Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a thoroughbred horse race in the United States that meets the criteria of the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). A specific grade level (I, II, III or listed) is then assigned to the race, based on statistical analysis of the quality of the field in previous years, provided the race meets the minimum purse criteria for the grade in question. In Canada, a similar grading system is maintained by the Jockey Club of Canada. Graded stakes races are similar to Group races in Europe but the grading is more dynamic in North America.

The grading system was designed in 1973 and first published in 1974. The original purpose of grading was to identify the most competitive races, which helps horsemen make comparisons of the relative quality of bloodstock for breeding and sales purposes.[1] A high grading can also be used by racetracks to promote the race in question. When determining Eclipse Award winners, racing journalists will consider the number and grade of a horse's stakes wins during the year.

In general, stakes race refers to the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay, which generally forms part of the prize money offered to the top finishers. Not all stakes races are eligible for grading. Notably, races that are restricted to horses bred in a specific state (e.g., the Tiznow Stakes for California-breds) or country (e.g., the races that make up the Canadian Triple Crown, all restricted to Canadian-breds) are excluded, regardless of the purse or quality of field. Conversely, some races that are not technically stakes races (usually invitational races where entry fees are not required by the racetrack) may be eligible for grading if they meet the quality standards.

Criteria

To determine if a race is eligible for grading, the American Graded Stakes Committee uses the following criteria:[1]

• Purse requirement: That the race has a purse of at least $75,000. ($100,000 for Grade III, $200,000 for Grade II, and $300,000 for Grade I.)
• Longevity: That the race has been run for two years under fundamentally the same conditions. (The race's distance for example may be slightly altered, but age and sex conditions may not.)
• Restrictions: That the race may be restricted only in age and sex.
• Drug testing: That post race drug testing is managed by a governmental authority.
• Medication: That model rules on androgenic-anabolic steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs be followed. Specifically, only Boldenone, Nandrolone, Stanozolol, and Testosterone are allowed to be used. (this is a minimum standard – some racing jurisdictions have even higher restrictions on medications)

In 2008, the Committee implemented a rule requiring that toe grabs on the horseshoe, designed to improve traction, be no longer than 2 millimeters. This was in response to studies by Dr. Susan Stover showing that such toe grabs substantially increase the risk of catastrophic racing injuries.[2][3] They have also discussed a phase out on the race day use of furosemide (Lasix).[4]

A newly established race may inherit the graded status of a discontinued race if it is held at the same facility under essentially identical conditions as the discontinued race. Notably, the inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup in January 2017 was Grade I, inheriting the status of the now-discontinued Donn Handicap.[5]

Levels

There are four different levels of grading, from Listed at the bottom to Grade I at the top. The latter are higher-class races for bigger prizes for horses of the same age group (2, 3 or 3 and up) and may further be restricted by sex. The weight conditions of the races may vary provided they meet the Committee's standards to ensure competitiveness. Many grade I races are "weight-for-age", with weights adjusted only according to age and sex, and also there are 'set weights' where all horses carry the same weight (usually applicable when all horses are of the same age and sex). Furthermore, there are "conditions" races, in which horses carry weights that are set by conditions, such as having won a certain number of races, or races of a certain value. Finally, some graded stakes are "handicaps", in which an official handicapper assigns weights to each horse in an attempt to equalize the competition.

Note that all Grade I races must have a purse of at least $300,000, but not all races with such high purses are Grade I. For example, the racetrack may be offering a high purse to attract better fields so the race will be upgraded in future years. The grade level is assigned by looking at data that indicates quality of the field for the last five years. In order to achieve or maintain a Grade I, it is necessary to attract a competitive field over a number of years.

For graded turf races, track conditions (normally excessive rain) may sometimes force the race to be run on the main (dirt) track. If this happens, the race is automatically downgraded by one grade level for that running only. The Committee then reviews the race within five days and may restore the original grade. For example, a Grade I turf race that is switched to the dirt will be recorded as a Grade II race, unless the committee feels the quality of the race was sufficient to warrant Grade I.

