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Grading Session Release

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Contact: Andrew Schweigardt 859/276-2291

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association today presented its listing of U.S. Graded Stakes for 2009, the results of its annual grading session conducted November 24 in Lexington.

The Committee reviewed 746 unrestricted U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned graded status to 488 of them, seven more than were graded in 2008. A total of 13 graded races were upgraded, including six new Grade I races and seven new Grade II races; 10 new Grade III races were identified. Two races which carried Grade III status in 2008 are no longer eligible for grading.

Six races were upgraded to Grade I status for 2009: the Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, the Jamaica H. at Belmont Park, Pat O’Brien H. at Del Mar, Clement L. Hirsch H. at Del Mar and Vinery Madison S. at Keeneland.

One race was downgraded from Grade I to Grade II for 2009: the Suburban H. at Belmont Park.

Seven races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2009: the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Nashua S. at Aqueduct, Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile S. at Churchill Downs, Colonial Turf Cup S. at Colonial Downs, Fayette S. and Thoroughbred Club of America S. at Keeneland and West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park.

No races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III in 2009.

Ten races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2009: the Fall Highweight H. at Aqueduct, Derby Trial S. at Churchill Downs, Round Table H. at Hollywood Park, Woodford S. at Keeneland, Presque Isle Downs Masters S. at Presque Isle Downs, Thunder Road H. and Daytona H. at Santa Anita Park, With Anticipation S. at Saratoga, Massachusetts H. at Suffolk Downs and Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

Four races were downgraded from Grade III to Ungraded status for 2009: the Gravesend H. at Aqueduct, Bay Meadows Sprint H. at Bay Meadows, Bill Hartack Memorial H. at Hawthorne Race Course and Kentucky Cup Juvenile S. at Turfway Park. The Memorial Day H. at Calder Race Course and Deputy Minister H. at Gulfstream Park were not eligible for grading in 2009.

Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for the 2009 racing season as well as the complete list of 2009 graded stakes.

2009 Graded Stakes	Number	% Graded	% Eligible	Change from 2008
Grade I	115	23.60%		5
Grade II	159	32.60%		4
Grade III	214	43.90%		-2
All Graded	488		65.40%
Ungraded	258		34.60%
All Eligible Races	746

TOBA American Graded Stakes Committee

Summary of Decisions Made at November 24, 2008 Grading Session

RACES UPGRADED FOR 2009:

Two-Year-Old Fillies

None

Three-Year-Old Fillies

None

Older Fillies and Mares
TVG Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint		Ungraded to Grade I
Vinery Madison S.	(Keeneland)	Grade II to Grade I
Clement L. Hirsch H.	(Del Mar)	Grade II to Grade I
Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile S. (T)	(Churchill Downs)	Grade III to Grade II
Thoroughbred Club of America S.	(Keeneland)	Grade III to Grade II
Presque Isle Downs Masters S.	(Presque Isle Downs)	Ungraded to Grade III

Two-Year-Olds
Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (T)		Ungraded to Grade II
Nashua S.	(Aqueduct)	Grade III to Grade II
With Anticipation S. (T)	(Saratoga)	Ungraded to Grade III

Three-Year-Olds
Jamaica H. (T)	(Belmont Park)	Grade II to Grade I
West Virginia Derby	(Mountaineer Park)	Grade III to Grade II
Colonial Turf Cup S. (T)	(Colonial Downs)	Grade III to Grade II
Sam F. Davis S.	(Tampa Bay Downs)	Ungraded to Grade III
Derby Trial S.	(Churchill Downs)	Ungraded to Grade III

Older Horses
Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile		Ungraded to Grade I
Pat O’Brien H.	(Del Mar)	Grade II to Grade I
Fayette S.	(Keeneland)	Grade III to Grade II
Massachusetts H.	(Suffolk Downs)	Ungraded to Grade III
Round Table H. (T)	(Hollywood Park)	Ungraded to Grade III
Thunder Road H. (T)	(Santa Anita Park)	Ungraded to Grade III
Fall Highweight H.	(Aqueduct)	Ungraded to Grade III
Woodford S. (T)	(Keeneland)	Ungraded to Grade III
Daytona H. (T)	(Santa Anita Park)	Ungraded to Grade III

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