Plenty of movement on the Grade 1 front for 2019 as the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) announced the results of their annual grading session on Friday.
A pair of stakes on the Belmont Stakes (G1) undercard in recent years – the Jaipur and Woody Stephens – and the Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard were upgraded to Grade 1 status for 2019.
Six races were downgraded from Grade 1 to Grade 2s: the Beldame at Belmont Park; Stephen Foster H. at Churchill Downs; Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos Race Course; and Santa Margarita, Triple Bend and Zenyatta at Santa Anita Park.
The Stephen Foster has featured Horse of the Year winners Gun Runner and Curlin; champion Blame; and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Fort Larned in the last decade.
The downgrading of the Beldame and Zenyatta leaves the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland as the only non-restricted Grade 1 prep race for Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) contenders in the fall.
A total of 807 U.S. stakes with a purse of at least $75,000 were reviewed by the Committee, who assigned graded status to 450 races, five fewer than were graded in 2018, and listed status to 187 races.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint; Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs; Gallant Bob at Parx Racing; Eddie D at Santa Anita Park; and Amsterdam at Saratoga were all upgraded to Grade 2 events.
Dropping from Grade 2 to Grade 3 were the Chilukki at Churchill Downs; Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park; Bayakoa at Los Alamitos Race Course; and Honeymoon, La Canada and Santa Ana at Santa Anita Park.
Nine races were upgraded to Grade 3: the Forbidden Apple and Futurity at Belmont Park; Green Flash H. at Del Mar; Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs; Chick Lang at Pimlico; Astra, Joe Hernandez and Sweet Life at Santa Anita Park; and Quick Call at Saratoga.
The Committee also revealed created a new division for three-year-olds and up turf sprints in 2019 that includes races for both sexes. Previously, dirt and turf sprints were combined into one division for each sex.
| 2019 Graded Stakes | Number | % Graded | % Eligible | Change from 2018 |
| Grade I | 103 | 22.90% | -3 | |
| Grade II | 131 | 29.10% | 2 | |
| Grade III | 216 | 48.00% | -4 | |
| All Graded | 450 | 55.80% | ||
| Listed | 174 | 21.50% | ||
| Listed – Restricted | 13 | 1.60% | ||
| Non-Listed Eligible | 170 | 21.10% | ||
| All Gr., L & NLE Races | 807 |
Races Upgraded for 2019:
Two-Year-Old Fillies – None
| Three-Year-Old Fillies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sweet Life S. (T) | (Santa Anita Park) | Listed to Grade III |
| Beverly J. Lewis S. | (Los Alamitos Race Course) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Black Pearl S. (T) | (Santa Anita Park) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Christiecat S. (T) | (Belmont Park) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Riskaverse S. (T) | (Saratoga) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed – Restricted |
| Older Fillies and Mares | ||
|---|---|---|
| Astra S. (T) | (Santa Anita Park) | Listed to Grade III |
| Pumpkin Pie S. | (Belmont Park) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| River Memories S. (T) | (Belmont Park) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Osunitas S. (T) | (Del Mar) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed – Restricted |
| Two-Year-Olds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (T) | Listed to Grade II | |
| Futurity S. (T) | (Belmont Park) | Listed to Grade III |
| Three-Year-Olds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Woody Stephens S. | (Belmont Park) | Grade II to Grade I |
| Amsterdam S. | (Saratoga) | Grade III to Grade II |
| Gallant Bob S. | (Parx Racing) | Grade III to Grade II |
| Chick Lang S. | (Pimlico) | Listed to Grade III |
| Franklin-Simpson S. | (Kentucky Downs) | non-Listed Black Type to Grade III |
| Quick Call S. | (Saratoga) | Listed to Grade III |
| Steel Valley Sprint S. | (Mahoning Valley Race Course) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| William Walker S. | (Churchill Downs) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Woodchopper S. | (Fair Grounds) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Curlin S. | (Saratoga) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed – Restricted |
| Older Horses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Churchill Downs S. | (Churchill Downs) | Grade II to Grade I |
| Jaipur Invitational S. (T) | (Belmont Park) | Grade II to Grade I |
| Eddie D S. (T) | (Santa Anita Park) | Grade III to Grade II |
| Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. (T) | (Churchill Downs) | Grade III to Grade II |
| Forbidden Apple S. (T) | (Belmont Park) | Listed to Grade III |
