Sprints, Stakes Separate Runners
Thoroughbreds dash, or last in Different Types, Classes of Races
In season long competition, thoroughbred racing offers short races, long races, conditioned, allowance, and stakes races, a Derby, an Oaks, handicaps, and invitationals.
He broke his maiden; he's a claimer; can she run in a classic with the boys? The three highlighted words in the previous sentence are all terms describing various types of races run by thoroughbreds.
The most familiar American classic races for three-year-olds are fast approaching. The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes make up the races of the American Triple Crown, which begins each season on the first Saturday in May.
Only eleven thoroughbreds in history have won all three of these races in a single season. They comprise the most demanding racing schedule on American soil.
What is a classic race? Simply, the term refers to a race for three-year-olds that has a ton of tradition behind it. Generally, a classic for boys is a Derby, and a classic run by females is an Oaks.
A Derby, or an Oaks is a stakes race. Thoroughbred owners who wish to enter a colt, or a filly in a stakes race must pay a fee to do so. The fee may be designated as a nominating fee, an entering and starting entry fee, or a fee for the owner to maintain eligibility to enter the particular race each time it's run. Fees collected are added to the purse, or race payout prizes, along with the amount of money put up by ownership of the track.
A route race is run around two turns, and it is run over a mile, or more. A sprint race is run at less than a mile, usually with just one turn. Yearlings and juveniles first learn to run sprints, before tackling the longer classic distances.
In a maiden race, challengers are all equal, as none have yet won a competition. Breaking his maiden means an individual thoroughbred has won for the first time in his career. This usually happens at the age of two, as a juvenile. Each year, all newly foaled thoroughbreds have the same birth date in the official thoroughbred register. Thus the term baby race is used for two-year-old racers. Some runners are three before they break their maiden.
Claiming races are held for runners who are for sale at the conclusion of the race, and may be entered for an already agreed to purchase price. Claimers simply refers to thoroughbreds that run only in claiming races.
A graded race is one with the most prestige, or importance in America. A group race is the the European equivalent to a graded feature. These contests are leveled as l, ll, or lll, using the quality of past winners, and the particular race's influence on other racing events and championships in thoroughbred circles as number assignment criteria.
A conditioned race requires certain entry conditions be met. Usually, sex, age, and race records are the prevailing conditions for thoroughbred eligibility.
In an overnight race, entries for the race are closed before running hours. This differs from a stakes race, for which entries are determined far in advance by eligibility specifics.
For fillies, mares, or both there are distaff races. An allowance race is run by entries that have their eligibility determined by a racing secretary. Weights and performance eligibility are considered for all entries.
An invitational race is a stakes competition open only to invited participants. As a general rule, no entry fee is charged for these events.
The scale of weights used in horse racing refers to a fixed weight assigned to a race for each entered horse to carry. Age, sex, racing distance, and the seasonal time of the racing year are taken into consideration in setting this equal weight. For example, in the three middle season classic races (Derby, Preakness, Belmont), each horse carries the weight of 126 pounds. The total weight inludes the jockey and his tack.
A handicap race is one in which the racing secretary, or track handicapper sets the different weights to be carried by each entry.
Familiarity with the types and classes of races is a must for any serious thoroughbred watcher. For the novice, knowledge of race classes and types can make all things come together in a cerebral sense. Knowledge is not only power. It is excitement.
