Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is any thoroughbred horse race in the United States or Canada that derives its name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay. The term has been applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. These fees, to which the track adds an additional amount, constitute the total amount from which prize money is paid to the first, second, third, and usually fourth-place finishers.
Levels
There are three different levels of stakes races, the top ranking, and therefore purse, being a Grade I Stakes. They are higher-class races for bigger prizes and often involve competitors that belong to the same gender, age and class. These races may, though, be "weight-for-age", with weights adjusted only according to age, and also there are 'set weights' where all horses carry the same weight. Furthermore, there are "conditions" races, in which horses carry weights that are set by conditions, such as having won a certain number of races, or races of a certain value. Finally, some graded stakes are "handicaps", in which an official handicapper assigns weights to each horse in an attempt to equalize the competition.
Criteria
The American Graded Stakes Committee uses as some of its criteria for the grading:
- Purse Requirement: That the race has a purse of more than $75,000.
- Longevity: That the race has been run for two years under the same conditions.
- Drug Testing: That post race drug testing is managed by a governmental authority.
- Restrictions: That the race may be restricted only in age and gender.
- Anabolic Steroid Testing : Only Boldenone, Nandrolone, Stanozolol, and Testosterone are allowed to be used.
- Toe Grabs: Cannot be more than two millimeters long.
In the United States and Canada, a graded race can be dormant for one year without losing its grade.
As long as the race meets these requirements, the Committee grades on the overall quality of the previous fields and the performance of horses in the previous fields in stakes both prior to and after the race. For example: if the winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic raced in the Santa Anita Handicap then the race would almost certainly be a Grade One.
Graded stakes races are referred to as Group races in horse-racing in Europe.
U.S. graded stakes races
Grade I (2015)
| Race | Track | Furlong | Track | Age | Sex | Purse |
|---|
| Acorn Stakes | Belmont | 8 | Dirt | 3 | F | $750,000 |
| Alabama Stakes | Saratoga | 10 | Dirt | 3 | F | $600,000 |
| Alcibiades Stakes | Keeneland | 8.5 | Dirt | 2 | F | $400,000 |
| Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap | Saratoga | 6 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $350,000 |
| American Oaks Invitational Stakes | Santa Anita | 10 | Turf | 3+ | F | $400,000 |
| Apple Blossom Handicap | Oaklawn | 8.5 | Dirt | 4+ | F | $600,000 |
| Arkansas Derby | Oaklawn | 9 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Arlington Million Stakes | Arlington | 10 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Ashland Stakes | Keeneland | 8.5 | Dirt | 3 | F | $500,000 |
| Awesome Again Stakes | Santa Anita | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Ballerina Stakes | Saratoga | 7 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Beldame Stakes | Belmont | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| Belmont Derby | Belmont | 10 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $1,250,000 |
| Belmont Stakes | Belmont | 12 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,500,000 |
| Beverly D. Stakes | Arlington | 9.5 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $750,000 |
| Bing Crosby Handicap | Del Mar | 6 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Blue Grass Stakes | Keeneland | 9 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Classic | (Rotates location) | 10 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $5,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | (Rotates location) | 8 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | (Rotates location) | 7 | Dirt | 3+ | F | $1,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | (Rotates location) | 11 | Turf | 3+ | F | $2,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile | (Rotates location) | 8.5 | Dirt | 2 | M | $2,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | (Rotates location) | 8.5 | Dirt | 2 | F | $2,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | (Rotates location) | 8 | Turf | 2 | F | $1,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | (Rotates location) | 8 | Turf | 2 | M | $1,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic | (Rotates location) | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F | $2,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Mile | (Rotates location) | 8 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $2,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Sprint | (Rotates location) | 6 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $1,500,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | (Rotates location) | 5.5 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Breeders' Cup Turf | (Rotates location) | 12 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $3,000,000 |
| Breeders' Futurity Stakes | Keeneland | 8.5 | Dirt | 2 | F/M | $500,000 |
| Carter Handicap | Aqueduct | 7 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| Chandelier Stakes | Santa Anita | 8.5 | Dirt | 2 | F | $300,000 |
| Champagne Stakes | Belmont | 8 | Dirt | 2 | F/M | $500,000 |
| Cigar Mile Handicap | Aqueduct | 8 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $753,750 |
| Clark Handicap | Churchill Downs | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Clement L. Hirsch Stakes | Del Mar | 8.5 | Dirt | 3+ | F | $300,000 |
| Coaching Club American Oaks | Saratoga | 10 | Dirt | 3 | F | $300,000 |
| Del Mar Debutante Stakes | Del Mar | 7 | Dirt | 2 | F | $300,000 |
| Del Mar Futurity | Del Mar | 7 | Dirt | 2 | F/M | $300,000 |
| Del Mar Oaks | Del Mar | 9 | Dirt | 3 | F | $300,000 |