| Green Flash H. (T) | (Del Mar) | Listed to Grade III |
| Joe Hernandez S. (T) | (Santa Anita Park) | Listed to Grade III |
| Belmont Turf Sprint Inv. S. (T) | (Belmont Park) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Buddy Diliberto Memorial S. (T) | (Fair Grounds) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Challenger S. | (Tampa Bay Downs) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Danger’s Hour S. (T) | (Aqueduct) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Dave’s Friend S | (Laurel Park) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Henry S. Clark S. (T) | (Laurel Park) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Queens County S. | (Aqueduct) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Stymie S. | (Aqueduct) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Alydar S. | (Saratoga) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed – Restricted |
| John Call S. (T) | (Saratoga) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed – Restricted |
| Old Friends S. (T) | (Kentucky Downs) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed – Restricted |
| Wickerr S. (T) | (Del Mar) | non-Listed Black Type to Listed – Restricted |
Races Downgraded for 2019:
| Two-Year-Old Fillies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tempted S. | (Aqueduct) | Grade III to Listed |
| Delta Downs Princess S. | (Delta Downs) | not eligible |
| My Trusty Cat S. | (Delta Downs) | not eligible |
| Three-Year-Old Fillies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Honeymoon S. (T) | (Santa Anita Park) | Grade II to Grade III |
| Commonwealth Oaks (T) | (Laurel Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| DRF Bets Bourbonette S. | (Turfway Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| Any Limit S. | (Gulfstream Park) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Boiling Springs S. (T) | (Monmouth Park) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Wide Country S. | (Laurel Park) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Older Fillies and Mares | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beldame S. | (Belmont Park) | Grade I to Grade II |
| Santa Margarita S. | (Santa Anita Park) | Grade I to Grade II |
| Zenyatta S. | (Santa Anita Park) | Grade I to Grade II |
| Barbara Fritchie S. | (Laurel Park) | Grade II to Grade III |
| Bayakoa S. | (Los Alamitos Race Course) | Grade II to Grade III |
| Chilukki S. | (Churchill Downs) | Grade II to Grade III |
| La Canada S. | (Santa Anita Park) | Grade II to Grade III |
| Santa Ana S. (T) | (Santa Anita Park) | Grade II to Grade III |
| Groupie Doll S. | (Ellis Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| My Charmer S. (T) | (Gulfstream Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| Violet S. (T) | (Monmouth Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| Lady Jacqueline S. | (Thistledown) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Treasure Chest S. | (Delta Downs) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Two-Year-Olds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity | (Los Alamitos Race Course) | Grade I to Grade II |
| Clever Trevor S. | (Remington Park) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Sapling S. | (Monmouth Park) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Delta Downs Jackpot S. | (Delta Downs) | not eligible |
| Three-Year-Olds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Arlington Classic S. (T) | (Arlington Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| Dania Beach S. (T) | (Gulfstream Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| Betfair.com Long Branch S. | (Monmouth Park) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Tom Ridge S. | (Presque Isle Downs) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Illinois Derby | (Hawthorne Racecourse) | not eligible |
| Spectacular Bid S. | (Gulfstream Park) | not eligible |
| Older Horses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Foster H. | (Churchill Downs) | Grade I to Grade II |
| Triple Bend S. | (Santa Anita Park) | Grade I to Grade II |
| Aristides S. | (Churchill Downs) | Grade III to Listed |
| Lone Star Park H. | (Lone Star Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| Skip Away S. | (Gulfstream Park) | Grade III to Listed |
| WV House of Delegates Speaker’s Cup S. (T) | (Mountaineer Park) | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| El Prado S. (T) | (Gulfstream Park) | not eligible |
| Hawthorne Gold Cup H. | (Hawthorne Racecourse) | not eligible |
| Majestic Light S. | (Monmouth Park) | not eligible |
| PTHA President’s Cup S. | (Parx Racing) | not eligible |
| Precisionist S. | (Santa Anita Park) | not eligible |
7 so cal races downgraded, 1 ny race downgraded, no bias here!!!!!! with small % of stabled horses, it amazes me that so cal horses have dominated the triple crown the last decade,