New Scoring System Will Reduce Non-Listed Stakes

The North American International Cataloguing Standards Committee announced Jan. 10 it will adjust how non-listed black-type stakes in the United States are rated beginning in 2025 with the goal of reducing the number of stakes that fall into this category of races that is unique to the United States and Canada. 

"Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the minimum Race Quality Scores (RQS) for non-listed black-type races in SITA catalogs (those compliant with guidelines required by the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers) will be increased due to the gradual growth in the ratio of non-listed black-type races to total races run," the committee said in a statement.

North American graded stakes and listed stakes are evaluated annually to ensure the quality of the fields attracted continue to match the status awarded to each race. Non-listed stakes are not evaluated, so the NAICSC in 2014 implemented an automated rating system to monitor the quality of these races. 

Each non-listed stakes receives a quality score that is derived from the speed figures for the first four finishers. The four speed figures are used to compile the RQS and are provided by Bloodstock Research Information Services, Daily Racing Form's Beyer Speed Figures, Equibase Speed Figures, and Thoro-Graph. Each race has two quality scores—the RQS for its most recent running and a three-year average. In order to keep or earn black-type status, both of these scores need to exceed a minimum RQS set by the NAICSC. Six minimum RQS scores exist for specific conditions by age and sex. 

If both of these scores fall below the minimum RQS score, then a race will lose its black-type status. A race will need to be run two consecutive years subsequent to losing its black-type status before it can be reconsidered to earn back black-type.

The new scoring system is as follows:

New vs. Old Race Quality Scores

*New minimum scores effective as of Jan. 1, 2025

As of 2023, a total of 1,193 races in the U.S. and Canada were being monitored under the non-listed black-type system. Last year, 966 of these races were rated as black-type stakes. If the new, higher minimum scores are applied to the non-listed stakes that qualified for black type in 2023 and 2024, then 59 stakes are poised to lose their black type in 2025.

Of these stakes that would lose black type are eight at Remington Park, with four of them being divisions of the Oklahoma Classic Stakes for state-breds: the Oklahoma Classics Distaff Sprint Stakes, Oklahoma Classics Sprint Stakes, Oklahoma Classics Cup Stakes, and the Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf Stakes.

Other state-bred stakes would take a hit, too, including the Iowa Stallion Stakes and Iowa Breeders' Derby; WA Cup Juvenile Colts and Gelding Stakes and WA Cup Filly and Mare Stakes; West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association Onion Juice Breeders' Classic Stakes and West Virginia Cavada Breeders' Classic Stakes; and, the Maryland Million Turf Sprint Stakes.

Carl Hamilton, NAICSC chairman, said the committee well understands the impact the higher minimum scores will have but that the rating system is important in preserving the integrity associated with black-type status.

"We look at this by individual track and we understand the races that are potentially impacted," he said. "The committee is sensitive to individual regions but at the same time, we need to apply a minimum standard to all races. We do not feel it would be fair to start making exceptions."