In the United States and Canada, a graded race can be dormant for one year without losing its grade.

U.S. graded stakes races

Grade I (2020)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the events shown below may have been rescheduled or not run at all in 2020. The purse for some events may also have been altered.

Race	Track	Month	Furlongs	Track	Age	Sex[lower-alpha 1]	Purse
Acorn Stakes	Belmont	June	8	Dirt	3	F	$700,000
Alabama Stakes	Saratoga	August	10	Dirt	3	F	$600,000
Alcibiades Stakes	Keeneland	October	8.5	Dirt	2	F	$400,000
Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap	Saratoga	July	6	Dirt	3+		$350,000
American Oaks	Santa Anita	December	9	Turf	3	F	$300,000
American Pharoah Stakes[lower-alpha 2]	Santa Anita	September	8.5	Dirt	2		$300,000
Apple Blossom Handicap	Oaklawn	April	8.5	Dirt	4+	F/M	$700,000
Arkansas Derby	Oaklawn	April	9	Dirt	3		$1,000,000
Arlington Million Stakes	Arlington	August	10	Turf	3+		$1,000,000
Ashland Stakes	Keeneland	April	8.5	Dirt	3	F	$500,000
Awesome Again Stakes	Santa Anita	September	9	Dirt	3+		$300,000
Ballerina Stakes	Saratoga	August	7	Dirt	3+	F/M	$500,000
Beholder Mile Stakes	Santa Anita	March	8	Dirt	3+	F/M	$400,000
Belmont Derby	Belmont	July	10	Turf	3		$1,000,000
Belmont Oaks	Belmont	July	10	Turf	3	F	$750,000
Belmont Stakes	Belmont	June	12	Dirt	3		$1,500,000
Beverly D. Stakes	Arlington	August	9.5	Turf	3+	F/M	$700,000
Bing Crosby Handicap	Del Mar	July	6	Dirt	3+		$300,000
Breeders' Cup Classic	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	10	Dirt	3+		$6,000,000
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	8	Dirt	3+		$1,000,000
Breeders' Cup Distaff	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	9	Dirt	3+	F/M	$2,000,000
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	7	Dirt	3+	F/M	$1,000,000
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	11	Turf	3+	F/M	$2,000,000
Breeders' Cup Juvenile	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	8.5	Dirt	2	C/G	$2,000,000
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	8.5	Dirt	2	F	$2,000,000
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	8	Turf	2	F	$1,000,000
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	8	Turf	2	C/G	$1,000,000
Breeders' Cup Mile	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	8	Turf	3+		$2,000,000
Breeders' Cup Sprint	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	6	Dirt	3+		$1,500,000
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	5.5	Turf	3+		$1,000,000
Breeders' Cup Turf	(Rotates location)	Oct./Nov.	12	Turf	3+		$4,000,000
Breeders' Futurity Stakes	Keeneland	October	8.5	Dirt	2		$500,000
Carter Handicap	Aqueduct	April	7	Dirt	3+		$400,000
Champagne Stakes	Belmont	October	8	Dirt	2		$500,000
Cigar Mile Handicap	Aqueduct	November	8	Dirt	3+		$750,000
Churchill Downs Stakes	Churchill Downs	May	7	Dirt	4+		$500,000
Clark Handicap	Churchill Downs	November	9	Dirt	3+		$500,000
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes	Del Mar	July	8.5	Dirt	3+	F/M	$300,000
Coaching Club American Oaks	Saratoga	July	9	Dirt	3	F	$300,000
Cotillion Stakes	Parx	September	8.5	Dirt	3	F	$1,000,000
Del Mar Debutante Stakes	Del Mar	September	7	Dirt	2	F	$300,000
Del Mar Futurity	Del Mar	September	7	Dirt	2		$300,000
Del Mar Oaks	Del Mar	August	9	Turf	3	F	$300,000
Diana Stakes	Saratoga	July	9	Turf	3+	F/M	$500,000
First Lady Stakes	Keeneland	October	8	Turf	3+	F/M	$400,000
