hi folks,
this season i want to bet online but i dont know how to bet can someone help me in this???
can someone predict which jockey is going to be champion in bangalore this season wether srinath or prakash?? last year it was srinath
Racecourses in India: India has eight major racecourses, the biggest being in Mumbai and the second biggest in Bangalore. The other centers are Pune, Hyderabad, Mysore, Kolkata and Chennai. Betting on horses is legal. Moreover, it is possible to bet at most racecourses, where racing is not in progress, on horses running at other centers, using the facility of off-course betting.
What India Lacks: What India lacks are professional tipsters, as most race-goers rely more on their own analyses of past race-form of horses in contention that day. This is an area that legitimate business professionals from the Far East, the US and the UK could look at and set up websites with their recommendations for that day?s races, for a set fee. This fee could be per diem, per month or per season.
Racing Websites in India: The prominent racing websites in India are www.indiarace.com, rwitc.com, There is a need for some betting concern like Ladbrokes and William Green in the UK to set up accessible websites for races.
thru many years i have watched in winter season many younger horses winning as favrites and debutants have won very well.
its better to watch mam and and ponawalas and d.khaitan and their connections for next season
hi racing folks
i found that best track works wiining and placing at races see the record this is my analysis...
1.turbo babe at 2to one
2.sowerign power 1and quarter
3.oyster gem 3 to one
4. secret garden 3 to one
5.einstein 13 to one.
and many plced ones
1.the rising
2.torque place
i have been wating hindu and original vel for their selections and i noted that original wel is better and in most of the times its betting ring which is giving real trend...
i really want to know predictions by senior bloggers as how next season fares i want to have nice income for the season ahead i will eat and back if someone can give me nice tipping and i will pay them incentive too.
please join my blog and keep sending me your choices.
Modern thoroughbred racing involves a science dilemma. The horses are bred for extreme speed, and a primary goal of this breeding has been to decrease bone mass while raising muscle mass, as a horse "carrying" a light skeleton using abnormally strong muscles will travel faster at a gallop than one with a heavier bone load. As a result, modern thoroughbreds are muscularly powerful but osteologically delicate creatures. Three out of every 2000 races result in a career-ending injury to one or more racers, typically due to broken leg bones; a ratio far in excess of almost all other human and animal sports. Of those injuries, more than 60% result in the horse being euthanized. Leg injuries, though not immediately fatal, are life-threatening because a horse's weight must be distributed evenly on all four legs to prevent circulatory problems, laminitis and other infections. If a horse loses the use of one leg, it cannot function; its other legs will quickly break down as well, leading to a slow death.
In the wake of the 2006 Preakness Stakes, in which Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro sustained severe fractures, there were signs that animal rights groups intended to target the thoroughbred racing industry. The bioethics are seldom clean-cut, however. While thoroughbreds are delicate and horse racing is hazardous, veterinary science is also developing, so that previously hopeless cases (such as Barbaro's) can now be treated successfully. Thoroughbreds are arguably [citation needed] as much helped as harmed by the racing industry, with the research in veterinary medicine, largely funded and driven by the industry.
Thoroughbred Racing
Thoroughbred horses & horse racing. Horse racing has been a popular sport throughout the world for thousands of years now. In the modern-day United States, horse racing is the second biggest spectator sport as well as a widespread form of recreational gambling. The major forms of horse racing are Thoroughbred racing, harness racing, steeplechase racing, and quarter horse racing. In addition to major horse races like the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, and the Kentucky Derby, there are horse races held every day during each season at such tracks as Gulfstream and Santa Anita. This section features resources on various topics relating to Thoroughbred horses.
Part Two: Straight From the Horse's Mouth
The horse may not be the most articulate animal on earth. Theirs is a very simple language of nickers, neighs, squeals and snorts - but these few sounds that they make can tell us what mood they are in. All in all there are five mains sounds which horses regularly reproduce:
The Greeting Nicker - "This is a low-pitched, guttural sound with a pulsating quality that is employed as a friendly 'come here' signal." A horse makes this sound when it is greeting another horse or a human friend (particularly when someone they know is bringing them food)
The Neigh - This sound starts out as a squeal and then ends as a nicker. "It is the longest and loudest of horse calls, lasting an average of 1.5 seconds and being audible over a half mile away." The neigh is the horses' way of audibly distinguishing between eachother. One horse will neigh and another will respond with an "identification" neigh. If you listen closely to each neigh, you will notice that they are all slightly different. It is even possible to tell a male from a female horse by the little grunt that the stallion adds at the end of its call.
The Snort - The snort is the first of the horse's two "defensive signals." It is usually made when a horse is curious about something, yet afraid at the same time. "The snort is a powerful exhalation of air through the nose, with the mouth held shut. It lasts between 0.8 and 0.9 seconds and has an audible fluttering pulse created by the vibrations in the nostrils."
The Squeal - The squeal is the second of the horse's two defensive signals. It is performed by a horse that is "fed up" with the situation. (Generally, it is a protest against something that the horse finds annoying.)
Now we have two sections covered: ear movements and vocal communication. The next time you're watching horses in the paddock area, pay attention to these two details. A horse's mood can be an important clue as to whether or not they are ready and willing to run.
10 Steps to Successful Handicapping
1. Establish your bankroll. This should be "investment" capital and not money that is needed to sustain your daily lifestyle. Don't under-capitalize yourself but, on the other hand, don't go crazy either. Your bankroll should be an amount your comfortable with.
2. Determine the percentage of your bankroll you are willing to invest on any particular race. Two percent is a reasonable amount.
3. In your initial overview of a race, attempt to determine whether the favorite is "solid", "vulnerable" or "false". Don't waste time on races where the favorite looks tough and concentrate on those events where the chalk can be erased. Try to limit yourself to six-to-eight truly-playable races on a typical day if investigating both the northern and southern circuits. Three-to-five is a good number if concentrating on one track but this number can go up or down based on the opportunities available.
4. Employing whatever handicapping methods you prefer, establish the order of preference for your contenders. Make a "value" line to help in your ultimate on-track decisions.
5. Use your imagination. Attempt to visualize how a race will be run and don't be afraid to go against the flow. If you can't get a clear picture of what's going to happen beforehand, you probably don't have a good idea on which horses to bet on.
6. Plan your day. Eliminate the un-playable races and sketch out a battle plan on paper with potential win bets, singles, exotic wagers, etc. In other words, have an idea of what you are going to do before you go to the track.
7. Once you're in the thick of the action, stick to your guns. Let the toteboard determine your final moves and not the guy at the bar who heard from his trainer that such-and-such a trainer really likes his horse in the 5th. It's your money and you should make it or lose it on the basis of your own opinions.
8. Don't press when you lose or increase your wagers when you win. Protect your bankroll and don't be overly aggressive. Remember that there will be plenty more opportunities the next day and the day after and the day after that. Winning or losing on one individual day really doesn't mean a thing. Only the long term matters.
9. Be flexible enough to change your thinking if evidence warrants. Perhaps a strong bias has appeared. Maybe your top selection is grossly overbet. Be prepared to move on to your second or third choices if that's where the 'value' happens to be. If your top choice is simply 'overbet' in the win pool and you have no strong secondary options, look for ways to exploit the short-priced horse in the exotics.
10. Have fun. Keep your composure and keep your sense of humor. Both are weapons that can help you overcome adversity and succeed at a game that is difficult, but not impossible, to beat.
Horse Body Language - Part 1
Part One: The Ears
Next time you're standing at the paddock area of your favorite track, take a look at the horses' ears. You will notice that they are constantly shifting this way and that, trying to focus in on something that holds their interest. An inexperienced handicapper will usually dismiss these movements or not even notice them at all. Big mistake - a horse's ear posture can be very significant.
"When a horse's ears are in 'neutral,' they are held loosely upward with their openings pointing forward and outward." This is often referred to as the "ready" position, because the horse is relaxed, but its ears can instantly rotate to face a questionable sound and examine it carefully. If a sound gets to the point where it is worrisome to the horse, it will "prick" its ears so that they are erect and facing directly toward the sound. Eventually the horse may turn its head, or its entire body to face the strange noise. (Pricked ears are not always a sign of uneasiness - they can also mean that the horse is very alert or interested in something).
Laid-back horses will sometimes display what Desmond Morris refers to as "airplane ears." This signals that the horse is submissive, depressed, or very tired. (Not a good sign in a racehorse!) When you see a horse on a racetrack with slightly drooped ears which are pointing backward, it simply means that the horse is paying close attention to the jockey. (In this situation the horse is submitting to the jockey's will and often may be a bit scared of the situation.
Flicking ears tell us that the horse is distressed. "A horse with flicking ears may well be on the verge of bolting in terror." In this position, the ears are erect and nervously "flicking" back and fourth.
