Monrovia Stakes Has Graded Status Reinstated

The $201,000 Monrovia Stakes (G3), which ran April 8 on Santa Anita Park's dirt track, has had its graded status reinstated by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

The Monrovia is typically run on Santa Anita's turf course but was moved to the dirt track after the closing of the race's nominations because the turf course was unsuitable for racing. As a result, the Monrovia was automatically downgraded for this running only. 

While the race was downgraded to a listed stakes race, the AGSC reviewed the running of the race and decided to reinstate the grade 3 status of the Monrovia. 

With the exception of 2019, the Monrovia Stakes ran as a grade 2 race from 2013-22.

In Saturday's running, Little Red Feather Racing's Elm Drive  won the 6 1/2-furlong contest for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up by three-quarters of a length. She is now credited with a graded stakes win. Big Summer  and Kirstenbosch  are also credited with being graded stakes-placed.  

On Dec. 17, the H. Allen Jerkens Handicap and Via Borghese Stakes were scheduled to be listed stakes races on the grass at Gulfstream Park. However, due to rainy weather, they were run on the track's Tapeta surface and automatically downgraded to non-listed black-type status.

After review, the AGSC determined that the original listed status for the H. Allen Jerkens would not be reinstated for that running. The AGSC did, however, reinstate the original listed status of the Via Borghese.