well obviously a place like saratoga will have more graded races. the committee takes a variety of things into consideration every year when they meet and decide stakes grading. every year some get graded, some move down, some lose status altogether. the oaklawn handicap for instance is now gr 2--due mainly to the fact that the race lately hasn't drawn horses like in the old days, such as when cigar ran. also, the ark derby is a million dollar purse, but til lately, it hasn't drawn a top field. of course it just moved up to a million, but with recent showings by smarty and alex, it's bound to move up.
it's not just the purse, it's also the prestige. those that lose their luster eventually lose their status. but no way they will be handed out evenly to tracks. they'll go to those who have the money to add to the purses.
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Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all.
Abraham Lincoln
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