Delaware Handicap downgraded to Grade 2 status for 2018

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) released the U.S. graded and listed stakes races for 2018 on Friday. The organization came up with the list at its annual grading session in Lexington, Kentucky, on November 28-29.

A total of 806 stakes, with a purse of at least $75,000, were reviewed, and graded status was applied to 455 of them. That’s nine less than were graded in 2017. Listed status was awarded to 177 races.

While no new Grade 1s were created, the Delaware Handicap was downgraded from Grade 1 status and will be run as a Grade 2 in 2018.

Seven races were upgraded to become Grade 2s (Belmont Gold Cup Invitational, Hill Prince, Jaipur Invitational and Miss Grillo at Belmont Park; Appalachian and Jessamine at Keeneland; and Glens Falls at Saratoga) and seven were downgraded from Grade 2 status to become Grade 3s (Nashua at Aqueduct; Forward Gal, Honey Fox, Royal Delta and Swale at Gulfstream Park; Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup at Laurel Park; and Amsterdam at Saratoga).

Five races were upgraded to become Grade 3s (Soaring Softly at Belmont Park; Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint at Kentucky Downs; West Virginia Governor’s at Mountaineer Park; Remington Park Oaks at Remington Park; and Troy at Saratoga) while 11 Grade 3 contests were downgraded to listed status (Jerome and Top Flight Invitational at Aqueduct; Futurity at Belmont Park; Colonel E. R. Bradley at Fair Grounds; El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields; Carry Back and Miami Mile at Gulfstream Park; Pegasus and Cliff Hanger at Monmouth Park; Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows; and Los Angeles at Santa Anita Park).

Below is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for 2018. Click for the complete list of 2018 graded and listed stakes.