Horse Racing

The Breeders

Breeders of Thoroughbred racehorses have a motto: "Breed the best to the best, and hope for the best." Farms from California to New York, Florida to Maryland, are all trying to emulate what breeders in the state of Kentucky have done for centuries -- produce champions.

For breeders, the study of bloodlines is a way of life. The art of matching a dam (the horse's mother) with a sire (the father) to produce a top foal is part art form, part science, and a great deal of luck. For instance, Alydar, who finished second to Affirmed in all the 1978 Triple Crown races, sired a pair of Kentucky Derby winners in Alysheba (1987) and Strike the Gold (1991); Affirmed has yet to sire a Derby winner.

After that colt (male) or filly (female) is born, the breeder puts in countless hours of hard work to get the horse ready for the races. While most thoroughbreds are born between January and June, they have a universal birthday of January 1. This standard was set up to simplify the process of creating races for horses of a certain age. (For example, the Kentucky Derby is restricted to three year olds).

During the young horse's first autumn, they are separated from the mother and grouped together with other "weanlings"; continuing to grow and learn. The following Spring, the developing horses, now known as "yearlings" will begin to be taught the ways of the racetrack. Beginning with the first days of placing a saddle on their back, they are being trained for a career at the races. The young horses begin training at on their "home" farm or shipped to a training facility to be "broken" for riding and eventually racing.

Developing a good racehorse takes considerable time and patience. Training begins slowly, with light jogs and gallops around the track; developing a routine to get the horse accustomed to track life. Later, serious training begins; they start to put in longer gallops to build stamina, and work their way up to a "two-minute lick", meaning a robust mile gallop in two minutes. As it gets closer to their second birthday, the casual farm life has been left behind. Horses at this age now begin workouts, usually starting with 1/8 of a mile, called their first "blowout", and working their way up as the day of moving from training center to racetrack nears.

The Trainers

While the jockey is usually the person that the racing fans most identify with, the single most important player in a racehorse's life is the trainer. Trainers generally earn their money in two ways: through a "day rate" they charge the owner(s) for day-to-day training; and "stakes" they earn when their owner's horse wins a race, usually 10% of the owners winnings. The trainer is comparable to a team's coach - continually trying to produce winners with a constantly changing barnful of talent.

For every horse in the barn, the trainer teaches them how to race, hones their speed, builds their endurance, sees to their care, and calls in help to heal their injuries.

All horses possess a certain amount of class; ultimately telling in the level of race at which they will be successful. As a trainer begins to work with a horse, they assess that class and train accordingly. For the fans, training is like practicing. Horses are trained almost every morning, when they are taken to the racetrack to walk, jog, gallop or workout, depending on their schedule. Workouts are the most noteworthy part of the training regimen. Shorter workouts (those a half mile or under) are designed to increase speed, while longer ones build stamina.

As with any athlete, horses experience physical problems. This is where the keen eye of an experienced trainer can significantly affect a horse's career. Racehorses are by nature delicate, and by closely watching for and treating injuries before they become serious, the trainer will save his horse, owner and himself a lot of problems. For medical problems, trainers call in their veterinarian. At all racetracks, there are a group of vets who, usually working out of their vehicle instead of an office, travel through the barn area taking care of their clients' horses day to day needs.

After all of this, the trainer still has to select the races in which the horses will compete. Trainers use the condition book, created by the Racing Secretary, to select the type of race for each horse in the stable. For example, if the horse has yet to win, it would be entered in a "maiden" race against other non-winners. An old horsemen's adage is to, "keep myself in the best company and my horses in the worst". Easier said than done, but some trainers have the knack.

For the bettor, it is essential to watch the trainers and see which ones are the most successful. The track program has a stats page for trainers, with all the information needed evaluate when they are most successful. Knowing the trainers and being able to pick up on their hot and cold spells is a top priority in making winning selections at the track.

The Jockeys

Jockeys generally get their mounts in races when the horses are training each morning. A jockey employs an agent, who, working for a percentage of their rider's winnings, tries to secure the best horse for them in each race. The tricky part for the agent comes when several trainers want their rider for the same race. Now the jockey's agent is like any bettor - they are handicapping the horses and putting their rider on the most likely winner.

Riding atop a Thoroughbred at speeds up to 40 miles per hour for a mile or more requires tremendous athletic ability and concentration. The best jockeys are skillful strategists and superior gamesmen. They are experts at bringing out the best qualities of their mounts. Top riders are also familiar with the characteristics of many other horses in the race. In addition to the athletic demands of racing, a jockey must maintain a certain weight for riding, normally between 100 and 115 pounds. Strict dieting and conditioning programs are a constant concern for most riders.

Handicapping jockeys is easier than handicapping horses. Here are the basic rules: Some jockeys are better than others. The better riders get to ride the better horses. Because they get the best horses to ride, the best jockeys win the most races. It's a circle. As it is with breeding and training, success creates success. Next to the horse, in Thoroughbred racing, the public is most familiar with the jockeys. It's important for bettors to know the top riders at a track. The best will win the most races. However, there are trends that bear watching. Like the trainers, the program has a stats