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Graded Stakes Changes for 2007

Pool Land wins the 2006 Allaire du Pont Breeders' Cup Distaff at Pimlico on Black-Eyed Susan day. This race was upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2 for 2007.

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) has presented its listing of U.S. Graded Stakes for 2007, the results of its annual grading session conducted November 30 in Lexington.

The Committee reviewed 722 unrestricted U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned graded status to 474 of them, one less than were graded in 2006.  A total of eight graded races were upgraded, including five new Grade I races and three new Grade II races; five new Grade III races were identified.  One race which carried Grade II status in 2006 is no longer eligible for grading.

Five races were upgraded to Grade I status for 2007: the Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap, Lady’s Secret Breeders’ Cup Handicap and Norfolk Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park, Del Mar Futurity at Del Mar and Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland.

The Matron Stakes at Belmont Park and Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II for 2007.

Three races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2007: the Mac Diarmida Handicap at Gulfstream Park, Allaire DuPont Breeders’ Cup Distaff Handicap at Pimlico and Cashcall Invitational Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Two races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III in 2007: the Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Park and Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct.  The Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs was not eligible for grading in 2007 as it was not run the last two years.

Five races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2007: the Colonial Turf Cup Stakes at Colonial Downs, Alysheba Stakes and Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs, Canadian Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park and Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland.

Five races were downgraded from Grade III to Ungraded status for 2007: the Long Branch Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Monmouth Park, Lexington Stakes at Belmont Park, Bay Meadows Derby at Bay Meadows, Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park and Yerba Buena Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Golden Gate Fields.

Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels for the 2007 racing season and a list of all graded stakes for 2007 can be viewed here.

	2007 Graded Stakes		Number		% Graded		%Eligible		Change from 2006
	Grade I		107		22.6%				+3
	Grade II		157		33.1%				-3
	Grade III		210		44.3%				-1
	All Graded		474				65.7%
	Ungraded		248				34.3%
	All Eligible Races		722

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