Five New Grade I Races in 2007; Two Others Drop to Grade II

[Pedigree Ann]

When I look abck at the original list of graded races from 1973, I could cry at how far from the original intent we have come.

In 1973, there was only ONE G1 for horses 3 and up at 8f or less - the Met Mile. At 1 1/16 there was the Californian S; at 9f were the San Antonio S (a Big 'Cap prep) and the Governor S (a prep for the Marlboro Cup etc.); there were 9 G1s at 10f, then the Woodward at 12f and the Jockey Club Gold Cup at 2 miles.

There were no G1s shorter than 9f for older mares, nor for 3yos. Sophomore fillies could get a G1 for winning the Acorn at 8f or the Cotillion at 8.5f, but the remaining 5 G1s were at 9f or beyond. (The Kentucky Oaks was more or less a local race in those days, a G2; its prep, the Ashland S, was a G3). The shortest G1 turf race was the 9f American Derby for 3yos; older horses had the 9.5f UN H, but then it was 11f or longer to win a G1. Juveniles had 6 chances to win a G1 in open company, 5 chances if they ran in filly races. (None of these races was around 2 turns by the way - the 8.5f races at Laurel were run around one turn with an auxilary finish line.)