When a horse flattens its ears back so that they almost disappear from view, watch out! These "pinned" ears mean that the horse is very angry. This instinct comes from way back when horses were wild. When they were in danger due to another horse or a predator, they would pin back their ears to protect them from being harmed.
A horse's ears can even tell us if they have been drugged. If a horse has been given a depressant, it's ears will display little or no activity and usually droop down sideways. Under normal circumstances, their ears would be "constantly moving to pick up new sounds. Mobile ears, turning this way and that, are, by their very activity, signals of shifting attention and interest."
We will be taking horse body language one step at a time. Practice identifying the above "ear signals" this week. Next week, we'll go into what horses can signal with their necks and tails, as well as some of their limited vocabulary. (neigh!)
1. Use a checklist.
There's a lot of information to process. Use a checklist to make sure you've covered all that's important.
2. Learn from every loss.
No matter how proficient a handicapper becomes losing races will happen much more often than winning. What a great opportunity to improve our game, not to mention pattern recognition skills.
3. Do not take a loss personal.
A lot of the time you will make an excellent bet but the outcome will be bad---good bet, bad outcome---don't beat yourself up. It's the nature of the game.
4. Remain dedicated to your handicapping approach.
If you researched it then stay with it. Nothing is more disgusting than watching a winner go by because you changed your game plan---and knew better!
5. Check your objectives.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? What is an overlay? Where the hell are you going?
6. Plan your bets and follow through on your plans.
Is the number 3 horse a prime bet or just a contender? What odds do you need on the contenders? Know it and do it!
7. Make commitments and keep them.
Handicapping the races can be a tedious process. Before you go to the track make the commitment to handicap the card no matter what...every single day.
8. Make a commitment and take the plunge.
This one is connected to a couple of the guidelines above. If you decide to play a horse at a certain price then take the plunge. Be brave.
9. Once you decide---act!
Later on I plan to write an article about an old nemesis I call Uncle Bob. He can play some pretty sorry tricks on you in the head department. Till then just remember when you decide to act on a bet then do it. Don't let Uncle Bob change your mind.
10. Do your homework.
The truth is this, as I see it: No tout can deliver you to the Promised Land, only hard work along with some good information can do that. If you want to succeed then you've got to do it yourself.
11. Avoid emotion.
You've got to be ready for the next event. If your panties are still wadded up over losing the last race then you've made this difficult game even more difficult. Let it go. Be ready for the next race.
12. Develop winning attitudes.
Use affirmations. Meditate. Sing campfire songs. Whatever. Stay in a positive state. This game can be cruel, why add to the chaos with a piss poor attitude?
13. Don't lose sight of your goals.
Set realistic goals. Say it again! Set REALISTIC goals. And when you've done that don't let them out of your sight, no matter what.
The confession. In the beginning I wrote that these guidelines are good things to practice. And they are truly good. But even after all these years of handicapping the races I'm still working on them. So be kind to yourself and just stay at it. That's the most important thing anyway. Stay at it.
For the third year in a row, a thoroughbred will enter the starting gate of the Belmont Stakes 1 1/2 miles away from history. Working against Smarty Jones will be history and the ghosts of 17 great champions that lined up in that same gate. As Smarty Jones prepares to take his place among horse racing elite and have his name placed among the champions of champions to never be forgotten, it is time once again to recall those who have gone on before him only to fail.
In the 1930’s, Burgoo King and Bold Venture won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, but tendon injuries prevented them from running in the Belmont Stakes. In 1944 Pensive won the Derby and Preakness, but took second place in the Belmont. In 1948 Citation won the Triple Crown and became the 8th horse in 29 years to win the Crown. Over the next 54 years 18 horses would stand on the threshold of horse racing immortality, but only 3 others were up to the challenge.
In 1958, Tim Tam, a dark bay colt by Tom Fool out of Two Lea, trained by H.A. Jones and bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm made his run for glory. This horse had bloodline connections to such greats as Coaltown, Bewitch, and Citation. Tim Tam won the Derby by 1/2 length, the Preakness by 1 1/2 lengths, but lost in the Belmont by 6 lengths.
In 1961, Carry Back, a brown colt by Saggy out of Joppy, trained by J.A. Price and bred in Florida by J.A. Price was the next to take his shot. A horse that had once beaten the great Citation sired this colt. He had won the Florida Derby, finished second in the Wood Memorial, and went off as the favorite in all three Triple Crown races. Carry Back won the Derby and Preakness by 3/4 lengths, but finished 7th in the Belmont.
In 1964 the great Northern Dancer, a bay colt by Nearctic out of Natalma, trained by Horatio Luro and bred in Canada by E.P. Taylor had his shot at Triple Crown glory. While not the favorite in either the Derby or Preakness, this colt did win the Florida Derby, Flamingo Stakes, Blue Grass Stakes and Remsen Stakes. Northern Dancer won the Derby by a neck and the Preakness by 2 3/4 lengths. Distance was a problem in the Belmont and he finished in 3rd place despite going off as the favorite. Northern Dancer would finish his career with 18 starts, 14 wins, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds. Today he is recognized as one of the greatest sires in all of racing.
In 1966 Kauai King, a dark bay colt by Native Dancer out of Sweep In, trained by Henry Forrest, and bred in Maryland by Pine Brook Farm, went off as the strong favorite in all 3 races. Kauai King won the Derby by a 1/2 length, the Preakness by 1 3/4 lengths, but finished 4th in the Belmont.
The most controversial decision in all of Triple Crown racing took place in 1968. Forward Pass, a bay colt by On-and-On out of Princess Turia, trained by Henry Forest and bred in Kentucky by his owner Calumet Farm, won the Derby via disqualification. Forward Pass went off as the favorite in all 3 races but lost to Dancer’s Image by 1 1/2 lengths in the Derby. Dancer’s Image was later disqualified when phenylbutazone was found in his post-race urine sample. While this was legal at some racetracks, Churchill Downs was not among them at the time. The Kentucky State Racing Commission ordered redistribution of the purse with first money to Forward Pass, second money to Francie's Hat, third money to T.V. Commercial and fourth money to Kentucky Sherry, because of its finding of prohibited medication in Dancer's Image. After extensive litigation, the Commission's order was upheld in April, 1972, by Kentucky's highest court in Kentucky State Racing Commission et al v Peter Fuller, 481 S. W. 298.
Because this ruling appeared to affect only the money distribution, no one was sure who should be listed as having come in first. In a subsequent proceeding, the Commission also ordered that Forward Pass be considered the winner of the 1968 Kentucky Derby, except for pari-mutuel pay-offs, and that the 1968 gold cup Kentucky Derby trophy be awarded to its owner, Calumet Farm. Forward Pass won the Preakness by 6 lengths, but lost the Belmont by 1 1/2 lengths. Dancer’s Image did run in the Preakness and finished 3rd, but was disqualified for bumping and placed 8th.
Majestic Prince won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness for retired champion jockey turned trainer Johnny Longden. (from a postcard)
In 1969, Majestic Prince, a chestnut colt by Raise a Native out of Gay Hostess, bred in Kentucky by Leslie Combs II, already had Triple Crown connections when he made his run. His trainer, John Longden, was Triple Crown winner Count Fleet’s jockey in 1943. Majestic Prince was unbeaten that year, including a win in the Santa Anita Derby, when he went off as a favorite in all 3 races. Arts and Letters proved a worthy opponent finishing second by a neck in the Derby and a head in the Preakness. Arts and Letters got his revenge for those defeats by winning the Belmont by 5 1/2 lengths over Majestic Prince. Majestic Prince would finish his racing career with 10 starts, 9 wins and 1 third.
In 1971, an unlikely contender from Venezuela made his attempt at the Triple Crown. Canonero II, a bay colt *Pretendre out of Dixieland II, trained by Juan Arias and bred in Kentucky by E.B. Benjamin, won the Derby by 3 3/4 lengths and the Preakness by 1 1/2 lengths as the co-favorite. Despite going off as the favorite in the Belmont, an injury prevented Canonero II from finishing any better than 3rd.
In 1973, 25 years had passed and 7 horses had won the first two legs of the Triple Crown only to come up short when a big red machine known as Secretariat rewrote the history books. Seattle Slew followed Secretariat in 1977 by becoming the first horse to win the Triple Crown undefeated. In 1978, Affirmed and Alydar hooked up to make history by becoming the first horses to finish 1-2 in all three races. In the Affirmed-Alydar series a third horse, Believe It, finished third in both the Derby and Preakness, however his trainer decided he had seen enough of Affirmed and Alydar and did not run the Belmont.
