American Graded Stakes Committee

Kentucky Downs will host the first Grade I event in its history next year with the elevation of the GI Franklin-Simpson S. announced Saturday by the American Graded Stakes Committee. "Ownership is laser-focused on the continued elevation of the racing product at their track, and we're appreciative of the recognition by the American Graded Stakes Committee," Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' Vice President for Racing, said in a press release Sunday. "As delighted as we are about finally getting a Grade I stakes, it's more about the ascent of our entire...

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association has done it again, announcing Saturday that it has reduced the number of graded stakes races that will be run in the U.S. in 2024, while also downgrading 30 races. To most, this is a welcome development. With the foal crop continually declining, there should be fewer graded stakes races and fewer Grade I's. Many believe that the committee has not gone far enough. Yet, the announcement, as it always seems to do, did not come without a...

The American Graded Stakes Committee has reviewed last weekend's five graded stakes races that were scheduled to run over the turf at the Belmont at the Big A meet and has determined that the original status will not be reinstated this year, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association said in a series of press releases Thursday. The Oct. 7 and 8 renewal of the GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., the GIII Belmont Turf Sprint S., the GIII Futurity S., the GIII Matron S. and the GIII Noble Damsel S.,...

David O'Farrell has been elected as chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's Board of Trustees. Also joining O'Farrell on the Board of Trustees to serve three-year terms as new members are Joe Appelbaum, Michael Banahan, Everett Dobson, Mandy Pope and R. Glenn Sikura. Re-elected to three-year terms were current trustees Shannon Arvin, Jeffrey Bloom, Marette Farrell, Brant Laue, Garrett O'Rourke, and Stephen Screnci. "It's an honor and a privilege to lead an organization that deeply cares about the economics and integrity of horse racing on behalf of owners...

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, which founded and manages the American Graded Stakes Committee, will accept the testing protocols and criteria administered by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit for graded and listed stakes races conducted in jurisdictions governed by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. HIWU will assign TCO2 and Post-Race testing for these races at quantities and rates specific to each race. Racetracks will not be at risk of losing graded or listed status for their races if the HIWU testing protocols for these races differ from...

The American Graded Stakes Committee policy has reinstated the 2023 renewal of the Duncan F. Kenner S. to listed status. Scheduled for the Fair Grounds turf course Jan. 21, the off-the-turf race, won by Surveillance, was reduced to non-Listed Black-Type status, however, was subsequently determined that the original Listed status would be reinstated.  

The American Graded Stakes Committee released its list of graded stakes for 2023 Friday and it includes five races that were downgraded from Grade I status to Grade II races, including two of NYRA's more prestigious races for older dirt horses, the Woodward and the Cigar Mile H. Also dropping down from the Grade I to the Grade II level were the Clark S. at Churchill Downs, the Starlet S. at Los Alamitos and the Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita. The Woodward was, perhaps, the most surprising inclusion on...

The Jockey Club has elected six new members: Len Coleman, who served alongside Dr. Nancy Cox as co-chair of the blue-ribbon nominating committee that was formed to select members of the board of directors and standing committees of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA); Dr. Nancy Cox, in addition to her aforementioned role, Cox is the vice president for Land Grant Engagement and the dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky (UK). Also elected were Marc Holliday, who was elected chairman of...

However the TDN looks upon itself introspectively, the daily readership of its North American content can probably deduce that without advertising revenues from the Thoroughbred breeding industry, it would be difficult for its publishers to put out such an excellent and comprehensive daily edition. The lead article in June 27th's issue by Bill Finley--"Do we really need so many stakes races?"--obviously comes from the writer's perspective more concerned with payoffs from exactas and trifectas than the majority of the TDN's readers. Bill says, "The problem is obvious. There aren't enough...

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Friday announced the results of its annual grading session conducted Jan. 26 and 27 to determine U.S. Graded and Listed stakes races for February 2022 through January 2023. The Committee reviewed 891 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 449 of them--four more than were graded in 2021, and Listed status to 204 races. Eight Graded races were upgraded and three new Grade I, five new Grade II races and...

Automatically downgraded to a Grade II after coming off the turf and being contested on Santa Anita's main track Dec. 26, the GI American Oaks was reinstated to Grade I status after its review by TOBA-directed American Graded Stakes Committee Thursday. Queen Goddess (Empire Maker) won the 1 1/4-mile test for sophomore fillies. Also reinstated by the committee is the GII Santa Anita Mathis Mile S., also run last Sunday. Conversely, the third turf test of the afternoon, the GII San Gabriel S., was automatically downgraded to Grade III status...

Brant Laue has been re-elected as chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Board of Trustees, TOBA announced Wednesday. Also joining Laue on the Board of Trustees to serve three-year terms as new members are Barbara Banke, Carrie Brogden and Tim Cohen. Re-elected to three-year terms were current trustees Greg Bensel, Robert Edwards Jr., Tanya Gunther and Walker Hancock. "I thank the trustees for their support," Laue said. "Racing has fared well through the pandemic and some positive trends are continuing in 2021, but the pandemic has created new...