2011 Graded Stakes: All Hail the BC

[Alan07]

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