In 1979, on the heels of Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, a gray colt by Bold Bidder out of Spectacular, trained by G.G. (Bud) Delp and bred in Kentucky by Mrs. William Jason and Mrs. William Gilmore, exploded into the Triple Crown series. Bid went off as a favorite in all 3 races and won the Derby by 2 3/4 lengths, the Preakness by 5 1/2 lengths, but then lost the Belmont finishing 3rd. Legend has it that the poor finish in the Belmont was attributed to an injury sustained the night before the race. Trainer Bud Delp claimed a safety pin became lodged in one of his hooves and caused the horse to run a dull race. The story is probably true because Bid finished his career with 30 starts, 26 wins, 2 seconds, and 1 third.
In 1981, Pleasant Colony, a dark brown colt by His Majesty out of Sun Colony, trained by John Campo and bred in Virginia by T.M. Evans, made his attempt. Coming off a win in the Wood Memorial, Pleasant Colony had only won one other race and that coming as a 2-year-old on a disqualification. Pleasant Colony won the Derby by 3/4 lengths and the Preakness by 1 length before running 3rd in the Belmont.
The 1978 Triple Crown runner-up Alydar sought redemption through his offspring Alysheba in the 1987 Triple crown series. Alysheba, a bay colt by Alydar out of Bel Sheba, trained by Jack Van Berg and bred in Kentucky by Preston Madden, had only two wins. His sole win as a 3 year old came off a disqualification, yet he won the Derby by 3/4 lengths and the Preakness by 1/2 lengths. Distance was a problem in the Belmont as he finished a distant 4th.
The year 1989 resembled 1969. Sunday Silence, a dark brown colt by Halo out of Wishing Well, trained by Charles Whittingham and bred in Kentucky by Oak Cliff, won the big west coast prep races. Sunday Silence won the Derby by 2 1/2 lengths and then the Preakness by a nose both over Easy Goer. Easy Goer was a son of Alydar and won the big east coast prep races. In this east coast versus west coast battle, Easy Goer would prevent Sunday Silence from winning the Triple Crown by beating him in the Belmont by 8 lengths. Sunday Silence would finish his career with 14 starts, 9 wins and 5 places.
While the 1990’s were quiet for the most, they would end with a flourish. In 1997, Silver Charm, a gray or roan colt by Silver Buck out of Bonnie’s Poker, trained by Bob Baffert, bred in Florida by Mary Lou Wooton, and owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis, made a run for the Crown. Winning the Derby and Preakness by a head, Silver Charm was leading down the homestretch in the Belmont only to be caught by Touch Gold and finished 2nd by 3/4 of a length.
Real Quiet in the paddock at Belmont before his narrow defeat by Victory Gallop.
Trainer Bob Baffert would return the next year with Real Quiet, a bay colt by Quiet American out of Really Blue, bred in Kentucky by Little Hill Farm. This horse had connections with Believe It who finished 3rd in the Derby and Preakness behind Affirmed and Alydar. While winless as a 3-year-old, the 1998 series was reminiscent of 1969 and 1989. Real Quiet won the Derby by 1/2 length and the Preakness by 2 1/4 lengths over Victory Gallop. Like Arts and Letters in 1969 and Easy Goer in 1989, Victory Gallop would catch Real Quiet at the wire in the Belmont. This defeat came on a photo finish and would be the closest defeat any horse would suffer in the quest for the Triple Crown.
In 1999, Bob and Beverly Lewis would return with Charismatic, a chestnut colt by Summer Squall out of Bali Babe. This colt was bred in Kentucky by Parrish Hill Farm and was trained by D Wayne Lukas. As a long shot, Charismatic won the Derby by a neck and the Preakness by 1 1/2 lengths before suffering an injury in the stretch run and finishing 3rd in the Belmont.
In 2002 came War Emblem, a dark brown colt by Our Emblem out of Sweetest Lady, trained by Bob Baffert and bred by Charles Nuckols Jr. & Sons in Kentucky. War Emblem won the Derby by 4 lengths going wire to wire and followed up by winning the Preakness by 3/4 lengths. In the Belmont, War Emblem stumbled coming out of the gate and failed to get the lead, could not run off the pace, and finished 8th. This was the worst showing of any horse in the Belmont that had a chance to win the Crown.
Funny Cide.
In 2003, for the first time in the history of the Triple Crown, the challenger was a New York bred gelding with bloodline connections to Seattle Slew. Funny Cide was a chestnut gelding by Distorted Humor out of Belle’s Good Cide, trained by Barclay Tagg, bred by Win Star Farm, and owned by a group of friends with a small stable. Funny Cide finished behind Peace Rules in the Louisiana Derby and second to Empire Maker in Wood Memorial, but returned to battle trainer Bobby Frankel’s top two favorites in the Derby and won by 1 3/4 lengths. In the Preakness, he gave a dominating performance winning by 9 lengths defeating Peace Rules again. In the Belmont, Bobby Frankel had a well-rested Empire Maker waiting to play the spoiler. The Tuesday before the Belmont saw Funny Cide turn in a lightning-quick final tune-up -- five furlongs in 57 4/5 seconds. This blistering work out and a sloppy track sealed Funny Cide’s fate. Empire Maker won and Funny Cide finished a well-beaten third.
Smarty Jones, formerly named “Get Along, ” a chestnut colt, by Elusive Quality, out of I'll Get Along, owned and bred by Someday Farm, trained by John Servis and ridden by Stewart Elliot will take an unbeaten record into the Belmont. Only Seattle Slew completed the Triple Crown undefeated. It also appears that Smarty Jones will have to be even better that Slew. Slew won the Belmont over a field of 8 horses. That was the largest Belmont field a Triple Crown winner has ever had to defeat.
Alfred G. Vanderbilt was once asked if he had a formula for breeding a top racehorse. His reply was "Just breed any sire to a Discovery mare." The comment was not meant to be taken seriously, but it was based on the fact that his stallion Discovery was one of the most successful broodmare sires in history, with his two most notable daughters being Miss Disco, the dam of 1957 Horse of the Year Bold Ruler, and Geisha, who produced Vanderbilt's brilliantly fast and temperamental champion Native Dancer, a son of 1945 Preakness Stakes winner Polynesian.
Native Dancer was foaled on March 27, 1950, at Dan W. Scott's Scott Farm outside of Lexington. He was raised in Maryland, at Vanderbilt's Sagamore Farm, and the big gray began training for his racing career in California during the winter and early spring of 1952. His impressive performance in workouts attracted attention long before he made his first start. Trainer Bill Winfrey told reporters:
"The gray is the fastest horse I've ever trained. He shows good times in workouts, but that's not what's impressive. It's the fact that the big gray does it without any effort. He actually seems to be holding himself back."
That spring, Native Dancer broke his maiden in his first start, romping to a four and a half length victory at Jamaica on April 19, 1952. The 7 to 5 favorite in his maiden race, Native Dancer had gone off at what would prove to be the longest odds of his career.
The next time out, only four days later, Native Dancer took the Youthful Stakes by six lengths. He was then sidelined while he recovered from bucked shins.
At Saratoga, Native Dancer won the Flash Stakes by two and a quarter lengths, the Saratoga Special by three and a half lengths in the slop, the Grand Union Hotel Stakes by the same margin under 126 pounds, and the Hopeful Stakes by two lengths.
After romping in the Anticipation Purse, the big gray was finally offered a challenge in the Futurity at Belmont Park. Blocked early, the Dancer came back in a powerful stretch drive, catching Tahitian King to win by two and a half lengths in the world record time of 1:14 2/5 for the six and a half furlongs.
Native Dancer finished the season with a win in the East View Stakes, bringing his earnings to $230,495 that season, a record for a juvenile. He was undefeated with a total of nine wins, seven of them in major stakes races. Native Dancer got more attention than any two-year-old since Count Fleet, and became the first two-year-old to be honored as racing's Horse of the Year. He was top weight at 130 pounds in the Experimental Free Handicap, the highest assignment since 1942.
The following season, the Gray Ghost, as his fans called him, was the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, winning the Gotham Mile and the Wood Memorial in New York. He went off at the shortest odds in Derby history, and when he was nosed out by longshot Dark Star, racing fans were stunned. He had been bumped badly in the start, and then again in the stretch, but it was his rider, Eric Guerin, who was blamed for the unexpected loss. The jockey was criticized for several decisions he made in response to traffic problems during the race, and it was said that "Eric took Native Dancer everywhere on the track except the ladies' room."
Native Dancer quickly redeemed himself with a four length victory in the Withers Stakes. The following week he took the Preakness, beating Jamie K. by a neck. Next came a narrow win in the Belmont Stakes, with Jamie K. again a neck back. Native Dancer's time for the mile and a half was 2:28 3/5. Only Citation and Count Fleet had gone faster. Following the classics, Native Dancer won the Dwyer Stakes by a length and three quarters, giving twelve pounds to runner-up Guardian II.
