Derby Day Stakes Upgraded to G1, Vanderbilt Downgraded

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 2025, the results of its annual grading session conducted December 16 and 17.

The committee reviewed 957 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 415 of them, 14 fewer than were graded in 2024, and Listed status to 210 races. Four Graded races were upgraded; one new Grade I and three new Grade II races were named; nine new Grade III races were identified. Twelve new Listed races and one new Listed-Restricted race were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type (NLBT) status.

Thirty-three Graded races were downgraded; one Grade I, 10 Grade II and 22 Grade III races were demoted. Twenty-one Listed races were downgraded to NLBT status.

One race was upgraded from Grade II to Grade I status for 2025: the American Turf S. at Churchill Downs.

One race was downgraded from Grade I to Grade II status for 2025: the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga.

Three races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2025: the Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. at Belmont at Aqueduct, Chicago S. at Churchill Downs, and Sycamore S. at Keeneland.

Ten races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status for 2025: the John A. Nerud S. and Pennine Ridge S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Delaware H. at Delaware Park; Ft. Lauderdale S. and Pan American S. at Gulfstream Park; Hagyard Fayette S. at Keeneland; San Gabriel S., Summertime Oaks, and Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita Park; and True North S. at Saratoga.

Nine races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2025: the Glen Cove S. and Winter Memories S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Arisides S., Kelly's Landing S., and Mamzelle S. at Churchill Downs; Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational S. at Kentucky Downs; Unzip Me S. at Santa Anita Park; and Coronation Cup S. and Mahony S. at Saratoga.

Twenty-two races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status for 2025: the Go For Wand S., Toboggan S., and Withers S. at Aqueduct; Dwyer S., Knickerbocker S., and Noble Damsel S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Cardinal S. at Churchill Downs; Bob Hope S. at Del Mar; Kitten's Joy S., Suwannee River S., and Sweetest Chant S. at Gulfstream Park; John B. Connally Turf Cup S. at Sam Houston Race Park; Barbara Fritchie S. and General George S. at Laurel Park; Monmouth S. at Monmouth Park; West Virginia Governor's S. at Mountaineer Park; Chick Lang S. at Pimlico; Providencia S. and Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita Park; Saranac S. at Saratoga; Sunland Park Derby and Sunland Park; and Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

Twelve races were upgraded to Listed status for 2025: the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. (2YO turf); Chorleywood S., Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight S., Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. and Roxelana Overnight S. at Churchill Downs; Van Clief S. at Colonial Downs; Lafayette S. at Keeneland; Gun Runner S. at Kentucky Downs; Matron S. at Oaklawn Park; Cathryn Sophia S. at Parx Racing; Hilltop S. at Pimlico; and John Shear S. at Santa Anita Park.

One race was upgraded to Listed-Restricted status for 2025: the Lure S. at Santa Anita Park.

Twenty-one races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status for 2025: the Heavenly Prize S. and Interborough S. at Aqueduct; Awad S. at Belmont at Aqueduct; Kent S. at Delaware Park; Marie G. Krantz Memorial S. and Silverbulletday S. at Fair Grounds; Carry Back S. at Gulfstream Park; Prince George's County S., Richard W. Small S., and Safely Kept S. at Laurel Park; Cliff Hanger S., Mr. Prospector S., Oceanport S., and Sapling S. at Monmouth Park; Bathhouse Row S. at Oaklawn Park; Parx Dash S. at Parx Racing; James W. Murphy S. at Pimlico; Presque Isle Mile S. at Presque Isle Downs; Governor's Cup S. at Remington Park; Jersey Girl S. at Saratoga; and Zia Park Oaks at Zia Park.

The Flat Out S. at Belmont Park; Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. (3UP dirt) at Breeders' Cup Limited; Tropical Turf S. at Gulfstream Park; Dr. James Penny Memorial S. at Parx Racing; Kalookan Queen S. at Santa Anita Park; and Alydar S., Riskaverse S., Summer Colony S. and Tale of the Cat S. at Saratoga were not eligible for grading in 2025.

Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for 2025 as well as the complete list of 2025 Graded and Listed stakes.

Grade Level	Total Races	% Graded	% Eligible	Change from 2024
Grade 1	93	22.4%		0
Grade 2	130	31.3%		-7
Grade 3	192	46.3%		-7
All Graded	415		43.4%
Listed	198		20.7%
Listed-Restricted	12		1.2%
Non-Listed Eligible	332		34.7%
All Graded, Listed, and NLE Races	957

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 16 and 17, 2024 Grading Session

RACES UPGRADED FOR 2025:

Two-Year-Old Fillies

None

Three-Year-Old Fillies

Coronation Cup S. (T) (Saratoga) Listed to Grade III

Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Listed to Grade III

Glen Cove S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Listed to Grade III

Mamzelle S. (T) (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade III

Unzip Me S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Listed to Grade III

Winter Memories S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Listed to Grade III

