It’s that time of year when the talk turns to the newly turned 3yo’s and how they will fare on a two turn mile or if they’ll stay a 7f or one turn mile horse.
I’d thought about what really is the “challenge” in that second turn but not sure I am “guessing” correctly.
What is it about that second turn that some horses can handle while others can’t? Going too fast? Confused by the second turn?
IMO and experience it is meaningless. Horses will run around the track as long as the rider asks them.
I think the only track in the country big enough to run a 1 turn mile race is Belmont.
Laurel has done one-mile turns ever since they got rid of their angled chute and extended the backstraight chute.
The “two turns” reference isn’t referring explicitly to the second turn itself; it refers to the additional distance incurred on account of the fact that most dirt ovals are around a mile in distance.
Usually when the commentators express concerns about a 3y/o having the stamina for two turns, they’re referring to the prep races over a mile… not debating ability in various 8f races with different racetrack configurations.
There’s several besides Belmont–Aqueduct, Arlington Park, Churchill, Gulfstream, and Laurel (with second finish line.)
I should have clarified by saying without having to use a chute. Just assumed people would know what I was talking about, meant. The actual size of the “oval”.
What I meant by “meaningless” refers to the horse’s ability to make 2 turns verses 1 turn. I would think trainers like 1 turn miles because turns are where their horse can get into trouble, depending on their running style, position entering the turns and how good they are at keeping that position and line. Horse that run wide, get caught wide, pushed out wide in the turns have to run further. Considerably further depending how far off the rail they are. On the straight parts of the track position is meaningless if the race was a “straight” mile.
New Market and I think some other tracks outside this country have straight mile courses/races
Texarkana I think nailed what I really should have asked. Not so much 1 turn vs 2 but distance. I get that as horses stretch out they may or may not be able to go the route distances.
As for 1 mile, 1 turn, I did some poking yesterday. Gulfstream used to have a 1 mile dirt until they widened the track. Seems like many of the tracks only have 7f from the chute one turn miles. Didn’t look at Laurel but did look at Del Mar, Santa Anita, Keeneland, Churchill Downs and at least as I interpreted what I found, they all have 7f chutes and to go a mile, need to do 2 turns.
Ascot also has a 1 mile straight. The Queen and her entourage enter at the head of the straight in their carriages and ride down to the royal box during the Royal Ascot meet. Quite the spectacle. NBCSN has carried live coverage of the entire 5 day meet for the last few years.
It’s a few things:
Confusion: I have to keep going around another turn? Best solved in the morning by open galloping two turns and/or racing experience.
Lead stamina: The radius of the turn on a racetrack can matter = how long a young horse or any horse can gallop on inside lead before tiring. The turn radius at Belmont 643 ft. vs Aqueduct at 470 vs Churchill at 406. Easier to stay on left lead on smaller radius one turn races. Not easy to maintain left lead on bigger radius + two turns.
Lead swapping: Some horses (like Alydar; only changed on the turns) just aren’t willing to swap leads a bunch of times. It takes energy to swap leads, add two turns = multiple lead swaps in/out of turns + on straightways. Some horses are pros at this and some will never be.
A horse going a mile with just one turn will spend more time on the right lead than the left. So a horse that is more comfortable on the right lead may run better with just one turn involved.
It would be neat to know about how much distance the horse goes on the left lead vs. the right lead for each track, going exactly once around.
Rider tactics matter more with 2 turns since the distance traveled increases with every lane off the rail in which the horse travels during the turn. Horses with tactical speed will have an advantage in a two turn race since the rider can more accurately place the horse where he/she wants the horse to be in the turn and on the straight, without losing ground, causing trouble, etc.
I despise Laurel’s one turn mile. Makes it a sprint race and true milers have no shot.
It’s so interesting to see what happens with horses when you stretch them out. We have a 3 year old that ran twice around one turn and then once around two turns (just about 3 weeks ago) as a 2 year old. He got so much better with the added distance. I think most trainers can probably tell from the way a horse works and the way they gallop out whether they need a route of ground or will be better sprinting. Another cool thing to look at after a horse runs around two turns for the first time is the Trakus info for the race, which shows you the actual distance they went compared to the other horses, and gives you an idea of the line they took compared to others.
Love that race! The horse that normally goes 7/8 keeps on going, and you can cash a nice bet as well as pick up a nice check.
Sorry, not a lot I agree with in this.
Most horses are galloped 2 turns several times a week. If not everyday. Mine did once fit and ready to roll.
Any racehorse that is properly conditions, be it a 2 year old, 3 and up can easily hold their left lead. Be it at Belmont or the smaller ovals. The average racehorse covers around 60 ft per second. They are in the turns for a a very small part of the entire race. Esp a mile race. All racehorses are taught to change back to their right leg, the fresh leg coming out the turn. Its had nothing to do with possibly be tired.
Any decent racehorse exerts little to no effort changing leads. It is hard for the rider to tell by feel if the horse has changed leads when asked. I have been on many youngsters once they understand being asked for a lead change in the straight or out of a turn. I had to look over their shoulder to see if they had changed because it was so smooth.
“Not easy to maintain left lead on bigger radius + two turns”
I have never found this to be true. On their back or watching VERY closing when my horses are running. Never had a jock say or heard a jock say the horse is having trouble holding its lead in the turn. Even at Belmont where I pretty much grew up. Front side and back side. In fact Belmont’s wide sweeping turns are easier for horses to hold their position. It is also whey European based horses do well running at Belmont when first raced over here. The majority of tracks in Europe are not ovals.
All the turns on American tracks are canted some much more than others. If a horse was on it’s left lead it would be carried to the outside rail. It would also put a lot more stress on that leg.
Depending on the length of the “straights” I would think the majority of horses stay on the right lead. I know mine have because I watch them closely when running. A horse that is swapping leads without asking is either not fit enough and or has something on the come, Tendon, an unsoundness issue. It is the exercise rider’s job to be VERY aware of their horse and lead changes. They should only change leads when asked. The trainer should be watching this very closely from the rail also.
In Jump racing esp races held on courses specifically designed, laid out for jump races. There are far more and longer “straights” then turns. We, the jocks ask for lead changes in different points in the race. This is VERY important.
This is how I see and know it. To each their own.
A 2-turn mile is a more tactical race, so, like Laurierace said, a one-turn mile ends up running like a sprint. Great if you have a sprinter you can stretch, not great if you don’t.
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