The T.V. Guide ranked him second to Ed Sullivan as the biggest attraction on television. When Eddie Arcaro said that Native Dancer wasn't a "...great horse like Citation..." his angry fans booed Arcaro at the racetrack and wrote letters in defense of their big gray hero. Then, when Eric Guerin was suspended, A.G. Vanderbilt hired Eddie Arcaro to ride Native Dancer in the American Derby at Washington Park. Fans of the Gray Ghost were outraged, writing dozens of letters to Vanderbilt demanding that someone besides the "Non-Believer" be commissioned to ride him in the Derby. The day before the race, Arcaro commented that if he were to get beat, he'd be "...the biggest bum alive." He was ordered not to go to the whip until the stretch, and preferably not at all, since the temperamental horse was better left to do things his own way.
In the American Derby, Native Dancer proved his sense of humor, refusing run until the middle of the homestretch, trailing the leaders by six lengths and scaring Eddie Arcaro to death before he took off to win by two lengths.
Said Eddie Arcaro:
"He's everything they've said about him. Sheer power is the only way to describe him."
Before the Travers Stakes, a group of fans got past the guards and pulled hairs from his mane and tail as souvenirs. It was the first time a horse was almost trampled to death by humans, but Native Dancer recovered from the incident, easily winning the Travers by five and a half lengths.
The Arlington Classic, a nine length triumph, turned out to be the last race in Native Dancer's three-year-old career, for in winning the race, he developed a sole bruise and was laid off for the rest of the year. Tom Fool was voted the 1953 Horse of the Year after becoming the second winner of the Handicap Triple Crown, the first being Whisk Broom II in 1913, and The Gray Ghost had to settle for the title of Champion Three Year Old Colt.
Native Dancer traveled with a cat, named simply "Black Cat", who in the past had only produced black kittens. When she gave birth to her next litter in Native Dancer's stall, every one of them was gray. Telling the story, his groom, Les Murray, concluded simply that "He's a powerful horse."
In 1954, the Gray Ghost was back again, and in his season debut he won the Commando Purse at Belmont. In the Metropolitan Mile, The Grey Ghost carried 130 pounds and rallied from seven lengths back to catch Straight Face, who carried a mere 117, and win by a neck. Jamie K., under 110 pounds, finished third.
Native Dancer was training for the Suburban when he developed a sore right foreleg, and was therefore out of action for three months. Then the great horse was injured on a sloppy track while winning Saratoga's Oneonta Handicap by nine lengths despite a burden of 137 pounds, and was retired.
His only career loss had been his second place finish to Dark Star in the 1953 Kentucky Derby, and when he was voted Horse of the Year, he became the first horse to win the title twice in non-consecutive years, the only other being John Henry in 1981 and 1984.
Many of the people who worked with the gray commented that if he hadn't been handled carefully he could have been dangerous. He was known to pull exercise riders off his back with his teeth, and only cooperated with human beings when it suited his current mood. His stud groom, Joe Hall, patiently waited for Native Dancer to come to him every night when he went to bring the horse in for his evening grain. Once he was ready to come in for the night, he followed the groom quietly into the barn. But had someone walked into the paddock before he was ready, he was very likely to toss them across the field. Yet despite his temper, Native Dancer loved the kittens which lived in his stall, often playing with them for hours, and the humans he tolerated were very fond of him.
Many people considered Native Dancer to be the greatest horse in American racing history, rivaling even the superiority of the legendary Man o' War, later pointing out that even Secretariat didn't match the enormous length of Man o' War's stride, but Native Dancer had equaled the twenty-eight foot span. Said Joe Hall:
"He may have been the greatest horse of all time. He'd have given any horse in history a race and probably have beaten them all -Man o' War, Secretariat, and the rest- just as long as no one actually told him to do it, just as long as they'd let him do it his way."
At stud, Native Dancer founded an entire line. The names of his offspring are almost legendary, including Raise a Native, Kauai King, Dancer's Image, and the English Classic winner Hula Dancer. His daughters included Natalma, the dam of Northern Dancer, and Shenanigans, who produced the champions Ruffian and Icecapade. Native Dancer's son Raise a Native was an outstanding sire himself, siring Exclusive Native (the sire of Affirmed and Genuine Risk), Alydar (a Hall of Fame member, Leading Sire of 1990, and sire of Horses of the Year Alysheba and Criminal Type), Majestic Prince (the 1969 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner), and Mr. Prospector (the sire of the champions Conquistador Cielo, Eillo, Gulch, Seeking the Gold, Tank's Prospect, Fappiano, Afleet, Rhythm, Forty Niner, etc.) Native Dancer's son Native Charger sired the champion Forward Gal as well as 1970 Belmont Stakes winner High Echelon and the good filly Summer Guest.
In November of 1967, Native Dancer refused a carrot for the first time in his life. Instantly, Joe Hall knew something was wrong. Within forty-eight hours, a vet had diagnosed a tumor, and Native Dancer was driven to Pennsylvania that night for surgery. Joe Hall sat beside him until he regained consciousness. The great horse sat up at five that morning, and the post operative shock caused his heart to give out. Heartbroken himself, Joe Hall took the horse back to Sagamore, where he was buried beside Discovery. Native Dancer was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963.
According to legend, his ghost haunts Churchill Downs. Regardless of the truth to that fanciful story, his spirit does linger over the twin spires. Since his son Kauai King won the race in 1966, fifteen other Derby winners have carried his blood, including Dancer's Image (disqualified in 1968), Majestic Prince (1969), Affirmed (1978), Genuine Risk (1980), Ferdinand (1986), Alysheba (1987), Unbridled (1990), Strike the Gold (1991), Thunder Gulch (1995), Grindstone (1996), Real Quiet (1998), Charismatic (1999), and Fusiachi Pegasus (2000).
Native Dancer's Race Record Year Starts Wins Seconds Thirds Earnings
Lifetime 22 21 1 0 $785,240
Secretariat was foaled ten minutes after midnight, on the morning of March 30, 1970, at Chris T. Chenery's Meadow Farm in Doswell, Virginia. He was an impressively large and strikingly attractive chestnut colt, with three white stockings and a white star and stripe. His sire, Bold Ruler, was a champion on the racetrack and boasted an outstanding stud career, leading the American Sires List eight times. His dam, Somethingroyal, by *Princequillo, was also the dam of the stakes winner Sir Gaylord, who had been favored to win the 1962 Kentucky Derby before lameness forced him to remain in the barn.
Secretariat was bred by Chris T. Chenery, but it was Mrs. Helen Chenery Tweedy, usually called Penny, who became famous as the owner of the great colt when she took over her ailing father's stable in the early 1970's. Her charm, together with the deeds of Secretariat and his stablemate Riva Ridge, prompted the press to declare Penny Chenery the "First Lady of American Racing."
Had it not been for the flip of a coin, Secretariat could have raced in the silks of the Phipps family. Chris Chenery had a foal sharing agreement with Gladys Phipps, and sent two broodmares to her stallion, Bold Ruler, each to be bred twice. If all went well, both mares would produce two foals in two consecutive years. After the first pair was born, a coin was flipped. The winner got the first choice of foals from the first pair, and the loser got the first choice of foals from the second pair. Somethingroyal was one of the mares involved in the 1969-1970 arrangement. The other mare, however, went barren in the second season. Therefore, when it came time for the coin flip, the winner would get only one foal, since it was the loser who chose first the second time. Ogden Phipps won the toss, choosing the Somethingroyal filly, named The Bride. The Meadow kept both Secretariat and the third foal.
Elizabeth Ham, Chris Chenery's secretary, was instantly impressed by Secretariat's good looks. She kept the farm journal, and the entries she made on July 28, 1970, included:
"Ch.C. Bold Ruler - Somethingroyal. Three white stockings - well made colt - might be a little light under the knees. Stands well on pasterns -Good straight hind leg-Good shoulders and hindquarters -You would have to like him."
Shortly after he was weaned, she was again inspecting the horses on the farm, and in reference to the chestnut son of Bold Ruler, Mrs. Ham once again recorded a compliment, this time writing, "Three white feet - A lovely colt." The word lovely was underlined twice. Elizabeth Ham was not alone in noticing Secretariat's good looks. Penny Chenery liked Secretariat when she first saw him, and when he arrived at Hialeah at the age of two, all she could say was "Wow!" A year later she called him sexy. Even the Meadow's trainer, Lucien Laurin, was impressed by the horse's appearance when he looked at the yearlings in the fall of 1971, although he commented that Secretariat was probably too good looking to be a success on the racetrack.
