After significant rain over the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival held last weekend at Saratoga Race Course, four of the graded races scheduled for the grass were moved to the dirt. The American Graded Stakes Committee automatically downgrades those races by one level–for that edition only–and reviews the runnings for the possibility of each race being restored to its original grade.
None of the four graded races moved off the grass over the weekend at Saratoga had their original grade reinstated after review, according to a release from the American Graded Stakes Committee Thursday afternoon.
The races affected last Friday and Saturday included the Belmont Gold Cup Stakes, won by 'TDN Rising Star' Parchment Party (Constitution), and downgraded from Grade II to Grade III, as well as the Wonder Again Stakes, won by Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) and also downgraded from Grade II to Grade III. The Pennine Ridge Stakes, won by A. P. Kid (Honor A. P.) and the Soaring Softly Stakes, won by Saturday Flight (Mendelssohn), have lost graded status and will retain listed status.
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