Cathryn Sophia S. (Parx Racing) NLBT to Listed

Hilltop S. (T) (Pimlico) NLBT to Listed

Older Fillies and Mares

Chicago S. (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Grade II

Matron S. (Oaklawn Park) NLBT to Listed

Roxelana Overnight S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed

Two-Year-Olds

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. (T) (Breeders' Cup Limited) NLBT to Listed

Three-Year-Olds

American Turf S. (T) (Churchill Downs) Grade II to Grade I

Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade III to Grade II

Mahony S. (T) (Saratoga) Listed to Grade III

Gun Runner S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) NLBT to Listed

Lafayette S. (Keeneland) NLBT to Listed

John Shear S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) NLBT to Listed

Older Horses

Sycamore S. (T) (Keeneland) Grade III to Grade II

Aristides S. (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade III

Kelly's Landing S. (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade III

Chorleywood S. (T) (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed

Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed

Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. (Churchill Downs) NLBT to Listed

Van Clief S. (T) (Colonial Downs) NLBT to Listed

Lure S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) NLBT to Listed - Restricted

RACES DOWNGRADED FOR 2025

Two-Year-Old Fillies

None

Three-Year-Old Fillies

Summertime Oaks (Santa Anita Park) Grade II to Grade III

Providencia S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed

Santa Ynez S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed

Sweetest Chant S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed

Jersey Girl S. (Saratoga) Listed to NLBT

Safely Kept S. (Laurel Park) Listed to NLBT

Silverbulletday S. (Fair Grounds) Listed to NLBT

Zia Park Oaks (Zia Park) Listed to NLBT

Riskaverse S. (T) (Saratoga) not eligible for grading

Older Fillies and Mares

Delaware H. (Delaware Park) Grade II to Grade III

Barbara Fritchie S. (Laurel Park) Grade III to Listed

Cardinal S. (T) (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Listed

Go For Wand S. (Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed

Noble Damsel S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed

Suwannee River S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed

Heavenly Prize Invitational S. (Aqueduct) Listed to NLBT

Interborough S. (Aqueduct) Listed to NLBT

Marie G. Krantz Memorial S. (T) (Fair Grounds) Listed to NLBT

Dr. James Penny Memorial S. (T) (Parx Racing) not eligible for grading

Kalookan Queen S. (Santa Anita Park) not eligible for grading

Summer Colony S. (Saratoga) not eligible for grading

Two-Year-Olds

Bob Hope S. (Del Mar) Grade III to Listed

Awad S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Listed to NLBT

Sapling S. (Monmouth Park) Listed to NLBT

Three-Year-Olds

Pennine Ridge S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade II to Grade III

Chick Lang S. (Pimlico) Grade III to Listed

Dwyer S. (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed

Kitten's Joy S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed

Sam F. Davis S. (Tampa Bay Downs) Grade III to Listed

Saranac S. (T) (Saratoga) Grade III to Listed

Sunland Park Derby (Sunland Park) Grade III to Listed

Withers S. (Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed

Bathhouse Row S. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to NLBT

Carry Back S. (Gulfstream Park) Listed to NLBT

James W. Murphy S. (T) (Pimlico) Listed to NLBT

Kent S. (T) (Delaware Park) Listed to NLBT

Older Horses

Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (Saratoga) Grade I to Grade II

Ft. Lauderdale S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade II to Grade III

Hagyard Fayette S. (Keeneland) Grade II to Grade III

John A. Nerud S. (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade II to Grade III

Pan American S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) Grade II to Grade III

San Gabriel S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade II to Grade III

Triple Bend S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade II to Grade III

True North S. (Saratoga) Grade II to Grade III

General George S. (Laurel Park) Grade III to Listed

John B. Connally Turf Cup S. (T) (Sam Houston Race Park) Grade III to Listed

Knickerbocker S. (T) (Belmont at Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed

Monmouth S. (T) (Monmouth Park) Grade III to Listed

Toboggan S. (Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed

West Virginia Governor's S. (Mountaineer Park) Grade III to Listed

Cliff Hanger S. (T) (Monmouth Park) Listed to NLBT

Governor's Cup S. (Remington Park) Listed to NLBT

Mr. Prospector S. (Monmouth Park) Listed to NLBT

Oceanport S. (T) (Monmouth Park) Listed to NLBT

Parx Dash S. (T) (Parx Racing) Listed to NLBT

Presque Isle Mile S. (A) (Presque Isle Downs) Listed to NLBT

Prince George's County S. (T) (Laurel Park) Listed to NLBT

Richard W. Small S. (Laurel Park) Listed to NLBT

Alydar S. (Saratoga) not eligible for grading

Flat Out S. (Belmont Park) not eligible for grading

Tale of the Cat S. (Saratoga) not eligible for grading

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. (Breeders' Cup Limited) not eligible for grading

Tropical Turf S. (T) (Gulfstream Park) not eligible for grading

This story will be updated.