Canada's Graded Stakes Announced for 2019
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Photo: Michael Burns
Pink Lloyd wins the 2017 Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine
The number of graded stakes in Canada will increase from 45 to 46 as one listed race will be upgraded to grade 3 following the Jockey Club of Canada's Graded Stakes Committee annual review of the graded and listed stakes races in Canada.
The Jan. 28 graded stakes committee meeting was conducted by committee chair Ross McKague and attended by all committee members: Jim Bannon, Tom Cosgrove, Mark Frostad, and Jockey Club of Canada's chief steward R. Glenn Sikura. Attending racetrack representatives included Julie Bell, Matt Jukich, Nichelle Milner, and Paul Ryneveld.
After reviewing the North American Race Committee (NARC) figures and the Race Quality Scores (RQS) for all graded and listed races in Canada, the committee determined that the Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine will move from listed status to grade 3.
Additionally, the Canadian Derby will maintain grade 3 status. However, it will decrease in distance from 11 furlongs to 10 furlongs as it moves from Northlands Park to Century Mile in Edmonton.
The Jockey Club of Canada Graded Stakes Committee evaluates and reviews the graded stakes in Canada annually and bases its decisions on the cumulative North American Ratings Committee (NARC) ratings for five consecutive years as well as the most recent running, and on black-type race quality scores.
Click here for a list of graded stakes for 2019 in Canada.