FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, December 16, 2023
TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2024
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association today presented its listing of U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes Races for calendar year 2024, the results of its annual grading session conducted December 14 and 15.
The Committee reviewed 970 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 429 of them, 11 fewer than were graded in 2023, and Listed status to 213 races. Ten Graded races were upgraded; one new Grade I and nine new Grade II races were named; four new Grade III races were identified. Fourteen new Listed races and two new Listed-Restricted races were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type (NLBT) status.
Thirty Graded races were downgraded; five Grade I, 10 Grade II and 15 Grade III races were demoted. Thirteen Listed races were downgraded to NLBT status.
One race was upgraded from Grade II to Grade I status for 2024: the Franklin-Simpson S. at Kentucky Downs.
Five races were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II status for 2024: the Carter H. at Aqueduct; Man o’ War S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Beverly D. S. at Colonial Downs; United Nations S. at Monmouth Park; and Hollywood Gold Cup S. at Santa Anita Park.
Nine races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2024: the Intercontinental S. at Belmont Park; Charles Town Oaks at Charles Town; Locust Grove S. at Churchill Downs; Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park; Valley View S. at Keeneland; Music City S. at Kentucky Downs; Fantasy S. at Oaklawn Park; and Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. and Troy S. at Saratoga.
Ten races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status for 2024: the Forty Niner S. at Aqueduct; Hill Prince S. and Vosburgh S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Sheepshead Bay S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. at Breeders’ Cup Limited; Penn Mile S. at Penn National; Californian S., Goldikova S. and Royal Heroine S. at Santa Anita Park; and Prioress S. at Saratoga.
Four races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2024: the Unbridled Sidney S. at Churchill Downs, Giant’s Causeway S. and Perryville S. at Keeneland; and Kentucky Cup Classic S. at Turfway Park.
Fifteen races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status for 2024: the Bay Shore S. and Fall Highweight H. at Aqueduct; La Jolla H. at Del Mar; Golden Gate H. at Golden Gate Fields; Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S., Smile Sprint S., Sugar Swirl S. and Swale S. at Gulfstream Park; Smarty Jones S. at Parx Racing; Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup S. at Pimlico; Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows; Remington Park Oaks at Remington Park; Desert Stormer S. and Kona Gold S. at Santa Anita Park; and Schuylerville S. at Saratoga.
Fourteen races were upgraded to Listed status for 2024: the Central Park S. at Aqueduct; Glen Cove S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Robert Hilton Memorial S. at Charles Town; Maxfield Overnight S., Seneca
Overnight S. and Tepin S. at Churchill Downs, Colonel Power S. and Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds, Sir Shackleton S. at Gulfstream Park; Tinsel S. at Oaklawn Park; Siren Lure S. at Santa Anita Park; and Big Daddy S., Latonia S., and Prairie Bayou S. at Turfway Park.
Two races were upgraded to Listed-Restricted status for 2024: the Knicks Go Overnight S. at Churchill Downs; and Osunitas S. at Del Mar.
Thirteen races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status for 2024: the Discovery S. at Aqueduct; Obeah S. at Delaware Park; Hutcheson S. at Gulfstream Park; Concern S., Japan Turf Cup S., and Willa On the Move S. at Laurel Park; Red Bank S. and Violet S. at Monmouth Park; Penn Oaks at Penn National; All Along S. at Pimlico; Pasadena S. at Santa Anita Park; Sunland Park Oaks at Sunland Park; and Turf Dash S. at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Allied Forces S., Christiecat S., Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational S., Point of Entry S., and River Memories S. at Belmont Park; and Shine Again S. at Saratoga were not eligible for grading in 2024.
Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for 2024 as well as the complete list of 2024 Graded and Listed stakes.
2024 Gr. Stakes Number % Graded %Eligible Change from 2023
Grade I 93 21.7% -4
Grade II 137 31.9% +2
Grade III 199 46.4% -9
All Graded 429 44.2%
Listed 199 20.5%
Listed – Restricted 14 1.5%
Non-Listed Eligible 328 33.8%
All Gr., L & NLE Races 970
The Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association (TOBA), based in Lexington, Ky., was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of leading Thoroughbred owners and breeders. TOBA’s mission is to improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, Claiming Crown, Ownership Seminars, Breeding, Conformation & Pedigree Clinics, US-Bred, TOBA Owners Concierge, OwnerView and the Sales Integrity Program. TOBA provides international representation for U.S. owners and breeders on the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee, International Cataloguing Standards Committee and International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation. Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) is the charitable arm of TOBA. TOBA Media Properties, a subsidiary of TOBA, is the co-owner of BloodHorse LLC. TOBA is represented on the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium as founding members.
