Five New Grade I Races in 2007; Two Others Drop to Grade II

Originally Posted by jpops757

In spite of the claim of races deserving graded status. Too many are simply handed out because of tradition and politics. My home track is LS and I feel the main reason they have a couple of gr3 races is because the grading group want to send them a bone because they are a very nice source of income from a simo stand point and not the racing quality. Granted a few very nice horses ship in for the gr3s but the overall quality is not there.

Well then you get the debate on what is quality. I mean, tracks cannot make trainers race their horses. Say you are all set for a nice Grade I race and then two days before the race the two "stars" defect. It isn't the tracks fault so why should that race get a negative mark against it. There are too many variables that come in to play.