The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders
Association on Thursday presented its listing of U.S. graded stakes for 2010,
the results of its annual grading session conducted Wednesday in Lexington,
Kentucky.
The Committee reviewed 723 unrestricted U.S. stakes races with a purse of at
least $75,000, and assigned graded status to 487 of them, two less than were
graded in 2009. A total of 15 graded races were upgraded, including three new
Grade 1 races and six new Grade 2 races; six new Grade 3 races were identified.
Two races which carried Grade 3 status in 2009 are no longer eligible for
grading.
The three races upgraded to Grade 1 status for 2010 consist of the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park,
Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga and Clark H. at
Churchill Downs.
Oaklawn Park officials expressed their gratitude for the rise in status of
the $1 million Arkansas Derby to Grade 1 for the 2010 event.
“Many people have worked hard to bring the Arkansas Derby to this level,”
Oaklawn Racing Secretary Pat Pope noted. “We have many people to thank in addition
to the Graded Stakes Committee. Certainly the horsemen, press and media and our
own employees, along with the racing fans of Arkansas, have celebrated the rise
in significance of the Arkansas Derby and all share in this news as we get ready
for the opening of the 2010 season on January 15.
The 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby is scheduled for April 10, the conclusion of
Oaklawn’s Racing Festival of the South. Early Bird nominations, which include
the $250,000 Southwest S. (G3) (February 15) and $300,000 Rebel S. (G2) (March
13) in addition to the Arkansas Derby, close on February 5.
The Committee downgraded five races from Grade 1 to Grade 2 for 2010: the Citation H.
at Hollywood Park, Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. at Laurel Park, Go for
Wand H. at Saratoga, John C. Mabee S. at Del Mar and Santa Maria H. at Santa
Anita.
Six races — the American Turf S. at Churchill, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
Fillies Turf, Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Pocahontas S. at Churchill, Risen Star
S. at Fair Grounds and Sir Beaufort S. at Santa Anita — have all been upgraded
Grade 2 status for 2010.
Ten races were downgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 3 in 2010: the Bed o’ Roses
H. at Aqueduct, Beverly Hills H. at Hollywood, Comely S. at Aqueduct, Illinois
Derby at Hawthorne, Jefferson Cup S. at Churchill, La Prevoyante H. at Calder,
Ohio Derby at Thistledown, Rampart S. at Gulfstream Park, Sunset H. at Hollywood
and Tom Fool H. at Belmont Park.
A total of six races were upgraded to Grade 3 status for 2010, comprising the
Breeders’ Cup Marathon, Cougar II H. at Del Mar, Ft. Lauderdale S. at
Gulfstream, Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows, Monmouth S. at Monmouth Park and
Sunland Derby at Sunland Park.
Eight races were downgraded from Grade 3 to ungraded status for 2010: the
Baldwin S. at Santa Anita, Barbaro S. at Delaware Park, Calder Derby at Calder,
Cinema H. at Hollywood, Dallas Turf Cup S. at Lone Star Park, Miss Preakness S.
at Pimlico, Next Move S. at Aqueduct and Stuyvesant H. at Aqueduct.
The Frances A. Genter S. at Calder and Safely Kept S. at Laurel Park were not
eligible for grading in 2010.