The American Turf Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile grass race restricted to 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs, will be run as a Grade 1 in 2025, while the Alfred G. Vanderbilt, a six-furlong dirt race at Saratoga, was downgraded from a Grade 1 to a Grade 2 for next year, according to a list distributed on Wednesday by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. The American Turf was upgraded and the Vanderbilt downgraded as part of an annual review by the committee, which this year reviewed 957 stakes races at U.S. tracks with a purse of at least $75,000. The committee assigned graded status to 415 of the races, down 14 compared to last year’s assignment of grades to 429 stakes. While the committee assigned Grade 1 status to 93 races for 2025 – the same number as last year – the number of races assigned Grade 2 status for 2025 fell by seven. The number of races receiving Grade 3 status also fell by seven, according to the committee. The committee has been slowly paring grades over the past 10 years as the number of races held at U.S. tracks has declined. Last year, the committee downgraded five Grade 1 races while upgrading one Grade 2. The committee ultimately assigned grades to 11 less races than the year prior. :: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!  The three races that were upgraded to Grade 2 status for 2025 were the Jockey Cub Derby Invitational Stakes, to be held at Aqueduct next year; the Chicago Stakes at Churchill, and the Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland. The 10 races that were downgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 3 were the John Nerud and Pennine Ridge, to be held at Aqueduct next year; the Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park; the Fort Lauderdale and Pan American at Gulfstream Park; the Fayette at Keeneland; the San Gabriel, Summertime Oaks, and Triple Bend at Santa Anita Park; and the True North at Saratoga. Nine races were upgraded from listed status to Grade 3, including the the Aristides, Kelly’s Landing, and Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill; the Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes at Kentucky Downs; the Unzip Me Stakes at Santa Anita; and the Coronation Cup and Mahoney Stakes at Saratoga. Twenty-two races were downgraded from Grade 3, with the New York Racing Association tracks losing seven Grade 3 races, including the Go for Wand, Toboggan, and Withers at Aqueduct; the Dwyer, Knickerbocker, and Noble Damsel at the temporary Belmont-at-Aqueduct meet; and the Saranac at Saratoga. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Other races losing their Grade 3 designation were the Cardinal at Churchill; the Bob Hope at Del Mar; the Kitten’s Joy, Suwannee River, and Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream; the John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park; the Barbara Fritchie and General George at Laurel Park; the Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park; the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes at Mountaineer Park; the Chick Lang at Pimlico; the Providencia and Santa Ynez at Santa Anita; the Sunland Park Derby at Sunland Park; and the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.