After its annual review of graded and listed stakes, The Jockey Club of Canada's Graded Stakes Committee has upgraded six black-type races to listed status for 2020. The number of graded stakes in Canada will remain at 45. The meeting was conducted by Committee Chair, Ross McKague who was accompanied by all Committee Members, Jeffrey Begg, Tom Cosgrove, Catherine Day Phillips and Jockey Club of Canada's Chief Steward R. Glenn Sikura. As well, the attending race track representatives included Julie Bell, Jessica Buckley, Matt Jukich, Scott Lane, Darren MacDonald, Rob MacLennan and Nichelle Milner.
The upgraded races in 2020–the Belle Mahone S., Flaming Page S., Sweet Briar Too S., Charlie Barley S., Alywow S. and Ruling Angel S. These races had previously been considered ineligible for graded and listed status.
Other changes include distance changes to the GII Nijinsky S., which will decrease from 12 furlongs to 10 furlongs; the GIII Dominion Day S. decreasing from 10 furlongs to nine furlongs, the GIII Singspiel S. decreasing from 12 furlongs to 10 furlongs and the GIII Durham Cup S. decreasing from nine furlongs to 8 1/2 furlongs for 2020.
Additionally, Fantasy S. was downgraded from listed status to Black Type for 2020.
The Jockey Club of Canada Graded Stakes Committee bases their decisions on the cumulative NARC ratings for five consecutive years as well as the most recent and Black-type RQS Scores.
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