The name "Secretariat" had actually been the sixth name choice submitted to the Jockey Club for the colt. Penny Tweedy's first suggestion had been Scepter, and the other rejected names included Royal Line, SomethingSpecial, Games of Chance, and Deo Volente. In the end, it was Elizabeth Ham's suggestion that was finally judged to be acceptable by the Jockey Club, and the chestnut son of Bold Ruler and Somethingroyal was christened Secretariat.
Secretariat's formal training began when he was broken to saddle by Meredith Bales and Charlie Ross at the Meadow, and he then headed to Florida to begin his racing career. He was trained by Lucien Laurin, who had conditioned the 1966 Belmont Stakes winner Amberoid, as well as the champion filly Quill, and put under the care of Eddie Sweat, who groomed Riva Ridge. Exercise rider Jimmy Gaffney became Secretariat's first fan. He nicknamed the tall chestnut "Big Red" and spoke excitedly about the horse to his wife, Mary, and his mother, who knitted a pommel pad for the colt. Gaffney even went so far as to buy a pair of blue saddlecloths, having the name Secretariat stitched on each.
On July 4, 1972, Secretariat made his first start in an $8000 maiden race, run over 5 1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct. The chestnut colt went off as the favorite, but was bumped badly at the start by a horse named Quebec and barely avoided going down. Penny Chenery later described the break as a "mugging." Caught in traffic, Secretariat ran fourth behind Calumet Farm's Herbull. Despite the loss, his performance had been admirable. He had made three separate runs for the lead, and each time was gaining impressively before being blocked again.
In his next start, Secretariat broke his maiden by six lengths, beginning his campaign for championship honors and earning the praise of Charles Hatton, who as a writer for the Daily Racing Form had seen numerous champions on the racetrack, including Bold Ruler, Miss Disco, and Imperatrice. Watching the promising colt who carried their blood, he wrote:
"The cognoscenti give Mrs. Helen Tweedy's Secretariat a nod for potentiality. He has electrifying acceleration, duende, charisma, and starfire raised to the steenth power. He is also pretty good."
On July 31 he won again, this time at Saratoga. Charles Hatton commented that Secretariat fulfilled his mental ideal as no horse ever had, and Taylor Hardin asked to apply for breeding rights, adding that he had been the first to ask for breeding rights to Native Dancer in 1952. Bull Hancock was also enthusiastic about Secretariat's potential, although he didn't live to see him race again.
Secretariat's first stakes race came in his fourth start. He met the highly regarded and previously undefeated Linda's Chief in the Sanford Memorial at Saratoga, winning in a sharp 1:10. On August 22, he took the Hopeful Stakes by five lengths. Next he won the Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park by three quarters of a length over Stop the Music, and from there it was on to what seemed like a sure win in the Champagne Stakes.
In the Champagne, Secretariat was first under the wire, as expected, but was disqualified and placed second for bumping Stop the Music. The decision shocked the crowd, as well as Secretariat's connections, who felt that he hadn't bothered the other colt enough to warrant the ruling, especially since Secretariat had seemingly won with such authority. The red colt redeemed himself by winning the mile and one sixteenth Laurel Futurity in 1:42 4/5, despite a sloppy track. He then topped off the season with a win in New Jersey's Garden State Stakes, easily beating his stablemate Angle Light. For his efforts, he was voted not only Champion Two Year Old Colt, but Horse of the Year as well.
As a three-year-old, Secretariat was asked to overcome the myth that Bold Ruler's sons couldn't run the Kentucky Derby distance of a mile and a quarter so early in their three-year-old campaigns. Secretariat began the road to the spring classics in New York, making his three-year-old debut in the Bay Shore Stakes and winning despite being bumped and suffering traffic problems. He then won the Gotham Stakes by three lengths from Champagne Charlie.
After the Gotham, Secretariat was the odds-on favorite to win the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown. Then the Super Horse ran a dull third behind Angle Light and Sham in the Wood Memorial, stunning everyone, including the owner of Angle Light. Secretariat's loss was later blamed on an abscess under his lip, but no matter what the excuse, the Kentucky Derby picture was no longer clear.
Now, as the top three year olds in America gathered at Churchill Downs for the 1973 Kentucky Derby, Secretariat's ability to run the Derby distance was once again questioned. Secretariat was no longer considered to be an unbeatable super horse, and rumors about his soundness spread rapidly. CBS Television's Jimmy the Greek claimed "they" were "putting ice on his knees."
Finally, the first Saturday in May came, and Secretariat proved all the rumors to be false, running the mile and a quarter in 1:59 2/5, breaking Northern Dancer's previous Derby record, and beating Sham, who was also under the wire in less than two minutes, by 2 1/2 lengths.
Next, he won the Preakness, with Sham, who had been on bottled water since Churchill Downs, once again running second. Although the teletimer at Pimlico clocked Secretariat at 1:55, the Daily Racing Form disagreed. According to their watches, Secretariat had run the mile and three-sixteenths in 1:53 2/5. Therefore, according to the Form, Secretariat had broken the stakes record. CBS television agreed, and at a Maryland State Racing Commission hearing, CBS played the videotapes of Secretariat's Preakness and Canonero II's Preakness simultaneously, proving Secretariat's was faster. Despite the evidence, the time recorded by Pimlico's faulty teletimer was allowed to stand, but the Daily Racing Form boldly entered the time of 1:53 2/5 in their permanent records.
Having won two legs of the Triple Crown, Secretariat was declared a Super Horse, and his picture adorned the covers of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated. In the 1973 Belmont Stakes Secretariat amazed the nation, winning by over 31 lengths in the new world record time of 2:24 for the mile and a half. With his Belmont win, Secretariat became the ninth winner of the American Triple Crown, the first since Citation in 1948.
After the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat raced six more times. Following a win at Arlington Park, he lost the Whitney Stakes to Onion, trained by the "Giant Killer" H. Allen Jerkens, and it was discovered that the Triple Crown winner was coming down with a virus. After a short break he won the first running of the Marlboro Cup from his stablemate, Riva Ridge, who had won the 1972 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Eclipse Award winning champion Cougar II, who later sired Gato Del Sol, ran third, with Key to the Mint, Kennedy Road, and Onion behind him.
Bad luck struck the red horse one more time. Entered in the Woodward Stakes to replace Riva Ridge, who would have disliked the sloppy track, a slightly out of condition Secretariat tired and finished second to another horse from the barn of Allen Jerkens. This time the victory went to Prove Out, a four year old by Graustark and out of Equal Venture, a full sister to 1946 Triple Crown winner Assault. Secretariat then went on to win the final two races of his career, the Man o' War Stakes and the Canadian International, which were his only two races on the grass.
Secretariat had earned $1,316,808 in his twenty-one career starts, visiting the winner's circle on sixteen occasions. He had won the Triple Crown, two consecutive Horse of the Year awards, and three additional Eclipse Awards. It is interesting to note that Secretariat's three major losses, in the Wood Memorial, Whitney Stakes, and Woodward Stakes, all occurred in races with names beginning with the letter W. His other two losses came in the Champagne Stakes, by disqualification, and in the maiden race at Aqueduct, through no fault of his own and with no major consequence.
The American public adored Secretariat, affectionately calling him Big Red, and even Super Red. It was said that he could have run for President and won. He was certainly more popular than was Richard Nixon in the summer of 1973. Between the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal, Americans had lost confidence in their political leaders, but the mighty red Secretariat, in his blue and white silks, provided the world with a much needed true American Hero. Secretariat brought fame to all those associated with him. Even Billy Silver, the stable pony, became a household name. When he retired to Claiborne Farm, where his sire and grandsire had spent their stud careers, thousands of visitors flocked to Paris, Kentucky, to see the hero. At first, Secretariat, as well as farm manager Seth Hancock, seemed to enjoy the admiring guests.
Then, when a demanding visitor scolded Seth for not setting up enough picnic tables, he decided to close the farm to tourists. The decision came none to soon, for Secretariat, like many human celebrities, had lost interest in his constantly present fans and now obviously preferred to be left alone.
As a sire, Secretariat was successful but not phenomenal, siring his best runners later in his stud career. The 1979 Travers Stakes winner and successful sire General Assembly; 1986 Horse of the Year Lady's Secret; 1992 and the 1988 Belmont and Preakness Stakes winner Risen Star are among his best offspring. His daughters have produced the champion Chief's Crown and the classic winning half brothers A.P. Indy and Summer Squall.
Secretariat died of the complications of laminitis in October of 1989, and is buried at Claiborne Farm, near the graves of his sire Bold Ruler, grandsire Nasrullah, and broodmare sire Princequillo.
