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#1
12-02-2010, 03:47 PM
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2011 Graded Stakes: All Hail the BC
he American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Dec. 2 released its listing of United States Graded Stakes for 2011, the results of its annual grading session conducted Dec. 1 in Lexington.
The committee reviewed 689 unrestricted U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned graded status to 474 of them, 13 less than were graded in 2010. A total of five graded races were upgraded, including one new grade I race and four new grade II races. Five new grade III races were also identified, and eight races which carried graded status in 2010 are no longer eligible for grading. GRADED STAKES CHANGES FOR 2011 Upgrades Grade 2 to Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (T) - Churchill Downs* Grade 3 to Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (T) - Presque Isle With Anticipation S. (T) - Saratoga Tampa Bay Derby - Tampa Bay Downs Breeders’ Cup Marathon - Churchill Downs* Ungraded to Grade 3 Jessamine S. - Keeneland Marshua’s River S. (T) - Gulfstream Park Charles Town Classic S. - Charles Town Tampa Bay S. (T) - Tampa Bay Downs Turf Monster S. (T) - Parx Racing Downgrades Grade 1 to Grade 2 (or ungraded) Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship S. (T) - Oak Tree Pimlico Special** - Pimlico Racecourse Grade 2 to Grade 3 (or ungraded) Allaire DuPont Distaff H. - Pimlico Lane’s End S. - Turfway Park Lexington S. - Keeneland Cornhusker H. - Prairie Meadows San Francisco Mile H. (T) - Golden Gate Fields Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash** - Laurel Park Dahlia H. (T)** - Hollywood Park Grade 3 to ungraded Florida Oaks - Tampa Bay Downs Santa Paula S. - Santa Anita Park Stage Door Betty H. - Calder Race Course Lone Star Derby - Lone Star Park Tropical Park Derby (T) - Calder Race Course Chick Lang S. - Pimlico Racecourse Memorial Day H. - Calder Race Course Queens County H. - Aqueduct Robert F. Carey Memorial H. (T) - Hawthorne Race Course Kenny Noe Jr. H. - Calder Race Course Massachusetts H.** - Suffolk Downs Carleton F. Burke H. (T)** - Oak Tree Sport Page H.** - Belmont Park Hollywood Turf Express H. (T)** - Hollywood Park Hawthorne H.** - Hollywood Park *Scheduled for Churchill Downs in 2011; TBD for 2012 and beyond **Ineligible for grading in 2011 Last edited by Kasept : 12-03-2010 at 06:06 AM. 
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#2
12-02-2010, 04:39 PM
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Why am I finding it a little sad that both the Pimlico Special and the De Francis Dash are now ungraded?
I know pretty much nothing about Maryland or their tracks so sorry for the stupid question but is the Preakness the only G1 left out that way?
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#3
12-02-2010, 05:31 PM
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I believe that is correct, though I would have to imagine that both of those races are ungraded because, well, when was the last time they were actually run?
__________________
The world's foremost expert on virtually everything on the Redskins 2010 season: "Im going to go out on a limb here. I say they make the playoffs."
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#4
12-02-2010, 05:32 PM
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And Charles Town has its first graded race! That is serious stuff.
__________________
The world's foremost expert on virtually everything on the Redskins 2010 season: "Im going to go out on a limb here. I say they make the playoffs."
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#5
12-03-2010, 02:52 AM
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What possible reason could be given for upgrading the BC Marathon?
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#6
12-03-2010, 06:42 AM
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the sport would be well served by getting rid of a lot of graded races. it would make the top level of the sport far more competitive.
__________________
Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all. Abraham Lincoln
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#7
12-03-2010, 06:56 AM
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#8
12-03-2010, 08:08 AM
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Calder really took it in the shorts losing 4 graded races.... On the bright side, I'm thrilled to see the Tampa Bay Derby upgraded to G2...
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#9
12-03-2010, 08:08 AM
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#10
12-03-2010, 08:16 AM
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#11
12-03-2010, 08:27 AM
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I am just waiting for the Blue Grass to finally be downgraded to a G2. I think I'll keep waiting on that one.
__________________
The world's foremost expert on virtually everything on the Redskins 2010 season: "Im going to go out on a limb here. I say they make the playoffs."
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#12
12-03-2010, 10:15 AM
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When I first heard about the Marathon - I remember telling someone 'great - a bad Euro will win it everytime it's on synthetic and a bad A. P. Indy will win it everytime it's on dirt'
So far - after 3 editions - two synthetic versions have gone to horrid Euro's and the lone dirt version has gone to a horrible A. P. Indy.
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#13
12-03-2010, 10:17 AM
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#14
12-03-2010, 10:35 AM
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It may be a good idea (I am not so sure) but there is absolutely no possible way that based on the three runnings to date that they have ever assembled a grade 2 field nor are the prospects any better for any quality starters with this new grading. It is just silly. Paul
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#15
12-03-2010, 10:51 AM
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I do think it's a good idea... it's not going to change the world, but it's something. As for the grading... don't get me started on the grading process. A lot of grades out there don't make a lot of sense...
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#16
12-03-2010, 01:53 PM
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The majority of tracks have a hard time filling maiden or allowance races longer than 1 1/16th on the dirt. You cant "grow" legit stakes horses without a solid base of races to develop in. Until the tracks are willing to use short fields then you simply wont get much horseman participation because most guys are too unfamilar with training horses to go longer distances and there arent that many American dirt pedigrees that want 1 1/2 and further. What will make them try is short fields. There won't be many of them to start with but unless they start at the lower levels, the marathon will simply continue to be filled with 2nd raters as Drugs said. How that race was elevated after the three decidely subpar runnings is a mystery.
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#17
12-03-2010, 02:03 PM
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#18
12-03-2010, 02:05 PM
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#19
12-03-2010, 03:07 PM
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It's amazing that only one (active) Grade I race saw its grade reduced.
Everyone talks about the need for a "Central Office" in racing, but what suggests that the new "Central" leaders are going to be much different from the type of people currently running organizations such as the NTRA or Breeders' Cup or populating committees such as the Graded Stakes committee.
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#20
12-03-2010, 03:10 PM
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