Horse Racing 101

[Edward_Lindey]

Well I just returned from my first horse race and have realized that I am completely uneducated on the subject. Does anyone know the basics about the track? Thanks,

Edward

 

[Tomasso]

I am completely uneducated

Keep it that way.



Seriously, you're better off playing Russian Roulette.

 

[Chinaski]

I had a friend that gambled whenever possible. If there was a poker machine, pickle cards, sporting event, you name it, available he would put his money down. I went to the horse races with him a couple times. He knew as much about the sport as anyone I knew, and he would buy a couple different racing sheets. When it came to betting, he put money on the horse with the name he felt some connection with.

Every time I went to the races with him he came away with extra money in his pocket. A couple times the steaks and beer were on him. Do yo see any logic in that?

 

[Absinthe_1900]

There is a reason a casino, or a horse track goes into business, the house always wins in the long run.

 

[dhermann1]

There's more to horse racing than just betting. The power, grace and beauty of the thoroughbred horse is hard to beat. The Daily Racing Form has a guide somewhere that tells you the meaning of all the little technical things listed, bloodline, past performance, etc. You can of course Google the subject.
Pound for pound, the jockey has to be the finest athlete in the worls. And the danger these little guys (and gals) subject themselves to utterly eclipses anything any other athlete can undergo. My grandfather (see my avatar) was a jockey. He was once in a 4 horse pile up where he broke 33 bones.
There was a time, from about the 1890's up to the 50's, where baseball, boxing and horse racing were the three preeminent sports in America. Everything else was an also ran (to use a racing term).
I try to get to Belmont Park at least once a year just to enjoy the whole spectacle.
There's hardly anything in all of sport that matches the drama and excitement of a home stretch battle right down to the wire.

 

[Edward_Lindey]

Ok, now that we have the wickedness of betting covered could we discuss some of the other aspects of racing?

Edward

 

[dhermann1]

Can't say I know much advanced stuff, but here are just a few basics.
All thoroughbreds are descended from Arabian horses, basically. I think the bloodlines started getting recorded in the early 1700's in England. In those days everybody used horses, so racing your "daily driver" was common. A lot of races were point to point over long distances, several miles. They would all use a church steeple as a finishing mark, hence the term "steeplechase". Only later did oval tracks come into use.
Thoroughbreds all have the same official date of birth, Jan. 1st, of every year. That's how you get 2 year olds, 3 year olds, etc.
Some horses are raced as 2 year olds, others not till 3. Most top colts are retired by the age of 4 to go to stud. Some colts are gelded (castrated) to make them easier to tame. Great geldings will race till they're 7 or 8, because they have no value as studs (obviously).
Most flat races are about a mile, give or take. 3/4 of a mile is considered a sprint, a mile and a quarter (or more) is considred a real challenge for the strongest horses. That's why the Belmont Stakes, at a mile and a half, is considered a true test of champions.
In Great Britain horses race at a slightly more mature level than the US, and the races are usually longer and more grueling. 2 mile races with 5 year old horses are more the norm.
The basic unit of length is the furlong, which is an eigth of a mile. So a mile and a furling is 1 1/8 miles.
Handicappers are people who look at the past records of horses and alot extra weight for each horse to carry, with the object of having the race end in a total tie. So if you see a race called a "handicap" it means they all have different weights. The jockeys seldom weigh more than 100 or 105 pounds (often less) so the saddles have pieces of lead inserted to make up the weight.
Each stable (basically each owner) has a distinctive set of colors that the jockey wears, aka the silks.
Another factor that bettors consider when they analyze a race is post position. A horse in the center of the gate has the best chance of breaking cleanly. On the rail or the far outside will pose a challenge.
There are various terms they use to describe a horse's behaviour, none of which I understand, like being rank, or kind, or whatever. Maybe someone else can explain that part.
In a race speed is not necessarily the only factor that determines a winner. Luck plays a major part, and the skill of the jockey. If a horse is behind other horses, he may have to swing outside the pack to advance. This means he has to travel further than those on the rail. A smooth ride along the rail from wire to wire is considered ideal. Jockey Calvin Burrell, who has won several recent Kentucky Derbies, is considerd a genius at this tactic.
Often one horse will set an early pace, only to fade in the stretch. One decision a jockey has to make is when a horse has dashed off to an early lead, when to make his move to catch up. If he moves too soon, his horse may run out of stamina for the final homestretch kick. If he waits too long, the lead horse may simply run away with the race.
Horse racing is exceedingly dangerous, and not only to bettors. Those jockeys weigh about 100 pounds, riding thousand pound animals travelling at 35 miles per hour. They have helmets, but no other protective gear at all. Severe and even fatal injuries are not unheard of. Likewise, a race horse, while being immensely powerful is an incredibly delicate creature. The ankles of these beasts are only a couple inches in diameter, and tremendous force pounds down on them with every stride. Broken legs are often the result. A few years ago right at the finish line of a Breeders' Cup race, the lead horse broke down and collapsed at full speed right before the finish line. The animal had to be destroyed right there on the track, if front of thousands of people. (They erected a small tent around it before they did it.) And Barbaro, the Derby winner of a couple of years ago, suffered what seemed like a slight injury to his foot, which did not heal. He had to be put down after months of treatment.
So horse racing, as exciting and romantic as it is, has a huge element of heart break built in.
A few win, many lose.

 

[Tomasso]

Ok, now that we have the wickedness of betting covered could we discuss some of the other aspects of racing?

Actually, I was speaking to the futility of betting on the ponies....not being judgmental....[huh]

 

[juggles]

Just stumbled onto this thread and I'm giving it a bump since I'll be at the sales at Keeneland tomorrow. I do TV work at some of the tracks, and while I'm no expert handicapper, I can probably answer most novice questions about the sport of horse racing.

 

[kyboots]

If you truly follow the horses, understand how they run, and study the business you will come out ahead every time! John

 

[John in Covina]

Horse racing has a great history and there is a lot of etiquette involved. It is called the sport of kings. Gambling is gambling, if it was a sure thing it would be called something else. That said, there are ways of betting. The Win Place and Show (1ST, 2ND AND 3RD) have apects. if you bet to win the horse must come in first place. a Place bet will play if the horse comes in first or second and the Show will pay 1st, 2nd and 3rd. These are the came in the money positions. The odds shift according to the amount of dollars placed on the horse and type of bet.

Santa Anita is near me and usually every year i go once. i grab the racing news or something comperable and make my assesments for each race usually looking at wjhat the published track experts are touting. Nearly every time i have gone in one race a long odds horse comes in and the pay off is big. Betting on a horse because you like the name may sound silly. The last time I held back from such a bet i missed out on a fabulous payoff.

Luck is still part of it (unless the mafia is involved). the thing is to take what ever $ you are going to gamble and kiss the bills goodbye at the start of the day. If you come back with any that's good, the more you come back with the better. My friend Dean won enough to by his first (used) car a neat Buick Riviera betting at OTB.

The casinos and the track have a built in billing system called the house edge and if you do it long enough there is a good chance you will lose more than you win. iN that then you have to put it down as exciting entertainment. To be in the infield near along the rail as the horses come thundering around the last corner has a lot of exileration going for it.

it's entertainment not a lifestyle choice for employment for the vast majority.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I've been to the track a whole twice in 50 years. I went years ago and bet $2 at a time, but I bet the Trifecta, the Daily Double, and every other silly combination bet that there was. I did note that on that day, had I bet the top 2 JOCKEY'S to show, I would have made some money. Good Jockey's apparently get the good horses. IFFF I got back, I'll try that strategy and report back. Don't wait up though, I haven't been in 32 years.

Later