The competitive racing of horses is one of humankind's most ancient sports, having its origins among the prehistoric nomadic tribesmen of Central Asia who first domesticated the horse about 4500 BC. For thousands of years, horse racing flourished as the sport of kings and the nobility. Modern racing, however, exists primarily because it is a major venue for legalized gambling.
Horse racing is the second most widely attended U.S. spectator sport, after baseball. In 1989, 56,194,565 people attended 8,004 days of racing, wagering $9.14 billion. Horse racing is also a major professional sport in Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South America.
By far the most popular form of the sport is the racing of mounted THOROUGHBRED horses over flat courses at distances from three-quarters of a mile to two miles. Other major forms of horse racing are harness racing, steeplechase racing, and QUARTER HORSE racing.
Thoroughbred Racing
By the time humans began to keep written records, horse racing was an organized sport in all major civilizations from Central Asia to the Mediterranean. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 638 BC, and the sport became a public obsession in the Roman Empire.
The origins of modern racing lie in the 12th century, when English knights returned from the Crusades with swift Arab horses. Over the next 400 years, an increasing number of Arab stallions were imported and bred to English mares to produce horses that combined speed and endurance. Matching the fastest of these animals in two-horse races for a private wager became a popular diversion of the nobility.
Horse racing began to become a professional sport during the reign (1702-14) of Queen Anne, when match racing gave way to races involving several horses on which the spectators wagered. Racecourses sprang up all over England, offering increasingly large purses to attract the best horses. These purses in turn made breeding and owning horses for racing profitable. With the rapid expansion of the sport came the need for a central governing authority. In 1750 racing's elite met at Newmarket to form the Jockey Club, which to this day exercises complete control over English racing.
The Jockey Club wrote complete rules of racing and sanctioned racecourses to conduct meetings under those rules. Standards defining the quality of races soon led to the designation of certain races as the ultimate tests of excellence. Since 1814, five races for three-year-old horses have been designated as "classics." Three races, open to male horses (colts) and female horses (fillies), make up the English Triple Crown: the 2,000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby (see DERBY, THE), and the St. Leger Stakes. Two races, open to fillies only, are the 1,000 Guineas and the Epsom Oaks.
The Jockey Club also took steps to regulate the breeding of racehorses. James Weatherby, whose family served as accountants to the members of the Jockey Club, was assigned the task of tracing the pedigree, or complete family history, of every horse racing in England. In 1791 the results of his research were published as the Introduction to the General Stud Book. From 1793 to the present, members of the Weatherby family have meticulously recorded the pedigree of every foal born to those racehorses in subsequent volumes of the General Stud Book. By the early 1800s the only horses that could be called "Thoroughbreds" and allowed to race were those descended from horses listed in the General Stud Book. Thoroughbreds are so inbred that the pedigree of every single animal can be traced back father-to-father to one of three stallions, called the "foundation sires." These stallions were the Byerley Turk, foaled c.1679; the Darley Arabian, foaled c.1700; and the Godolphin Arabian, foaled c.1724.
American Thoroughbred Racing
The British settlers brought horses and horse racing with them to the New World, with the first racetrack laid out on Long Island as early as 1665. Although the sport became a popular local pastime, the development of organized racing did not arrive until after the Civil War. (The American Stud Book was begun in 1868.) For the next several decades, with the rapid rise of an industrial economy, gambling on racehorses, and therefore horse racing itself, grew explosively; by 1890, 314 tracks were operating across the country.
The rapid growth of the sport without any central governing authority led to the domination of many tracks by criminal elements. In 1894 the nation's most prominent track and stable owners met in New York to form an American Jockey Club, modeled on the English, which soon ruled racing with an iron hand and eliminated much of the corruption.
In the early 1900s, however, racing in the United States was almost wiped out by antigambling sentiment that led almost all states to ban bookmaking. By 1908 the number of tracks had plummeted to just 25. That same year, however, the introduction of pari-mutuel betting for the Kentucky Derby signaled a turnaround for the sport. More tracks opened as many state legislatures agreed to legalize pari-mutuel betting in exchange for a share of the money wagered. At the end of World War I, prosperity and great horses like Man o' War brought spectators flocking to racetracks. The sport prospered until World War II, declined in popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, then enjoyed a resurgence in the 1970s triggered by the immense popularity of great horses such as Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed, each winners of the American Triple Crown--the KENTUCKY DERBY, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. During the late 1980s, another significant decline occurred, however.
Thoroughbred tracks exist in about half the states. Public interest in the sport focuses primarily on major Thoroughbred races such as the American Triple Crown and the Breeder's Cup races (begun in 1984), which offer purses of up to about $1,000,000. State racing commissions have sole authority to license participants and grant racing dates, while sharing the appointment of racing officials and the supervision of racing rules with the Jockey Club. The Jockey Club retains authority over the breeding of Thoroughbreds.
Breeding
Although science has been unable to come up with any breeding system that guarantees the birth of a champion, breeders over the centuries have produced an increasingly higher percentage of Thoroughbreds who are successful on the racetrack by following two basic principles. The first is that Thoroughbreds with superior racing ability are more likely to produce offspring with superior racing ability. The second is that horses with certain pedigrees are more likely to pass along their racing ability to their offspring.
Male Thoroughbreds (stallions) have the highest breeding value because they can mate with about 40 mares a year. The worth of champions, especially winners of Triple Crown races, is so high that groups of investors called breeding syndicates may be formed. Each of the approximately 40 shares of the syndicate entitles its owner to breed one mare to the stallion each year. One share, for a great horse, may cost several million dollars. A share's owner may resell that share at any time.
Farms that produce foals for sale at auction are called commercial breeders. The most successful are E. J. Taylor, Spendthrift Farms, Claiborne Farms, Gainsworthy Farm, and Bluegrass Farm, all in Kentucky. Farms that produce foals to race themselves are called home breeders, and these include such famous stables as Calumet Farms, Elmendorf Farm, and Green-tree Stable in Kentucky and Harbor View Farm in Florida.
Betting
Wagering on the outcome of horse races has been an integral part of the appeal of the sport since prehistory and today is the sole reason horse racing has survived as a major professional sport.
All betting at American tracks today is done under the pari-mutuel wagering system, which was developed by a Frenchman named Pierre Oller in the late 19th century. Under this system, a fixed percentage (14 percent-25 percent) of the total amount wagered is taken out for track operating expenses, racing purses, and state and local taxes. The remaining sum is divided by the number of individual wagers to determine the payoff, or return on each bet. The projected payoff, or "odds," are continuously calculated by the track's computers and posted on the track odds board during the betting period before each race. Odds of "2-1," for example, mean that the bettor will receive $2 profit for every $1 wagered if his or her horse wins.
At all tracks, bettors may wager on a horse to win (finish first), place (finish first or second), or show (finish first, second, or third). Other popular wagers are the daily double (picking the winners of two consecutive races), exactas (picking the first and second horses in order), quinellas (picking the first and second horses in either order), and the pick six (picking the winners of six consecutive races).
Handicapping
The difficult art of predicting the winner of a horse race is called handicapping. The process of handicapping involves evaluating the demonstrated abilities of a horse in light of the conditions under which it will be racing on a given day. To gauge these abilities, handicappers use past performances, detailed published records of preceding races. These past performances indicate the horse's speed, its ability to win, and whether the performances tend to be getting better or worse. The conditions under which the horse will be racing include the quality of the competition in the race, the distance of the race, the type of racing surface (dirt or grass), and the current state of that surface (fast, sloppy, and so on). The term handicapping also has a related but somewhat different meaning: in some races, varying amounts of extra weight are assigned to horses based on age or ability in order to equalize the field.
Harness Racing
The racing of horses in harness dates back to ancient times, but the sport virtually disappeared with the fall of the Roman Empire. The history of modern HARNESS RACING begins in America, where racing trotting horses over country roads became a popular rural pastime by the end of the 18th century. The first tracks for harness racing were constructed in the first decade of the 19th century, and by 1825 harness racing was an institution at hundreds of country fairs across the nation.
With the popularity of harness racing came the development of the STANDARDBRED, a horse bred specifically for racing under harness. The founding sire of all Standardbreds is an English Thoroughbred named Messenger, who was brought to the United States in 1788. Messenger was bred to both pure Thoroughbred and mixed breed mares, and his descendants were rebred until these matings produced a new breed with endurance, temperament, and anatomy uniquely suited to racing under harness. This new breed was called the Standardbred, after the practice of basing all harness-racing speed records on the "standard" distance of one mile.
