New Graded Races
 

California will have 4 new Grade I races in 2007. I guess the theory that some races will have a down grade in status is out of the window. Anyway, the four are: Goodwood, Ladys Secret, Norfolk, Del Mar Futurity. The only other grade race to get a bump up in status is the Darley Alcibiades. So f races gets an upgrade and all 5 will be run on a synthetic surface in 2007 (I believe this is correct).

Two races were down graded. They are the Clark and Matron.

New York will have 38 Grade I races, Cali will have 37 and KY will have 21.

There is more information on other graded races in the below link. The article can be read on bloodhorse.com

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36600

The Matron is such a historically important race... sad to see it downgraded.

I was a bit surprised by both to be honest. I don't think either one of them should have been downgraded. The Clark is the highlight of the Churchill Fall meet and like you said, The Matron has had a historical impact.

No offense intended as I really am just curious- what is the deal with you and your suggestive avatars? Am I entirely wrong about this place, it's actually an internet dating site?

HA HA...I thought you were talking about my avatar. I was thinking...what is so suggestive about the greatest singer in the world--NEIL DIAMOND.

I'd never say anything like that about the man who brought us Cracklin Rosie...

When are we getting the Ghostzapper Handicap? Mineshaft got a graded stake less than two years after he retired..

"Sweet Caroline"

By,

You figured it out... I set the site up as an elaborate scheme to get blackthroatwind married...

good ones are hard to find...and harder to keep..lol just like a top claimer...lol

A brilliant however misquided scheme. His stud fee is just way too high for the regular internet poster.

Well, in that case, I guess that leaves him available to pin hookers...

Euro in your haste to try and prove a point, you ain't real bright.
Its been suggested that a few of these grade ones on the Poly will be donwgraded should they have weaker fields in the future.
Since none of the races you just mentioned have ever been run on poly, how exactly does that send anything out the window.
Thats pretty stupid.

Sometimes you can take a cheap claimer, put the blinkers on and move em up.
A lot of trainers like to do some work on the glutial area as well after they claim one.:D

Trying to figure out how the Clark which has been the final gr 1 of the year for 3 and up hdcp horses and had full fields with top horses drops a grade but the goodwood which is often a 5 horse warm up for the Classic is promoted. Still mystified how they dont use any common sense or planning in making these decisions, just some delusional formula by which Giacomo running in a race raises it in stature. Maybe the 2 year olds in CA were underrepresented without Gr 1's but the Ladys Secret is not a better or more important race than the Cash call Mile which is a gr 2. I know it is different divisions but still hard to digest.

That picture is suggestive? :rolleyes: The picture before this one was of me doing something with my fingers while drunk. If you consider that "suggestive" then dont read any of the threads about "breeding" and "Studs"... you might make a mess...

call me old fashioned, i think it's a tad suggestive. or maybe even more than a tad.

Jeans and a top going out of a sliding glass door? You boys need to get out more.

No doubt. I love it. You have to understand we're dealing with horse racing fanatics Balleto. It is what it is. Keep up the good work and the nice pictures. I love your myspace site, whew :cool:

Wanna meet Matt Leinart? I can make it happen.

Don't get it twisted, the boys aren't the ones complaining, A..

THANK YOU...I could not for the life of me figure out who that was...it looked familiar but too small for me to tell for sure...
desiree..and Forever in Blue jeans for me :p

Ok... fully clothed inside a shark's mouth... is this acceptable??? :rolleyes:

No I like the other one better.

You meet any of the ESPN celebs yet?

Whos your favorite?

Boy, you really dont catch on to things very fast now do you. No point trying to be proven at all. But you have summed up your narrow mindness and lack on intelligence in one single post. Now that is pretty impressive.

damn,
what happened to the "suggestive" pic of Balleto?
I miss all the good stuff.

anyway,

I dont get the downgraded status of the Clarke.
didnt it just get Grade 1 status?
had a really nice field, certainly Grade 1 quality.

The Goodwood?
have to be kidding.
5 horse fields and half of those are rabbits for the actual good horses.

no argument on the Matron.

suggestion though.
why does Churchill have their 2 feature races for older horses run at the same distance?
Foster and Clarke are the same race, just at different times.
CD needs to make one run at 10f.
and with their ideal setup for 8f races, they should create a top mile race at 8f.

as for the Ghostzapper stakes ateam,
it will happen.
but lets be honest, the Mineshaft stakes happened b/c he is one of the best horses to ever run at Fairgrounds, just like Risen Star.
both have graded stakes named after them there.

best chance for Ghostzapper to get a race named after him quickly would probably be at Monmouth.
just like there is the Point Given stakes there.
its not like they are going to rename the Woodward or Vosburgh after him.


Repent

I agree Repent. I would prefer it to be called the Zapper stakes and run it once every 4 years.

No, you misunderstood me. I certainly won't be making "a mess."

It's the internet, feel free to portray yourself any way you want. Just seems to me that you are a knowledgeable poster with substantial contributions to make but the self-styled avatars become the focal point rather than what you have to say.

just for the sake of contributing -- i didn't even notice them until people pointed them out.

the logic doesn't work -- the avatar becomes the focus only if YOU make it the focus. If she's got great contributions, and you're focusing on the avatar -- that's a commentary on you....

...not her.

Fair enough. I completely disagree, but hey- that's what's great about a "racing" message board; we all have a place to air opinions.

that was pleasant. and refreshing.

i'm not even being an a-hole -- i'm serious. i wish that attitude was more prevalant in the online communities i'm a part of.

Well, its obviously moot now. For those on the board who know me well, they could see the humor in the original photo.

yea, your face!

BOOYEA!!!!! :D

Eat me Brian! LoL

now, THAT'S funny. good idea! could run it on leap years...