What the grade tells you
A race grade signals the recognized quality and importance of a stakes race under the applicable grading framework. Grade 1 is the highest tier, followed by Grade 2 and Grade 3. Below the graded tier sit listed and other black-type stakes, then the rest of the class ladder.
See also: Black type and listed races · Race classes from maiden to stakes
How races earn their grades
Grades are assigned annually by the American Graded Stakes Committee, organized by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. For 2026 the committee reviewed 942 US stakes races with purses of $75,000 or more and graded 410 of them: 92 at Grade 1, 136 at Grade 2, and 182 at Grade 3.
The committee grades races on the quality of horses they actually attract, so grades move. A race that keeps drawing champions gets upgraded; one that stops drawing them slides down. That's why the current year's list, not an old article, is the authority on any race's grade.
What the grade does not tell you
The label does not explain today's field, pace, surface, weather, distance, or whether a particular horse fits the conditions. Those details still need to be read separately.
Conditions still shape the race
Age, sex, surface, distance, weight, and entry restrictions determine who can run and what sort of performance is required.
- Confirm the eligible age and sex
- Note the surface and distance
- Check whether weights or entry conditions differ
- Read the current field, not only the race's reputation
A practical reading order
Use the grade for orientation. Then read the conditions, compare the current field, identify the likely pace, and confirm late changes through the official track or race source.
Further reading