RACES UPGRADED FOR 2024:
Two-Year-Old Fillies
None
Three-Year-Old Fillies
Charles Town Oaks (Charles Town) Grade III to Grade II
Fantasy S. (Oaklawn Park) Grade III to Grade II
Music City S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade III to Grade II
Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. (T) (Saratoga) Grade III to Grade II
Valley View S. (T) (Keeneland) Grade III to Grade II
Glen Cove S. (T) (Aqueduct) NLBT to Listed
Seneca Overnight S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed
Tepin S. (T) (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed
Older Fillies and Mares
Intercontinental S. (T) (Saratoga) Grade III to Grade II
Locust Grove S. (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Grade II
Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Inv. S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Grade II
Giant’s Causeway S. (T) (Keeneland) Listed to Grade III
Unbridled Sidney S. (T) (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade III
Latonia S. (A) (Turfway Park) NLBT to Listed
Osunitas S. (T) (Del Mar) NLBT to Listed – Restricted
Two-Year-Olds
Central Park S. (T) (Aqueduct) NLBT to Listed
Gun Runner S. (Fair Grounds) NLBT to Listed
Three-Year-Olds
Franklin-Simpson S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade II to Grade I
Perryville S. (Keeneland) Listed to Grade III
Maxfield Overnight S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed
Robert Hilton Memorial S. (Charles Town) NLBT to Listed
Older Horses
Troy S. (T) (Saratoga) Grade III to Grade II
Kentucky Cup Classic S. (A) (Turfway Park) Listed to Grade III
Big Daddy S. (A) (Turfway Park) NLBT to Listed
Colonel Power S. (T) (Fair Grounds) NLBT to Listed
Prairie Bayou S. (A) (Turfway Park) NLBT to Listed
Sir Shackleton S. (Gulfstream Park) NLBT to Listed
Siren Lure S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) NLBT to Listed
Tinsel S. (Oaklawn Park) NLBT to Listed
Knicks Go Overnight S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed – Restricted
RACES DOWNGRADED FOR 2024:
Two-Year-Old Fillies
Schuylerville S. (Saratoga) Grade III to Listed
Three-Year-Old Fillies
Prioress S. (Saratoga) Grade II to Grade III
Iowa Oaks (Prairie Meadows) Grade III to Listed
Remington Park Oaks (Remington Park) Grade III to Listed
Penn Oaks (T) (Penn National) Listed to NLBT
Sunland Park Oaks (Sunland Park) Listed to NLBT
Christiecat S. (T) (Belmont Park) not eligible for grading
Older Fillies and Mares
Beverly D. S. (T) (Colonial Downs) Grade I to Grade II
Goldikova S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade II to Grade III
Royal Heroine S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade II to Grade III
Sheepshead Bay S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade II to Grade III
Sugar Swirl S. (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed
Desert Stormer S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed
All Along S. (T) (Pimlico) Listed to NLBT
Obeah S. (Delaware Park) Listed to NLBT
Violet S. (T) (Monmouth Park) Listed to NLBT
Willa On the Move S. (Laurel Park) Listed to NLBT
River Memories S. (T) (Belmont Park) not eligible for grading
Shine Again S. (Saratoga) not eligible for grading
Two-Year-Olds
None
Three-Year-Olds
Hill Prince S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade II to Grade III
Penn Mile S. (T) (Penn National) Grade II to Grade III
Bay Shore S. (Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed
La Jolla H. (T) (Del Mar) Grade III to Listed
Smarty Jones S. (Parx Racing) Grade III to Listed
Swale S. (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed
Concern S. (Laurel Park) Listed to NLBT
Discovery S. (Aqueduct) Listed to NLBT
Hutcheson S. (Gulfstream Park) Listed to NLBT
Pasadena S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Listed to NLBT
Allied Forces S. (T) (Belmont Park) not eligible for grading
Older Horses
Carter H. (Aqueduct) Grade I to Grade II
Hollywood Gold Cup S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade I to Grade II
Man o’ War S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade I to Grade II
RACES DOWNGRADED FOR 2024:
Older Horses (cont’d)
United Nations S. (T) (Monmouth Park) Grade I to Grade II
Californian S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade II to Grade III
Forty Niner S. (Aqueduct) Grade II to Grade III
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. (Breeders’ Cup Limited) Grade II to Grade III
Vosburgh S. (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade II to Grade III
Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup S. (T) (Pimlico) Grade III to Listed
Fall Highweight H. (Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed
Golden Gate H. (A) (Golden Gate Fields) Grade III to Listed
Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed
Kona Gold S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed
Smile Sprint S. (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed
Japan Turf Cup S. (T) (Laurel Park) Listed to NLBT
Red Bank S. (T) (Monmouth Park) Listed to NLBT
Turf Dash S. (T) (Tampa Bay Downs) Listed to NLBT
Grand Prix American Jockey Club Inv. S. (Belmont Park) not eligible for grading
Point of Entry S. (T) (Belmont Park) not eligible for grading