THE Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and Dirt Mile are among six races which were upgraded to Grade 1 status by the American Graded Stakes Committee on Tuesday.
Some 488 stakes from a list of 746 unrestricted events with a purse of at least $75,000 will be Graded in 2009.
That figure represents an increase of seven Graded races over the current season.
The 115 Grade 1 races for 2009 represent 23.6 per cent of eligible events; the 159 Grade 2 represent 32.6 percent and 214 Grade 3 races represent 43.9 per cent of races eligible for grading.
Thirteen races were upgraded for 2009, six of them elevated to Grade 1 and seven to Grade 2.
Ten races are upgraded to Grade 3 status, while two races that carried Grade 3 status this season were no longer eliglble for grading.
Other races elevated to Grade 1 status were the Vinery Madison Stakes at Keeneland; the Clement L. Hirsch and Pat O'Brien Handicaps at Del Mar and the Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park.
One event, the suburban Handicap at Belmont Park, was downgraded from Grade 1 to Grade 2 status. No races were downgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
