Andrew Schweigardt
(859) 277-5891
andys@toba.org
TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2026
Click here for the full 2026 Graded and Listed Stakes
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 2026, the results of its annual grading session conducted December 17 and 18.
The committee reviewed 942 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 410 of them, five fewer than were graded in 2025, and Listed status to 211 races. Eleven Graded races were upgraded; one new Grade I and 10 new Grade II races were named; four new Grade III races were identified. Nine new Listed races and one new Listed-Restricted race were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type (NLBT) status.
Thirteen Graded races were downgraded; two Grade I, five Grade II and six Grade III races were demoted. Six Listed races were downgraded to NLBT status.
One race was upgraded from Grade II to Grade I status for 2026: the Ladies Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs.
Two races were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II status for 2026: the Franklin-Simpson S. at Kentucky Downs and Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. at Santa Anita Park.
Ten races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2026: the Shawnee S. and Unbridled Sidney S. at Churchill Downs; Green Flash H. at Del Mar; Bryan Station S., Doubledogdare S., and Giant’s Causeway S. at Keeneland; Ladies Turf S. and Nashville Derby Invitational S. at Kentucky Downs; Molly Pitcher S. at Monmouth Park; and Caress S. at Saratoga.
Five races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status for 2026: the Fort Marcy S. and Sands Point S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Gulfstream Park Mile S. at Gulfstream Park; and Joe Hernandez S. and Santa Maria S. at Santa Anita Park.
Four races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2026: the Hanshin S. and Maxfield S. at Churchill Downs and Indian Summer S. and Limestone S. at Keeneland.
Six races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status for 2026: the Red Carpet S. at Del Mar; Pucker Up S. at Ellis Park; Greenwood Cup S. at Parx Racing; and Honeymoon S., Las Virgenes S., and Palos Verdes S. at Santa Anita Park.
Nine races were upgraded to Listed status for 2026: the Autumn Days S. at Aqueduct; Anchorage Overnight S., Fern Creek S.; and Leslie’s Lady Overnight S. at Churchill Downs; Jeff Hall Memorial Sprint S. and KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint S. at Ellis Park; Myrtlewood S. at Keeneland; Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs; and Holiday Inaugural S. at Turfway Park.
One race was upgraded to Listed-Restricted status for 2026: the Tranquility Lake S. at Del Mar.
Six races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status for 2026: the Paradise Creek S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Mardi Gras S. at Fair Grounds; City of Laurel S. at Laurel Park; Bachelor S. and Purple Martin S. at Oaklawn Park; and Lazaro Barrera S. at Santa Anita Park.
The All American S., El Camino Real Derby, Golden Gate H., and San Francisco Mile S. at Golden Gate Fields; Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup S. at Laurel Park; and Lady of Shamrock S., Sham S., and Tokyo City Cup S. at Santa Anita Park were not eligible for grading in 2026.
Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for 2026 as well as the complete list of 2026 Graded and Listed stakes.
2026 Gr. Stakes Number % Graded %Eligible Change from 2025
Grade I 92 22.4% –
Grade II 136 33.2% +6
Grade III 182 44.4% -10
All Graded 410 43.5%
Listed 199 21.1%
Listed – Restricted 12 1.3%
Non-Listed Eligible 321 34.1%
All Gr., L & NLE Races 942
The Thoroughbred Owners and 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, 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.
TOBA American Graded Stakes Committee
Summary of Decisions made at December 17 and 18, 2025 Grading Session
RACES UPGRADED FOR 2026
Two-Year-Old Fillies
Fern Creek S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed
Myrtlewood S. (Keeneland) NLBT to Listed
Untapable S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) NLBT to Listed
Three-Year-Old Fillies
Limestone S. (T) (Keeneland) Listed to Grade III
Leslie’s Lady Overnight S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed
Older Fillies and Mares
Ladies Turf Sprint S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade II to Grade I
Caress S. (T) (Saratoga) Grade III to Grade II
Doubledogdare S. (Keeneland) Grade III to Grade II
Giant’s Causeway S. (T) (Keeneland) Grade III to Grade II
Ladies Turf S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade III to Grade II
Molly Pitcher S. (Monmouth Park) Grade III to Grade II
Shawnee S. (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Grade II
Unbridled Sidney S. (T) (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Grade II
Anchorage Overnight S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed
Autumn Days S. (T) (Aqueduct) NLBT to Listed
Holiday Inaugural S. (AWT) (Turfway Park) NLBT to Listed
KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Sprint S. (T) (Ellis Park) NLBT to Listed
Tranquility Lake S. (Del Mar) NLBT to Listed-Restricted
Two-Year-Olds
Indian Summer S. (T) (Keeneland) Listed to Grade III
Three-Year-Olds
Bryan Station S. (T) (Keeneland) Grade III to Grade II
Nashville Derby Invitational S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade III to Grade II
Maxfield S. (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade III
Older Horses
Green Flash H. (Del Mar) Grade III to Grade II
Hanshin S. (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade III
Jeff Hall Memorial Sprint S. (Ellis Park) NLBT to Listed
TOBA American Graded Stakes Committee
Summary of Decisions made at December 17 and 18, 2025 Grading Session
RACES DOWNGRADED FOR 2026:
Two-Year-Old Fillies
None
Three-Year-Old Fillies
Sands Point S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade II to Grade III
Honeymoon S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed
Las Virgenes S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed
Pucker Up S. (T) (Ellis Park) Grade III to Listed
Purple Martin S. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to NLBT
Lady of Shamrock S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) not eligible for grading
Older Fillies and Mares
Santa Maria S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade II to Grade III
Red Carpet S. (T) (Del Mar) Grade III to Listed
Mardi Gras S. (T) (Fair Grounds) Listed to NLBT
Two-Year-Olds
None
Three-Year-Olds
Franklin-Simpson S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade I to Grade II
Bachelor S. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to NLBT
City of Laurel S. (Laurel Park) Listed to NLBT
Lazaro Barrera S. (Santa Anita Park) Listed to NLBT
Paradise Creek S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Listed to NLBT
El Camino Real Derby (AWT) (Golden Gate Fields) not eligible for grading
Sham S. (Santa Anita Park) not eligible for grading
Older Horses
Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade I to Grade II
Fort Marcy S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade II to Grade III
Gulfstream Park Mile S. (Gulfstream Park) Grade II to Grade III
Joe Hernandez S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade II to Grad e III
Greenwood Cup S. (Parx Racing) Grade III to Listed
Palos Verdes S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed
All American S. (AWT) (Golden Gate Fields) not eligible for grading
Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup S. (T) (Laurel Park) not eligible for grading
Golden Gate Fields H. (AWT) (Golden Gate Fields) not eligible for grading
San Francisco Mile S. (T) (Golden Gate Fields) not eligible for grading
Tokyo City Cup S. (Santa Anita Park) not eligible for grading