at Churchill Downs, Harlan’s Holiday S. at Gulfstream Park, Houston Ladies Classic S. at Sam Houston Race Park, Buffalo Trace Franklin County S. at Keeneland, Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash S. at Laurel Park, and Megahertz S. and Thunder Road S. at Santa Anita Park.

Four races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status for 2016: the Dogwood S. and Jefferson Cup S. at Churchill Downs, Obeah S. at Delaware Park and Azalea S. at Gulfstream Park.

Thirty-one races were upgraded to Listed status for 2016: the Gravesend S. at Aqueduct; Tremont S., Belmont Gold Cup Invitational S., Forbidden Apple S., Diablo S., Wonder Again S., Jersey Girl S., Perfect Sting S., and Intercontinental S. at Belmont Park; Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park; El Prado S., Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S., Silks Run S., Any Limit S. and Sir Shackleton S. at Gulfstream Park; Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint S. and More Than Ready Mile S. at Kentucky Downs; Wide Country S. at Laurel Park; Dixie Belle S. and King Cotton S. at Oaklawn Park; Stormy Blues S. and The Very One S. at Pimlico; Santana Mile S., China Doll S., Sweet Life S., Angels Flight S.,


Possibly Perfect S. and Desert Stormer S. at Santa Anita Park; Coronation Cup S. and Lucky Coin S. at Saratoga; and Zia Park Derby at Zia Park.

Nine races were downgraded from Listed to Non-Listed Black Type status for 2016: the Cicada S. at Aqueduct, Nancy’s Glitter S. at Gulfstream Park West, River Cities S. and Sunday Silence S. at Louisiana Downs, Regret S. at Monmouth Park, Independence Day S. and West Virginia Secretary of State S. at Mountaineer Park, Fitz Dixon Memorial S. at Presque Isle Downs and El Joven S. at Retama Park.

The Real Quiet S. and Sharp Cat S. last run at Betfair Hollywood Park, Researcher S. at Charles Town, Edward P. Evans All Along S. at Colonial Downs, Barbaro S., John W. Rooney Memorial S., and Go For Wand S. at Delaware Park, Duncan F. Kenner S., Marie G. Krantz Memorial S., New Orleans Ladies S., Tenacious H. and Tiffany Lass S. at Fair Grounds, Bull Dog H. at Fresno, Golden Bear S. at Indiana Grand, Bensalem S. and Langhorne S. at Parx Racing, Prairie Meadows H. at Prairie Meadows, Sunset H. and San Fernando S. at Santa Anita Park and Team Valor Rushaway S. at Turway Park were not eligible for grading in 2016.

Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for the 2016 racing season as well as the complete list of 2016 Graded and Listed stakes.

There goes the last GI Turf race at over a mile for open company in California. The only ones left are at the mile distance or are restricted to 3yos.

I understand the reasons for it, but I still find it sad.

Disgrace PA Derby was not elevated. I heard some stuff. Intentional snub. Race was GR 1 quality last 2 years for sure.

I forgot......the Rodeo Drive (what an awful name) at 10 furlongs for fillies & mares. But the fact remains that the Kilroe and Shoemaker Miles are the ONLY GI turf races remaining in California for open company. The Rodeo Drive and Matriarch are for 3&up but restricted to females, and the Del Mar Oaks, American Oaks, and Hollywood Derby are all, of course, restricted to 3yos


As far as the PA Derby is concerned, I don't think that the AGSC is particularly interested in giving a GI upgrade to a 3yo dirt race run in September. I may be wrong, but I think the Travers in late August is the last GI dirt race for 3yos on the national calendar. There IS the Malibu at Santa Anita, but that one is a whole different thing.....being run at 7 furlongs some 6 days before the turn of the year.

After the Travers, the good 3yo dirt horses are expected to step up and face their elders, and making the PA Derby a GI race just gives them another reason (after the $1M purse) not to.