Florida Derby	Gulfstream Park	Mar./Apr.	9	Dirt	3		$1,000,000
Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes	Belmont	October	10	Turf	3+	F/M	$500,000
Forego Stakes	Saratoga	August	7	Dirt	3+		$700,000
Fourstardave Handicap	Saratoga	August	8	Turf	3+		$500,000
Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap	Santa Anita	March	8	Turf	4+		$400,000
Frizette Stakes	Belmont	October	8	Dirt	2	F	$400,000
Gamely Stakes	Santa Anita	May	9	Turf	3+	F/M	$300,000
Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes	Santa Anita	May	10	Dirt	3+		$500,000
H. Allen Jerkens	Saratoga	August	7	Dirt	3		$500,000
Haskell Invitational Stakes	Monmouth	July/Aug.	9	Dirt	3		$1,000,000
Hollywood Derby	Del Mar	November	9	Turf	3		$300,000
Hopeful Stakes	Saratoga	September	7	Dirt	2		$350,000
Humana Distaff Handicap	Churchill Downs	May	7	Dirt	4+	F/M	$300,000
Jaipur Invitational	Belmont	June	6	Turf	4+		$400,000
Jenny Wiley Stakes	Keeneland	April	8.5	Turf	4+	F/M	$300,000
Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes	Belmont	October	10	Dirt	3+		$750,000
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes	Belmont	September	12	Turf	3+		$500,000
Just A Game Handicap	Belmont	June	8	Turf	4+	F/M	$700,000
Kentucky Derby	Churchill Downs	May	10	Dirt	3		$3,000,000
Kentucky Oaks	Churchill Downs	Apr./May	9	Dirt	3	F	$1,250,000
La Brea Stakes	Santa Anita	December	7	Dirt	3	F	$300,000
La Troienne Stakes	Churchill Downs	Apr./May	8.5	Dirt	3+	F/M	$300,000
Madison Stakes	Keeneland	April	7	Dirt	4+	F/M	$300,000
Maker's 46 Mile Stakes	Keeneland	April	8	Turf	4+		$300,000
Malibu Stakes	Santa Anita	December	7	Dirt	3		$300,000
Man o' War Stakes	Belmont	May	11	Turf	3+		$400,000
Manhattan Handicap	Belmont	June	10	Turf	4+		$1,000,000
Matriarch Stakes	Del Mar	November	8	Turf	3+	F/M	$300,000
Metropolitan Handicap	Belmont	June	8	Dirt	3+		$1,250,000
Ogden Phipps Handicap	Belmont	June	8.5	Dirt	3+	F/M	$1,000,000
Pacific Classic Stakes	Del Mar	August	10	Dirt	3+		$1,000,000
Pegasus World Cup[lower-alpha 3]	Gulfstream Park	January	9	Dirt	3+		$9,000,000
Pegasus World Cup Turf[lower-alpha 4]	Gulfstream Park	January	9.5	Turf	4+		$7,000,000
Pennsylvania Derby	Parx	September	9	Dirt	3		$1,000,000+
Personal Ensign Stakes	Saratoga	August	9	Dirt	3+	F/M	$750,000
Preakness Stakes	Pimlico	May	9.5	Dirt	3		$1,500,000
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes	Keeneland	October	9	Turf	3	F	$500,000
Rodeo Drive Stakes	Santa Anita	September	10	Turf	3+	F/M	$300,000
Santa Anita Derby	Santa Anita	April	9	Dirt	3		$1,000,000
Santa Anita Handicap	Santa Anita	March	10	Dirt	4+		$500,000
Secretariat Stakes	Arlington	August	10	Turf	3		$450,000
Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes	Keeneland	October	8	Turf	3+		$1,000,000
Shoemaker Mile	Santa Anita	May/June	8	Turf	3+		$400,000
Spinaway Stakes	Saratoga	September	7	Dirt	2	F	$350,000
Spinster Stakes	Keeneland	October	9	Dirt	3+	F/M	$500,000
Starlet Stakes	Los Alamitos	December	8.5	Dirt	2	F	$300,000
Sword Dancer	Saratoga	August	12	Turf	3+		$1,000,000
Test Stakes	Saratoga	August	7	Dirt	3	F	$500,000
Travers Stakes	Saratoga	August	10	Dirt	3		$1,250,000
Turf Classic Stakes	Churchill Downs	May	9	Turf	3+		$500,000
United Nations Stakes	Monmouth	July	11	Turf	3+		$300,000
Whitney Handicap	Saratoga	August	9	Dirt	3+		$1,250,000
Woodward Stakes	Saratoga	September	9	Dirt	3+		$600,000
Woody Stephens Stakes	Belmont Park	June	7	Dirt	3		$400,000

