Information and some text from a Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association release, with additional reporting

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association on Dec. 18 released the graded and listed stakes for 2025, and Mid-Atlantic tracks took a beating.

One race at Parx Racing and one at Pimlico received upgrades. But two races at Delaware Park, five at Laurel Park, five at Monmouth Park, two at Parx, and two at Pimlico all received downgrades.

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.

The two Midlantic races that moved in the right direction were the Cathryn Sophia Stakes at Parx and the Hilltop at Pimlico. Both the Cathryn Sophia, for three-year-old fillies, and the Hilltop, for three-year-old fillies on the turf, will be among the 210 listed stakes in 2025.

The rest of the picture was not so rosy for the Mid-Atlantic.

Laurel Park and Monmouth Park took the worst of it.

Laurel’s two heretofore graded stakes, the Barbara Fritchie and the General George, both were demoted from Grade 3 to listed status. Three other Laurel races – the grassy Prince George’s County and the Richard W. Small and Safely Kept on the main track – will drop from listed to black type status.

At Monmouth, the Monmouth Stakes on the turf will be listed in 2025 after having been a Grade 3. Four other races that were listed in 2024 will be black type in 2025: the Cliffhanger and Oceanport on the turf and the Mr. Prospector and Sapling on the dirt.

At Parx, two turf races went the wrong way. The Dr. James Penny Memorial, formerly a Grade 3, was not eligible for grading this year; it has not been run since 2022. And the Parx Dash drops from listed to black type.

Delaware will see the most impactful drop. Its signature event, the Delaware Handicap, will be a Grade 3 in 2025, down from Grade 2, despite having been the race that helped launch Idiomatic’s championship 2023 season. The Kent Stakes on the turf will also get a downgrade, from listed to black type.

Pimlico will see the Grade 3 Chick Lang, a dirt sprint, drop from Grade 3 to listed, and the James W. Murphy, a one-mile turf race for sophomores, go from listed to black type.

NATIONALLY

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.

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