Contact: Andrew Schweigardt
(859) 277-5891
andys@toba.org
TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2021
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 2021, the results of its annual grading session conducted December 15 and 16. The committee evaluated races conducted after the 2019 Breeders’ Cup through March 15 as normal and races after March 15 were evaluated as normal, as well, but took care to consider any pandemic-related circumstances that may have affected, positively or negatively, the 2020 renewal.
The Committee reviewed 849 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 445 of them, three fewer than were graded in 2020, and Listed status to 193 races. Three Graded races were upgraded; one new Grade I and four new Grade III races were named; 12 new Listed races were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type status. Fifteen races which carried Graded or Listed status in 2020 are no longer eligible for grading.
One race, the Saratoga Derby Invitational S. at Saratoga, was upgraded to Grade I status for 2021.
No races were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II for 2021.
Three races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2021: the Red Smith S. at Aqueduct and Franklin-Simpson S. and Kentucky Turf Cup S. at Kentucky Downs.
Three races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III in 2021: the Knickerbocker S. at Belmont Park and Palos Verdes S. and Las Virgenes S. at Santa Anita Park.
Four races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2021: the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. at Gulfstream Park; Tourist Mile S. at Kentucky Downs; and Caress S. and Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. at Saratoga.
Five races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status for 2021: the Discovery S. at Aqueduct; Palm Beach S. and Rampart S. at Gulfstream Park; Red Bank S. at Monmouth Park; and Senator Ken Maddy S. at Santa Anita Park.
Twelve races were upgraded to Listed status for 2021: the CTT and TOC S. at Del Mar; Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf S. and Kentucky Downs Preview Tourist Mile S. at Ellis Park; Pago Hop S. and Tom Benson Memorial S. at Fair Grounds; Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs; Oaklawn Mile S. and Oaklawn S. at Oaklawn Park; Desert Code S. at Santa Anita Park; Mahony S. at Saratoga; Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs; and Kentucky Cup Classic S. at Turfway Park.
Five races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status for 2021: Correction S. at Aqueduct; Delta Mile S. at Delta Downs; Azalea S. at Gulfstream Park; Dixie Belle S. at Oaklawn Park; and John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park.
The Arlington Classic S., Arlington Matron S. and Stars and Stripes S. at Arlington Park; the C.E.R.F. S., Daisycutter H., Osunitas S. and Wickerr S. at Del Mar; Skip Away S. at Gulfstream Park; Maxxam Gold Cup S. at Sam Houston Race Park; Lone Star Park H. at Lone Star Park; Iowa Distaff S. and Saylorville S. at Prairie Meadows; and Adoration S., Black Pearl S. and Midnight Lute S. at Santa Anita Park were not eligible for grading in 2021.
Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for the 2021 racing season as well as the complete list of 2021 Graded and Listed stakes.
| 2021 Graded Stakes | Number | % Graded | % Eligible | Change from 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade I | 100 | 22.5% | ||
| Grade II | 135 | 30.3% | – | |
| Grade III | 210 | 47.2% | -4 | |
| All Graded | 445 | 52.4% | ||
| Listed | 182 | 22.7% | ||
| Listed – Restricted | 11 | |||
| Non-Listed Eligible | 211 | 24.9% | ||
| All Gr., L & NLE Races | 849 |
Races Upgraded for 2021:
Two-Year-Old Fillies
None
| Three-Year-Old-Fillies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. (T) | Saratoga | non-Listed Black Type to Grade III |
| Dueling Grounds Oaks (T) | Kentucky Downs | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Pago Hop S. (T) | Fair Grounds | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Suncoast S. | Tampa Bay Downs | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Older Fillies and Mares | ||
|---|---|---|
| Caress S. (T) | Saratoga | Listed to Grade III |
| CTT and TOC S. (T) | Del Mar | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf S. (T) | Ellis Park | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Tom Benson Memorial S. (T) | Fair Grounds | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
Two-Year-Olds
None
| Three-Year-Olds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Saratoga Derby Invitational S. (T) | Saratoga | non-Listed Black Type to Grade I |
| Franklin-Simpson S. (T) | Kentucky Downs | Grade III to Grade II |
| Desert Code S. (T) | Santa Anita Park | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Mahony S. (T) | Saratoga | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Oaklawn S. | Oak Lawn Park | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Older Horses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Turf Cup S. (T) | Kentucky Downs | Grade III to Grade II |
| Red Smith S. (T) | Aqueduct | Grade III to Grade II |
| Tourist Mile S. (T) | Kentucky Downs | Listed to Grade III |
| Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. (T) | Gulfstream Park | Listed to Grade III |
| Kentucky Cup Classic S. | Turfway Park | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Tourist Mile S. (T) | Ellis Park | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
| Oaklawn Mile S. | Oaklawn Park | non-Listed Black Type to Listed |
Races Downgraded for 2021:
Two-Year-Old Fillies
None
| Three-Year-Old-Fillies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Las Virgenes S. | Santa Anita Park | Grade II to Grade III |
| Azalea S. | Gulfstream Park | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Dixie Belle S. | Oak Lawn Park | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Black Pearl S. (T.) | Santa Anita Park | not eligible |
| Older Fillies and Mares | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rampart S. | Gulf Stream Park | Grade III to Listed |
| Senator Ken Maddy S. (T) | Santa Anita Park | Grade III to Listed |
| Correction S. | Aqueduct | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Adoration S. | Santa Anita Park | not eligible |
| Arlington Matron S. | Arlington Park | not eligible |
| C.E.R.F. S. | Del Mar | not eligible |
| Daisycutter H. (T) | Del Mar | not eligible |
| Iowa Distaff S. | Prairie Meadows | not eligible |
| Osunitas S. (T) | Del Mar | not eligible |
| Saylorville S. | Prairie Meadows | not eligible |
Two-Year-Olds
None
| Three-Year-Olds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Discovery S. | Aqueduct | Grade III to Listed |
| Palm Beach S. (T) | Gulfstream Park | Grade III to Listed |
| John Battaglia Memorial S. (T) | Turfway Park | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Arlington Classic S. (T) | Arlington Park | not eligible |
| Older Horses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Knickerbocker S. (T) | Belmont Park | Grade II to Grade III |
| Palos Verdes S. | Santa Anita Park | Grade II to Grade III |
| Red Bank S. (T) | Monmouth Park | Grade III to Listed |
| Delta Mile S. | Delta Downs | Listed to non-Listed Black Type |
| Lone Star H. | Lone Star Park | not eligible |
| Maxxam Gold Cup S. | Sam Houston Race Park | not eligible |
| Midnight Lute S. | Santa Anita Park | not eligible |
| Stars and Stripes S. (T) | Arlington Park | not eligible |
| Skip Away S. | Gulfstream Park | not eligible |
| Wickerr S. | Del Mar | not eligible |