Canada will host 41 graded stakes in 2025; 3 are downgraded

The Jockey Club of Canada’s graded-stakes committee held its annual review of the graded and listed stakes races in Canada. The number of Graded Stakes in Canada will decrease to 41. Three graded stakes races were downgraded.

The graded stakes committee meeting was conducted by new committee chair, Bernard McCormack, who was accompanied by the appointed committee members David Anderson, Jim Bannon, Jeff Begg, Catherine Day Phillips, Ross McKague and The Jockey Club of Canada’s Chief Steward, Doug Anderson. The attending racetrack representatives included Allen Goodsell and Teagan Goodsell from Alberta, Scott Henson from British Columbia, Ross McKague representing Manitoba and Julia Bell from Ontario.

The committee reviewed the North American Race Committee figures and the race-quality scores for all graded, listed and potentially listed races in Canada.

After reviewing the NARC figures and the RQS numbers for all listed and black-type races in Canada, the committee determined that the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes and the Grade 2 Seagram Cup Stakes will both be downgraded to Grade 3 status. Additionally, the Grade 3 B. C. Premier’s Handicap will be downgraded to listed status.