The Committee reviewed 901 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 440 of them, nine fewer than were graded in 2022, and Listed status to 206 races.  Four Graded races were upgraded; one new Grade I and three new Grade II races were named; four new Grade III races were identified.  Twelve new Listed races and one new Listed-Restricted race was upgraded from non-Listed Black Type status.

The Dinner Party was the most prominent of several Mid-Atlantic races to get knocked for 2023. Three of the region’s Grade 3 races – the Kent at Delaware Park, Dr. James Penny Memorial at Parx Racing, and Allaire DuPont Distaff at Pimlico – lost their grades for the coming year and will be contested as listed races in 2023.

Two other Maryland races were downgraded from listed to non-listed black type status in 2023. Those were the Stormy Blues, a turf sprint at Laurel, and The Very One, a turf sprint run at Pimlico.

None of Monmouth’s graded races saw a change in status, but two of its stakes will move up to listed status next year. Those are the Mr. Prospector Stakes and the Sapling, the latter for two-year-olds.

National trends

One race was upgraded from Grade II to Grade I status for 2023: the Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs.

Five races were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II status for 2023: the Cigar Mile H. at Aqueduct; Woodward S. at Belmont Park; Clark S. at Churchill Downs; Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Race Course; and Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita Park.

Three races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2023: the Beaumont S. and Franklin S. at Keeneland; and Ladies Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs.

Seven races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status for 2023: the Sorrento S. at Del Mar; Dinner Party S. at Pimlico; Monrovia S., San Carlos S., San Marcos S. and Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita Park; and Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.

Four races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2023: the Manila S. at Belmont Park; Blame S. and Shawnee S. at Churchill Downs; and Music City S. at Kentucky Downs.

Twelve races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status for 2023: the Nashua S. and Turnback the Alarm H. at Aqueduct; Athenia S. at Belmont Park; Kent S. at Delaware Park; Appleton S. and Tropical Turf S. at Gulfstream Park; Dr. James Penny Memorial S. at Parx Racing; Allaire DuPont Distaff S. at Pimlico; Affirmed S., Santa Barbara S. and Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita Park; and Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga.

Twelve races were upgraded to Listed status for 2023: the Plenty of Grace S. at Aqueduct; Audubon S., Keertana Overnight S. and Rags to Riches S. at Churchill Downs; Daisycutter H. at Del Mar; Duncan F. Kenner S. and Mardi Gras S. at Fair Grounds; Mr. Prospector S. and Sapling S. at Monmouth Park; Lady of Shamrock S. at Santa Anita Park; and Bourbonette Oaks and John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park.

One race was upgraded to Listed-Restricted status for 2023: the Wickerr S. at Del Mar.

Eleven races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status for 2023: the Garland of Roses S. and Jerome S. at Aqueduct; California Derby at Golden Gate Fields; Caesars S. at Horseshoe Indianapolis; Stormy Blues S. at Laurel Park; The Very One S. at Pimlico; Karl Boyes S. at Presque Isle Downs; Baffle S. and Desert Code S. at Santa Anita Park; and Columbia S. and Lightning City S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Easy Goer S. at Belmont Park; Jefferson Cup S. at Churchill Downs; My Charmer S. and South Beach S. at Gulfstream Park; Beverly J. Lewis S. at Los Alamitos Race Course; Super Derby at Louisiana Downs; Spring Fever S. at Oaklawn Park; and Fabulous Strike S. and Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup S. at Penn National were not eligible for grading in 2023.