Harness racing’s Graded Stakes Committee met Nov. 18-19 at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., to review graded stakes from 2025 and assign provisional grades for 2026.
In 2025, the inaugural year of the graded stakes program, there were a total of 171 graded stakes: 47 Grade 1, 47 Grade 2 and 77 Grade 3. In assigning grades for 2026, the committee considered a blended guideline recognizing not only purse structure but also emphasizing field size and field strength from data compiled over a four-year period.
The committee’s provisional grades will be presented next week at the annual American Harness Racing Secretaries (AHRS) meeting, Dec. 4-6. Final grades will be announced following review and discussion at that meeting.
Harness racing’s 11-member Graded Stakes Committee consists of representatives from the USTA, Standardbred Canada, Hambletonian Society, AHRS, Grand Circuit, breeders and sales companies.
(USTA)