1. C/G=Colts and Geldings; F=Fillies; F/M=Fillies and Mares. If blank, the race is open.
2. Renamed from FrontRunner Stakes prior to its 2018 edition.
3. Inherited its Grade I ranking from the now discontinued Donn Handicap
4. Inherited its Grade I ranking from the now discontinued Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap

Grade I changes since 2010

The following races have been downgraded from Grade I status since 2010:

• The Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park (2019)[6]
• Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland (2017)[7]
• Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita (2020)
• Charles Whittingham Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Park (2013)[8]
• Eddie Read at Del Mar (2016)[9]
• Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct (2013)[8]
• Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes at Hollywood Park (2012)[10]
• Las Virgenes at Santa Anita Park (2016)[9]
• Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos (2019)[6]
• Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont (2017)[7]
• Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar (2012)[10]
• Pimlico Special at Pimlico (2011)[11]
• Prioress Stakes at Saratoga (2014)[12]
• Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder (2014)[12]
• Ruffian Handicap at Saratoga (2012)[10]
• Santa Anita Sprint Championship at Santa Anita (2020)
• Santa Anita Oaks At Santa Anita (2020)
• Santa Margarita at Santa Anita (2019)[6]
• Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita (2013)[8]
• Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs (2019)[6]
• Triple Bend at Santa Anita (2019)[6]
• Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park (2020)
• Wood Memorial at Aqueduct (2017)[7]
• Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita (2019)[6]

The Hopeful Stakes was downgraded from grade I to grade II for 2012 but regained the top rating in 2013[8]

The Donn Handicap was discontinued after its 2016 edition; its Grade I status was transferred to the Pegasus World Cup, which held its first edition in 2017

Delaware Handicap was upgraded to grade 1 status in 2013 but was downgraded back to grade 2 in 2018[13]

The following races were upgraded to Grade I status since 2010:

• Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (2012)[10]
• Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (2011)[11]
• Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (2012)[10]
• Churchill Downs Stakes (2019)[6]
• Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing (2012)[10][8]
• Fourstardave at Saratoga (2016)[9]
• Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park (2019)[6]
• Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland (2012)[10]
• La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs (2014)[12]
• Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing (2017)[7]
• Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park (2019)[6]

See also

• Group One
• List of horse races
• List of American and Canadian Graded races

References

1. "Graded Stakes". toba.org. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
2. "Graded Stakes Tied to Adoption of Rules". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
3. "Committee Calls for Ban on Certain Toe Grabs". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
4. "Phase-Out of Lasix in Graded Stakes Discussed". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
5. "Pegasus World Cup to Carry Grade I Status". bloodhorse.com. The Blood-Horse. July 22, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
6. "Graded and Listed Races for 2019 Released". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
7. "Blue Grass, Wood Memorial Downgraded". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
8. "Delaware Handicap, Hopeful Now Grade I". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
9. "TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
10. "Four New Grade I Stakes for 2012". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
11. "2011 Graded Stakes: 13 Fewer Than '10". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
12. "Eight Stakes Elevated in Status for 2014". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
13. "AGSC Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2018". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 11 April 2018.

External links

• Graded Stakes Database
• Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association
• An Explanation of the American Graded Stakes Process
• Graded stakes committee to require adoption of steroid, toe grab rules