Harness racing reached the early zenith of its popularity in the late 1800s, with the establishment of a Grand Circuit of major fairs. The sport sharply declined in popularity after 1900, as the automobile replaced the horse and the United States became more urbanized. In 1940, however, Roosevelt Raceway in New York introduced harness racing under the lights with pari-mutuel betting. This innovation sparked a rebirth of harness racing, and today its number of tracks and number of annual races exceed those of Thoroughbred racing. The sport is also popular in most European countries, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
Steeplechase, Hurdle, and Point-To-Point Racing
Steeplechases are races over a 2- to 4-mi (3.2- to 6.4-km) course that includes such obstacles as brush fences, stone walls, timber rails, and water jumps. The sport developed from the English and Irish pastime of fox hunting, when hunters would test the speed of their mounts during the cross-country chase. Organized steeplechase racing began about 1830, and has continued to be a popular sport in England to this day. The most famous steeplechase race in the world is England's Grand National, held every year since 1839 at Aintree. Steeplechase racing is occasionally conducted at several U.S. Thoroughbred race tracks. The most significant race is the U.S. Grand National Steeplechase held yearly at Belmont Park.
Hurdling is a form of steeplechasing that is less physically demanding of the horses. The obstacles consist solely of hurdles 1 to 2 ft (0.3 to 0.6 m) lower than the obstacles on a steeplechase course, and the races are normally less than 2 mi in length. Hurdling races are often used for training horses that will later compete in steeplechases. Horses chosen for steeplechase training are usually Thoroughbreds selected for their endurance, calm temperament, and larger-than-normal size.
Point-to-point races are held for amateurs on about 120 courses throughout the British Isles. Originally run straight across country (hence the name), these races are now conducted on oval tracks with built-in fences, often on farmland.
There are 60 racecourses in Great Britain, with a further two in Northern Ireland (Down Royal and Downpatrick):
Royal Calcutta Turf Club
P.O. Box. No.162, 11, Russell Street,
Calcutta -- 700071.
Grams: "Turf"
Phone: 2291103/2291104/2296357
Telex: 0215896/7928 CARC IN
Fax: 2172632/0572
More...
Royal Western India Turf Club Ltd.
Mahalakshmi Race Course,
Mumbai -- 400034
Phone : 3071398/4666, 3071401/3071438, 3053679
Fax: 022-2071437, 022-3090351
Telex: 011-75398 TURF IN
Gram: "Turf"
More...
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Bangalore Turf Club Ltd.
P.O. Box. No.5038,
Race Course Road,
Bangalore - 560001
Grams: HOSES
Phone: 2262391-2-3, 2266421/2260942/2264944
Telex: 845-2555 HORS IN
Fax: 080-2256995
More...
Madras Race Club Ltd.
P.O. Box. No.2639, Guindy,
Chennai -- 600032.
Phone: 2351171/2/3/5, 2350774
Fax: 044-2351553/0024
Telex: 041-8976-MRC IN
Grams: "RACES"
Ooty Office:
Phone: 0423-443943
Fax: 0423-441251
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Hyderabad Race Club
Malakpet, Hyderabad 500036, India
Tel, +0091-40-454 9491 / 92
Telex : 0425-6413 RACE IN,
Fax : (040) 454 8493
More...
Mysore Race Club Ltd.
Post Box No. 11,
Race course road,
Mysore - 570 010
Grams: "RACES"
Phone: 0821-521675
Fax: 0821-520248
Racing in Malaysia and Singapore
are conducted under the Rules of the
MALAYAN RACING ASSOCIATION
which has delegates from the following Turf Clubs:
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PENANG TURF CLUB
Racecourse
Batu Gantong Road
10450 Penang
Malaysia.
Tel: (604) 229 3233, 229 9284
Racecourse: (605) 229 9018
Fax: (604) 228 8478
Telegrams: "RACING" PENANG
http: www.penangturfclub.com
General Manager / Secretary:
Mr Robin Rizal P. H. TAN
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PERAK TURF CLUB
Racecourse
Jalan Raja Di Hilir
30350 Ipoh
Perak
Malaysia.
Tel: (605) 254 0505, 254 8084
Fax: (605) 253 6877
Telegrams: "RACING" IPOH
General Manager / Secretary:
Mr LIM Yew Leong
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SELANGOR TURF CLUB
Racecourse
Jalan Sungei Besi
57100 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia.
Tel: (603) 9058 3888
Fax: (603) 9058 5755
General Manager:
Mr Kaka SINGH Dhaliwal
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SINGAPORE TURF CLUB
1 Turf Club Avenue
Singapore Racecourse
Singapore 738078.
Tel: (62) 6879 1000
Fax: (62) 6879 1010
Telegrams: "RACING" SINGAPORE
http: www.turfclub.com.sg
Chief Executive: Mr YU Pang Fey
Deputy General Manager (Operations)/
Director (Racing): Mr LAU Kian Heng
great race horses
Brown Jack was a legendary stayer who dominated staying races around 1930. Originally trained to run over hurdles he was good enough to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. After this he was switched with dramatic effect to run on the level. His forte was the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot. It was run over two and three quarter miles and was therefore the supreme test of stamina for a horse. Brown Jack made the race his own, winning it on no less than six occasions. His regular partner was the Champion Jockey, Steve Donoghue. He won other big stayers races too. These include the Ascot Stakes, Goodwood Cup, Doncaster Cup, Chester Cup and the Ebor Handicap. These races were often won carrying very large weights
The Brigadier graced the turf for three seasons between 1970 and 1972. During those three years he was more or less unbeatable with a career tally of seventeen wins from eighteen outings. His best distance was a mile, but he showed his versatility and class by winning at a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half. Joe Mercer was his constant pilot and he was trained by Dick Hern at West Ilsley. His catalogue of victories included a number of the top races such as the Middle Park Stakes, St James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Goodwood Mile, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Champion Stakes, Lockinge Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and King George VI Stakes. A great roll of honour by anyone's standard. A race, The Brigadier Gerard Stakes, has been named after him and is run at Sandown Park.
Alleged - Horse Racing History
Trained by the mighty Vincent O'Brien and ridden by the master jockey Lester Piggott, maybe it is no surprise that Alleged proved to be an outstanding horse. He met with defeat on just one occasion, in the St Ledger, where he was a close second. His main claim to fame though is his consecutive victories in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1977 and 1978. This is an outstanding achievement and without doubt marks Alleged down in the all time greats category. After his retirement he was sent to stud. He went on to produce two further classic winners in Midway Lady and Law Society.
With odds showing on the board, for each and every race you should thinking of playing:
1.) Ask the question "do I have an edge?" If yes, proceed. If no, skip the race.
2.) Ask the question "do I have value?" If yes, proceed. If no, skip the race.
3.) Examine carefully all of the wagering options for this race.
4.) Use the slot wagering strategy for exotic wagers.
5.) Can this be classified as a right situation? What are the right wagers for this situation?
Edge - ask the question "do I have an edge?" Is this a case that is clearly, without nagging reservations, one in which I feel strongly about my contender(s)? If there is any doubt lingering in my mind, I must skip the race.
To feel strongly about one or more contenders, it or they must in some way stand out above the others, such as being a "move" play or having a significant final fraction advantage, or both. To maintain a positive ROI I must be super-selective and feel completely comfortable with this race as a playable one that answers in the affirmative the first 2 questions of edge and value.
Value - ask the question "does this race present enough value?" Playing the thoroughbreds with the intention of making money and maintaining a positive ROI (as opposed to playing for "action" or recreation) is a speculative venture, much like investing in stocks or commodities. The potential return on my money has to be worth the risk.
Establishing Value Lines is extremely useful in determining value situations. If a win proposition (or propositions) has near-post odds of greater than my value line, the win bet is a go.
Wagering Options - once I have answered "yes" to the questions of edge and value, I'm ready to proceed with construction of wagers. I must examine a checklist of all available wagers to make sure I come up with the most appropriate for the situation at hand. For example, if the race in question were the 9th at Belmont Park, my checklist would include: win, win-place, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta as potential plays. I would then structure wagers according to the situation, which would include field size, number of contenders and preference from among the contenders.
Slot Wagering Strategy - if exotic wagers - exacta, trifecta, or superfecta are part of the wagering plan, then I will fill the win/place/show/4th slots with the contenders according to preference for each.
Right Situation and Wagers - is this a "right" situation, and if so, what wager(s) fit(s) this particular situation?