| Delaware Handicap | Delaware Park | 10 | Dirt | 3+ | F | $750,000 |
| Diana Stakes | Saratoga | 9 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Donn Handicap | Gulfstream Park | 9 | Dirt | 4+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Eddie Read Handicap | Del Mar | 9 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| First Lady Stakes | Keeneland | 8 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| Florida Derby | Gulfstream Park | 9 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes | Belmont | 10 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Forego Stakes | Saratoga | 7 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $700,000 |
| Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap | Santa Anita | 8 | Turf | 4+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes | Laurel Park | 6 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $350,000 |
| Frizette Stakes | Belmont | 8 | Dirt | 2 | F | $400,000 |
| FrontRunner Stakes | Santa Anita | 8.5 | Dirt | 2 | F/M | $300,000 |
| Gamely Stakes | Santa Anita | 9 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Garden City Stakes | Belmont | 9 | Turf | 3 | F | $500,000 |
| Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes | Santa Anita | 10 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap | Gulfstream Park | 9 | Turf | 4+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Haskell Invitational Stakes | Monmouth | 9 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Hollywood Derby | Del Mar | 9 | Turf | 3 | F/M | $300,000 |
| Hopeful Stakes | Saratoga | 7 | Dirt | 2 | F/M | $350,000 |
| Humana Distaff Handicap | Churchill Downs | 7 | Dirt | 4+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Jenny Wiley Stakes | Keeneland | 8.5 | Turf | 4+ | F | $300,000 |
| Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes | Belmont Park | 10 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes | Belmont | 12 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $600,000 |
| Just A Game Handicap | Belmont | 8 | Turf | 4+ | F | $700,000 |
| Kentucky Derby | Churchill Downs | 10 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $2,000,000 |
| Kentucky Oaks | Churchill Downs | 9 | Dirt | 3 | F | $1,000,000 |
| King's Bishop Stakes | Saratoga | 7 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $500,000 |
| La Brea Stakes | Santa Anita | 7 | Dirt | 3 | F | $300,000 |
| La Troienne Stakes | Churchill Downs | 8.5 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Las Virgenes Stakes | Santa Anita | 8 | Dirt | 3 | F | $300,000 |
| Los Alamitos Futurity | Los Alamitos | 8.5 | Dirt | 2 | F/M | $500,000 |
| Maker's Mark Mile Stakes | Keeneland | 8 | Turf | 4+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Malibu Stakes | Santa Anita | 7 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $300,000 |
| Man o' War Stakes | Belmont | 11 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| Manhattan Handicap | Belmont | 10 | Turf | 4+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Matriarch Stakes | Del Mar | 8 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Metropolitan Handicap | Belmont | 8 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $1,250,000 |
| Mother Goose Stakes | Belmont | 8.5 | Dirt | 3 | F | $300,000 |
| Ogden Phipps Handicap | Belmont | 8.5 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Pacific Classic Stakes | Del Mar | 10 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Personal Ensign Stakes | Saratoga | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F | $750,000 |
| Preakness Stakes | Pimlico | 9.5 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,500,000 |
| Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes | Keeneland | 9 | Turf | 3 | F | $500,000 |
| Rodeo Drive Stakes | Santa Anita | 10 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Santa Anita Derby | Santa Anita | 9 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Santa Anita Handicap | Santa Anita | 10 | Dirt | 4+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Santa Anita Oaks | Santa Anita | 8.5 | Dirt | 3 | F | $400,000 |
| Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes | Santa Anita | 6 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap | Santa Anita | 9 | Dirt | 4+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| Secretariat Stakes | Arlington | 10 | Turf | 3 | F/M | $450,000 |
| Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes | Keeneland | 8 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Shoemaker Mile | Santa Anita | 8 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| Spinaway Stakes | Saratoga | 7 | Dirt | 2 | F | $350,000 |
| Spinster Stakes | Keeneland | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Starlet Stakes | Los Alamitos | 8.5 | Dirt | 2 | F | $500,000 |
| Stephen Foster Handicap | Churchill Downs | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes | Saratoga | 12 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Test Stakes | Saratoga | 7 | Dirt | 3 | F | $500,000 |
| Travers Stakes | Saratoga | 10 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,250,000 |
| Triple Bend Invitational Handicap | Santa Anita | 7 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Turf Classic Stakes | Churchill Downs | 9 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| United Nations Stakes | Monmouth | 11 | Turf | 3+ | F/M | $500,000 |
| Vanity Invitational Handicap | Santa Anita | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $300,000 |
| Vinery Madison Stakes | Keeneland | 7 | Dirt | 4+ | F | $350,000 |
| Vosburgh Stakes | Belmont | 6 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $400,000 |
| Whitney Handicap | Saratoga | 9 | Dirt | 3+ | F/M | $1,500,000 |
| Wood Memorial Stakes | Aqueduct | 9 | Dirt | 3 | F/M | $1,000,000 |
| Woodward Stakes | Saratoga | 9 | Dirt | 4+ | F/M | $600,000 |
| Zenyatta Stakes | Santa Anita | 8.5 | Dirt | 3+ | F | $300,000 |
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See also
References