Report: 4 stakes moved from turf to dirt are downgraded

All four of the graded-stakes races that were moved from turf to dirt during the Belmont Stakes racing festival have been officially downgraded.

The choice not to restore original grades after review was reported by Thoroughbred Daily News. Under American Graded Stakes Committee rules, a turf race is downgraded by one level if the track surface is changed anytime after nominations are taken. The downgrade does not affect the race's status in future years on the grass. The AGSC reviews the race and may choose to restore the original grade if the races warranted it, but upon review none of the four races were deemed to merit restoration. 

Two races that were originally Grade 2 events on grass were downgraded to a Grade 3. Those include the Belmont Gold Cup (G3) and the Wonder Again (G3). The Belmont Gold Cup, originally scheduled for two miles on the grass, was conducted at 1 3/4 miles on the sloppy track. 4-year-old Parchment Party rolled home by 8 1/2 lengths, earning the first stakes win of his career. The Wonder Again, originally a 1 1/16-mile turf race, was scratched down to three sophomore fillies after being moved to a mile on dirt. Nitrogen, expected to be a well-defined favorite on grass, earned her first graded-stakes win on dirt in a 17-length romp.

Two other races were downgraded from Grade 3 status to listed races. The Pennine Ridge, open to 3-year-olds, was run at a mile on a muddy track instead of the original 1 1/16 miles on grass. In just his third start and his first try against winners, A. P. Kid won the Pennine Ridge by 6 1/4 lengths over four-time stakes winner Mi Bago. The Soaring Softly, originally a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomore fillies, was run at the same distance on dirt. Saturday Flirt, winning for the third time in four career starts, ran 3 3/4 lengths clear of Grade 3-placed favorite Cloe to secure her first career stakes win.