Group races

The Group race system divides races into one of four categories, based on their prestige and quality. Group/Grade 1 The highest level, for races with major international importance considered to be of championship standard, including Classics. Examples include the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Epsom Derby, 2000 Guineas Stakes, Kentucky Derby, Breeders' Cup Classic, Irish Champion Stakes, Melbourne Cup, Japan Cup, Dubai World Cup, Hong Kong Cup and Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini. Group/Grade 2 Races that have significant international importance, but are below a championship standard. Examples include the Doncaster Cup, Prix Niel, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, Sandown Guineas, Gran Premio del Jockey Club, Mainichi Ōkan, and Grande Prêmio Bento Gonçalves. Group/Grade 3 Other races of note, mainly of national rather than international importance. Examples include the Ormonde Stakes, Royal Whip Stakes, British Columbia Derby, Hawkesbury Gold Cup, and Challenge Cup. Listed Races below the standard of graded or group races, but still run by horses of notable merit and performance quality. == History ==

In 1943, Lord Ilchester's Racing Reorganisation Committee first proposed the idea of a planned racing program for Great Britain. This idea was returned to in 1965, when the Duke of Norfolk's Pattern of Racing Committee proposed formalizing a comprehensive Pattern of black type races with an emphasis on high-class, non-handicap races, limited in number and spread throughout the season to encourage the best horses to face each other. Australia introducing group races in 1976, New Zealand doing the same in 1979, among other countries. In 1983, the International Cataloguing Standards Committee (ICSC) and Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers were created and the first International Cataloguing Standards Booklet was published, with the objective of preventing discrepancies and imbalances in the designation of Group or Grade and black type status among different jurisdictions. In 1984, the United States Graded Stakes Committee granted the seven new Breeders' Cup races Grade 1 status, despite having never been run before, an unprecedented move. In 2015, the Commonwealth Cup became the first new race inaugurated with Group 1 status in the history of the European Pattern. == Black type ==

In 1952, for their sales catalogs, Fasig-Tipton began to designate stakes winners in a pedigree using bold-face type, with winners in all caps and stakes-placed runners in mixed case, in an attempt to show buyers and breeders horses and races of note. Keeneland followed suit in 1960. In 1963, Blood Horse published the first edition of Cataloguing Standards for foreign racing. Two years later, the Jockey Club Statistical Bureau took over publication. In 1986, new rules for black type status in North American races were drawn up, defining listed stakes with purses of $50,000 or more and other added-money stakes with purses of $15,000 (raised to $20,000 in 1987) to $49,999. The minimum purse to qualify for black type status for other added-money stakes was raised to $25,000 starting in 1990. In 2012, the North American ICSC introduced a scoring system to determine whether or not non-listed stakes should be granted black type. Since 2014, each race is assigned a Race Quality Score (RQS), based on speed figures for the top four finishers with data from Bloodstock Research Information Services (BRIS), Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, Equibase, and Thoro-Graph. The three-year average RQS must meet a minimum for the race's age/sex division, or it loses black type status. Black type status From 1971 to 1984, the top three finishers in a Graded/Group race were granted black type status. In 1985, this was expanded to the top four finishers in Graded/Group races and the top three finishers in qualified races in North America. Starting in 1989, races in Part III countries were no longer recognized as black type and rules were amended so that only in Group/Grade 1 races were the top four finishers granted black type. The following year, the rules were once again amended, so that only the top three finishers in black type races are granted black type status. The recognition of the black type status of jump races is based on regional preference. ==By country and region==

Australia In Australia, the Australian Pattern Committee recommends to the Australian Racing Board (ARB) which races shall be designated as Group races. The list of races approved by the ARB is accepted by the International Cataloguing Standards Committee (ICSC) for publication by The Jockey Club (US) in The Blue Book, thus providing international recognition for Australia's best races. Minimum purse values for group races in Australia are as follows: There is no minimum purse money across Europe. The breakdown is as follows: • Group 1 - Minimum official rating of 115 (110 for 3-year-old or older fillies' and mares or two-year-old races, 105 for two-year-old fillies' races) • Group 2 - Minimum official rating of 110 (105 for 3-year-old or older fillies' and mares or two-year-old races, 100 for two-year-old fillies' races) • Group 3 - Minimum official rating of 105 (100 for 3-year-old or older fillies' and mares or two-year-old races, 95 for two-year-old fillies' races) • Listed - Minimum official rating of 100 (95 for 3-year-old or older fillies' and mares or two-year-old races, 90 for two-year-old fillies' races Under the European Pattern, Group and Listed races may not be run as a Handicap, (with the exception of the now discontinued European Free Handicap), may not be divided into two or more divisions, may not have a standard entry fee exceeding 2% of the purse, must be open to geldings (excepting Group 1 races restricted to two- or three-year-olds), and must have a permanent element in the title. In addition, Group 1 races may only have sex and weight-for-age allowances, with no other weight penalties. France, Germany, Great Britain, and Ireland are the member countries of the European Pattern Committee, with Italy, Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), and Turkey as associate members. • Group 1- £250,000 (£200,000 for two-year-old races) • Group 2 - £100,000 (£80,000 for two-year-old races) Hong Kong There are 31 Group races held in Hong Kong. All group 1 races were held in the Sha Tin Racecourse. Japan The Asian Pattern Committee is the accepted authority for Group and Listed status in Japan, South America The Organización Sudamericana de Fomento del Sangre Pura de Carrera (OSAF) oversees the grading of stakes races in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. United Arab Emirates The Asian Pattern Committee is the accepted authority for Group and Listed status in the United Arab Emirates. == Jump races ==

The designation of graded status for jumps races is determined by individual countries. Among countries that run recognized jump races, the Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States recognize some sort of Group/Grade status for jump races. == Purpose ==

The primary purpose of the Group race system is to determine and designate racing class so as to coordinate a unified program of quality races. Success in a Group/Grade 1 race is often a determining factor in the acquisition of breeding stock, and wins in Group/Graded races increase a horse's value. Having international standards allows for comparisons of horses racing in different countries, with a general minimum standard expected of races of a given Group/Grade, regardless of what country run in. The broad acceptance and use of the Group race system allows for it to be used as a promotional tool. == Criticisms and challenges ==

Over the years, multiple criticisms of how black type and Group/Grade status is designated in various countries have been raised. Constraints of internationally agreed upon standards can create challenges for individual countries and isolated situations, acting against the commercial and racecourse interests. Horses can gain black type by running in stakes races with a low standard and/or small field, even if they run at a lower level that would not ordinarily merit such designation. New races with large purses, such as The Everest, have gained considerable prestige, despite lacking Group or Graded recognition. Racing Australia Chairman John Messara claims that the Pattern is under threat due to the consequent undervaluing of the Pattern. The addition of official ratings to catalog information to complement black type and Group/Grade designation has been suggested. ==See also==