Right Situations
Small field - less than 7 entries - maximum of 3 contenders and no periphery plays
Mid-size field - 7-8 entries - maximum of 3 contenders and 1 periphery play
Large field - 9-12 or more entries - maximum of 3 contenders and 2 periphery plays
Small Field
3 contenders - preference of 1 over the others - bet the top choice to win at my value line or higher; key in 2 slots in the exacta and/or 2 or 3 slots in the trifecta (1/2-3, and lesser on 2-3/1 for the exactas; 1/2-3-4/2-3-4, and lesser on 2-3-4/1/2-3-4, and 2-3-4/2-3-4/1 for the trifectas if playable)
3 contenders - preference of 2 over the other - decide whether to bet to win on higher odds of top 2 picks at my value line or higher, or both if odds on each are minimum 8-1; key both in top 2 slots in exacta and/or trifecta plays as described above
3 contenders - like all equally - bet highest odds to win providing that horse is at or above my value line; box all in exacta if all 6 combinations pay at least $35; box all in the trifecta only if the odds of all 3 contenders total at least 15
Mid-size and Large Fields
The same basic process is used for these situations as for the small field situations. There should be no more than 3 contenders and 1 or 2 periphery plays, respectively. Review and decide on the proper wagers, including the win wager, and which of the contenders should be in which slots.
Studying the form
‘Form’ is simply the information and facts about a horse's past performances. You can find a summary of form in the national newspapers. If you would like a more detailed analysis, then the Racing Post has a wide range of statistical information.
Also, on the day, you can buy a racecard which contains basic form. Sometimes it also contains useful information such as which trainers or jockeys have a good record at that particular course.
Some factors worth taking into consideration when looking at form is whether the horse has won previously over a certain distance or going. Also you might want to look at the weight it’s carrying compared to previous races or whether it is going up or dropping down significantly in the class of the race.
Focusing on the horses
Studying the form can assist in picking winners but it's not the only component and it’s definitely worth actually having a look at the horses before the race, either in the pre-parade ring or the Parade Ring, to see how they’re looking.
The sort of signs you should be seeking in a potential winner are:·
A good muscle tone, often referred to as ‘condition’
Match this with a shiny coat, bright eyes, forward-pointing ears and an alert manner and you’re in with a good chance
Pay attention to how the horse moves. A relaxed forward stride is ideal but watch out for unnecessary agitation - the horse could well be wasting energy
Profuse sweating can be an indication of nerves, but don’t cut this out altogether as for some horses this is normal
Equally, don’t be put off by blinkers or visors, which are worn to help channel the horse’s concentration during the race
Make a limit and stick to it. If you wish to bet at the racecourse, include your limit as part of the cost of the day. That way, any winnings are a bonus, and any losses are part of the costs.
Don't chase losses. There is always another day.
Only bet what you can afford to lose. You alone can judge this.
Stay in control of your betting.
Giant's Causeway earned himself the name of 'Iron Horse' during the summer of 2000.
Owned by the legendary owner, gambler Dorothy Padgett, Golden Miller was to chalk up a remarkable five successive victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The first of these wins came in the 1932 season when Golden Miller was just five years old. Better was to follow in 1934, when still at just seven years of age he won both the Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same season. A feat that has never been equalled before or since. His sequence of Gold Cup victories may have been even better had it not been for the 1937 renewal being lost to the weather. After his one National victory he developed the habit of refusing at the big fences and was never successful there again.
This year it's the twenty fifth anniversary of Red Rum's final race in the Grand National, but for many people if you asked them which horse they most associated with the event they would still say Red Rum. In all Red Rum ran in the National five times, winning a record three times and coming in as runner up twice. A phenomenal record of achievement. His record away from Aintree was unexceptional with a career record of 27 wins from 110 races. So it just goes to underline how he clicked up a couple of gears when he was at Aintree. He was trained nearby on the Southport sands by Ginger McCain and after his death in 1995 he was buried at the course, not far from the finsihing line.
A great horse between 1970 and 1972, trained by Ian Balding and ridden by Geoff Lewis. Mill Reef was off to a flying start even as a two year old. He raced six times claiming five victories. These victories included major races such as the Coventry Stakes, Gimcrack Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes. All quality races where he simply spreadeagled the fields winning these races by an average of seven lengths. He suffered just one defeat as a three and four year old and this came at the hands of the brilliant mile specialist Brigadier Gerard, in the 2000 Guineas. From there though it was success all the way and Mill Reef became the first horse to win the Derby, King George VI and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. An outstanding achievement. Mill Reef then treated his public to a facile ten lengths win in the Prix Ganay at Lonchamp. Sadly he was only to race once more, capturing the Coronation Cup at Epsom, to prove himself as one the greatest mile and a half horses ever. In late August 1972 he fractured a leg on the gallops and was retired to stud. He met with further success as a sire, producing two Derby winners and winners of several other major races.
Lammtarra's racing career was short, but very sweet. In all he raced just four times. All four outings resulted in victory. He raced just once as a two year old before being sent to the 1995 without the benefit of a prep race. He became the first horse to win the Derby on his seasonal debut since 1995 and beat the Derby record time in the process. The previous record had stood for almost sixty years. In winning the Derby he became the first winner to have had a Derby winning sire (Nijinsky) and an Oaks winning dam (Snow Bride). After the Derby he went on to win both the King George VI and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He is the only horse other than Mill Reef to have captured all three of these races.
Nashwan's claim to fame is the fact that he won the 2000 Guineas, the Derby, the Eclipse and the King George VI, all in the same season. A feat that has never been matched by any other horse. His year was 1989. Trained by Dick Hern and ridden by Willie Carson, Nashwan was sent to the 2000 Guineas without a prep race. He justified favouritism by winning by a length and a half. His only defeat came when third in the Prix Niel and he was retired to stud soon after.
A star from the legendary Vincent O'Brien stables Nijinsky carried almost all before him in the 1970 season. The year before as a two year old he raced and won five times, but it was as a three year old that Nijinsky really made his mark. He managed to pull of wins in the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the St Ledger becoming the first horse to win the triple crown since 1935. He also won a high class renewal of the King George VI Stakes that year. After winning all of his first eleven races Nijinsky was to be defeated by just a head in that season's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. After one more race that ended in defeat Nijinsky was retired to stud. His story doesn't end there as he produced three Derby winners and countless other class horses.
Sadler's Wells doesn't get a mention here for what he achieved on the track, but for what he has achieved off it. During his racing career he managed six wins from eleven races including the Irish 2000 Guineas, the Eclipse and the Phoenix Champion Stakes. A fair haul and one most horses would be content with. The story of Sadler's Wells doesn't take off until he was retired from stud. He has been champion sire for each of the last ten seasons and he has had a remarkable influence of Group One races. The roll call of races won by his offspring include the Derby, the Oaks, King George VI, the Eclipse, the 1000 Guineas, the 2000 Guineas, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Breeders' Cup Mile and the Irish Derby. The 2001 season showed his influence at its peak as he sired the winners of both the Derby and the Oaks. Even more remarkably he was responsible for the first three in the Oaks. His influence doesn't just rest with flat racing as he is also the sire of Champion Hurdle star Istabraq.
Shergar produced a number of blinding performances in the 1981 season to earn his place in racing history. He kicked off his three year old season by claiming the Guardian Classic Trial at Sandown Park by ten lengths. From there he went on to Chester to win the Chester Vase by twelve lengths. He then produced one of the best performances ever seen in the Epsom Derby where he laid waste to the field by ten lengths, the biggest ever winning margin in the race's history. He followed this up by capturing the Irish Derby and the King George VI by four lengths apiece. After than came his only failure as a three year old when for some reason he didn't run anywhere near his best and could only manage fourth place in the St Ledger.
After this he was retired to stud and it was there that the Shergar story takes a final sad turn. One night in February 1983 he was kidnapped from the stud in County Kildare and was never seen again. A very sad way to bring to an end the life of one of the greatest racehorses ever seen.
It was a well-earned name as he slugged it out head to head with a number of that year's top horses. It was his determination not to be beaten that marked Giant's Causeway ahead of the rest and led to a remarkable five successive group one winners. His victories were in the St James's Palace Stakes - by a head, the Eclipse - by a head, the Sussex Stakes - by a comfortable three quarters of a length, the International Stakes by a head and the Irish Champion Stakes - by half a length. On top of all this he also managed credible second places in the English and Irish 2000 Guineas, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, where he was beaten by half a length and the Breeders' Cup Classic where he was beaten by no more than a neck.
The distances involved don't always tell the whole story of the titanic battles that Giant's Causeway was involved in, especially his two victories over the unfortunate Kalanisi. Giant's Causeway battled like few other horses have in the history of the sport and fully deserves his place in racing's Hall of Fame.
Abernant was a flying machine who plied his trade between 1948 and 1950. A grey colt, trained by Noel Murless, he was one of the greatest sprinters ever to be seen on a racecourse. He won fourteen of the seventeen races that he contested and what races they were. By the end of his two year old season he had already tucked away victories in the Chesham, Champagne and Middle Park Stakes. At the peak of his powers as a three year old he cruised to victory in the King's Stand, King George and Nunthorpe Stakes and added the July Cup for good measure. The following season he produced repeat victories in the King George Stakes, Nunthorpe Stakes and the July Cup.
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