Blue Grass Stakes to Return to Grade 1 Status

A trio of grade 2 races being promoted to grade 1 status for 2022, highlighted by Keeneland's top Kentucky Derby (G1) prep race—the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes—catch the eye after the American Graded Stakes Committee issued its grades for the upcoming year.

The Blue Grass, which celebrates its 98th running on April 9, is a 3-year-old prep race worth 170 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, including 100 qualifying points to the winner. The race had been a grade 2 stakes since 2017.

In recent years, the Blue Grass has been won by juvenile champions Essential Quality   (2021) and Good Magic   (2018) and by grade 1 winners Vekoma   (2019) and Art Collector  (2020).

"We are thrilled that the Toyota Blue Grass has been restored to grade 1 status," Keeneland vice president of Racing Gatewood Bell said. "This is a goal we've worked toward for several years, and we couldn't be happier for our fans, our horsemen, and our sponsor, Toyota. We thank them all for their loyal support of Keeneland's racing program, and we look forward to the spring meet with even more anticipation."

After its annual grading session Jan. 26-27 in Lexington, the AGSC of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association presented Jan. 28 its listing of U.S. graded and listed stakes for February 2022-January 2023.

The committee reviewed 891 stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned graded status to 449—four more than were graded in 2021; and listed status to 204 races. Eight graded races were upgraded; three new grade 1 and five new grade 2 races were named; 13 new grade 3 races were identified. Twenty new listed races and two new listed-restricted races were upgraded from non-listed black-type status.

Besides the Blue Grass, the other two races upgraded from grade 2 to grade 1 are the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and the New York Stakes at Belmont Park. 

Two races downgraded from grade 1 to grade 2 status are the Secretariat Stakes, which has been contested at Arlington International Racecourse and was run as the Bruce D. Stakes last year; and the Flower Bowl Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Five races were upgraded to grade 2 status: the Lukas Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs; Wonder Again Stakes and Bed o' Roses Stakes at Belmont; Fanduel Turf Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs; and Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga.

Four races were downgraded from grade 2 to grade 3: the Falls City Stakes at Churchill; Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar; and Adirondack Stakes and Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga.

Thirteen races were upgraded to grade 3 status: the Jockey Club Derby Invitational, Jockey Club Oaks Invitational, and Pebbles Stakes at Belmont; Street Sense Stakes at Churchill; Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes; Bryan Station Stakes at Keeneland; Dueling Grounds Derby and Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon Stakes at Kentucky Downs; Essex Handicap, Hot Springs, and Oaklawn Mile Stakes at Oaklawn Park; and Surfer Girl and Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Nine races were downgraded from grade 3 to listed status: the Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct; Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill; Longacres Mile Handicap at Emerald Downs; Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park; Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes at Laurel Park; Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos Race Course; Parx Dash Stakes at Parx Racing; and Astra and Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita.

Twenty races were upgraded to listed status: the Awad and Winter Memories stakes at Aqueduct; Blame, Kelly's Landing, Mamzelle Overnight, Mighty Beau Overnight, Opening Verse Overnight, Shawnee, and Unbridled Sidney stakes at Churchill; Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots; Limestone Turf Sprint, Palisades Turf Sprint, and Perryville stakes at Keeneland; Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile and Music City stakes at Kentucky Downs; Temperence Hill Stakes at Oaklawn; Prince George's County Stakes at Pimlico Race Course; Baffle and Speakeasy stakes at Santa Anita; and Galway Stakes at Saratoga.

Two races were upgraded to listed-restricted status: the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar and One Dreamer Stakes at Kentucky Downs.

Nine races were downgraded from listed to non-listed black-type status: the Arlington-Washington Futurity formerly at Arlington; Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park; Indiana General Assembly Distaff, Indiana Grand, and Mari Hulman George Memorial stakes at Indiana Grand; Dave's Friend Stakes at Laurel; Satin and Lace Stakes at Presque Isle Downs; She's All In Stakes at Remington Park; and Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park.

All graded and listed races from 2021 maintained their eligibility for February 2022-January 2023.