The link that Hobie posted to the NYRA rules gives a very good idea of how racing “works.” It outlines alot of how things get done in racing, I imagine that the rules in NY are fairly typical.
I’ve always wondered this… How do the goggles work? I see jockeys go by with four or five pairs of goggles on their helmet, so do they start with all of them on and throw off pairs as they go? This is the least likely scenario I can think of, but I can’t think of anything else.
My 3 year old’s DI=3.67. Ya mean, he could win the KD?!? It’s back to the track for him! 
Researching your horse’s tattoo when you don’t know the registered name:
There is no website or free service that allows you to search a TB tattoo. However, you can do tattoo research through The Jockey Club. Charges are $35 for a tattoo search, 5-generation pedigree and tabulated race record. $55 gets you lifetime starts, owner information and sales history as well.
http://www.tjcis.com/otherServicesDisplay.asp?section=3
Once you have the name, you can also purchase more information through Equine Line.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by libgrrl:
LH,
Great job!!!
Now try “dual qualifiers”! 
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hey… Dual Qualifiers is easy. I’ve already done the hard work. 
Come Ky Derby time, there is a group of people who have statistics which say that there are two main criteria for a horse to meet before it has a chance to be considered a good bet to win the Kentucky Derby.
The first criteria is that the horse must have sufficient stamina in his pedigree to get the 1 1/4 miles that is the distance of the Kentucky Derby. The Dosage Index (explained above) is an easy way, some say, of determining this. An index of 4 is the “dividing line” between horses with enough distance runners in their pedigree and horses who have too much sprinting blood to last the 1 1/4 miles at this point in their lives.
There are a number of holes in this theory – the biggest one (which you can drive a truck through, IMO) is that the categories which the horse’s ancestors are assigned to (the 5 categories of sprinter v. run all day horse) are subjectively determined by one man. If things are not working out as they should be with his little formula, he has been known to add a horse into an additional category so that the points can be reassigned to work out the way he wants them to.
So, in the dual qualifying theory – the first way to qualify is to have a Dosage Index of less than 4.
The second element necessary to become a dual qualifier is to be assigned a “weight” within 10 pounds of the highweighted 2 year old on the Experimental Free Hanidcap.
For a two year old to be assigned a weight on the Experimental Free Handicap, he must have placed in a stakes race during the year.
Traditionally, the best 2 year old is assigned 126 pounds on this scale. An exceptional 2 year old will be assigned more to recognize his superiority over all two year olds of that year and other years. Secretariat was assigned 128 or 129 which, as I recall, might have been the all time high weight assignment.
These horses will never be assigned these weights in an actual race; it is merely a method of ranking their relative ability based on their performances as 2 year olds.
Of course, many horses which go on to be top 3 year olds are just getting started at the end of their 2 year old year. But the people who ascribe to the “Dual Qualifier” theory believe that a horse cannot win the Kentucky Derby without having shown enough precociousness as a 2 year old to have performed well at the stakes level.
Each year there are approximately 8 - 12 horses who have both a DI under 4 AND who are assigned weights within 10 pounds of the highweighted 2 year old.
NB: Two year old fillies are given a 3 pound weight allowance. So a filly who is assigned 123 pounds is considered to be on a par with a colt who is assigned 126. I believe that this year Sweet Catomine was assigned 124 pounds (= to a 127 lbs weight for a colt – she is considered to be an extraordinary filly). This means that, only colts who were assigned above 117 and fillies who were assigned above 114 AND whose DI is less than 4 are Dual Qualifiers.
Clear as mud?
Hope it’s ok to post a racing 101 question… 
Stepahnie Valberg has found that “horses tied-up most often with gallop training not when breezing or racing.” So what is the difference? 
Thanks!
What does it mean when y’all say “a horse used up all his conditions” when giving a reason for being listed on CANTER, for example?
Is there a scale of races through which a horse has to move up or down to keep racing?
I know the question about poles on the track has already been answered but I was wondering if anyone may know of a link to a picture of the a track layout for a one mile track that has all of the poles labled and their colors so that I could get a visual of it?
Thanks
I have a 101 question for everyone. When do TBs get their lip tattoos? I’ve always assumed that if there was a tattoo, the horse had been on the track but my sister assures me this is not the case. So can you educate me and end this sisterly squabble?
They MUST be tattooed to race but many get the tattoo yet never race. Most get the tattoo fairly soon (days/weeks) before their first start.
Thanks Linny. Your answer is perfect – now both sisters can claim “victory”. In truth, my sister will never be quite sure if this TB ever raced. I’m just glad she’s getting back into horses again. She lost her show hunter about 2 1/2 years ago and has been horseless. I’m even happy to be arguing with her about horse stuff again! :yes:
Hey Erin, can this thread be sticky again?
Erin says she’ll sticky it again, Linny. We’ll just have to be patient until she gets a minute.
I know Erin’s swamped, I’ll wait. This thread is a good resource.
Hey everybody, I had a couple of very basic questions! When did handicapping start? Are there races that are run with all horses at the same weight?
Also, how do claiming races work?
Thanks!
My guess is that ancients were handicapping chariot races!
Many races have horses at equal weights. Most maiden races are at equal weights. Usually weights are varying due to recency of winning efforts. For example, an allowance race or a claiming race might set the starting weight at 121lbs. From there, they might say horses without a win within X (amount of time) are allowed 3lns, so they are now down to 118. Similarly, horses in claiming races can be given a weight break if the owner is willing to enter for a lower proce. Say the claiming price range is 8-10k. At 10k the weight is 121. At 9k it might be 119 and at 8k it’s 116.
Claiming races make up most of the races run in the US. When you enter a claiming race, you are offering the horse for sale at that price, via the “claim box”. The conditions of the race set the price, ie “Three and up $20-25k” Meaning horses 3 or older valued between 20-25k. The claiming game is more art than science. Trainers must gauge the best place the enter, where thay can win but hopefully not be claimed, unless they WANT to lose the horse.
If your horse is “in for” a $20k price, any horseman with funds on deposit at the horsemens bookkeepers office may purchase him for that price. The paperwork must be completed BEFORE the race and be 100% accurate. Most tracks require the “claim form” be in the box at about 10 minutes before the race’s scheduled post time.
Sometimes more than one claim is placed for a horse in which case a “shake” or drawing is held. As long as the horse is considered a “starter” in the race, the claim is valid. If the horse breaks down in the race, the new owner is responsible for him. Any money he may earn however, goes to the owner at the time of entry, the original owner.
Claiming is IMO a very interesting part of the game. There is much strategizing and no small bit of game playing. A trainer may want to drop a horse down in class for a confidence boost but doesn’t want someone to claim him for less than his real value. He may train the horse with odd equipment or a very heavy exercise rider or wrap is legs outside the barn while acting like it’s doomsday so claiming trainers who may be spying on him as he trains and cools out maight think something is wrong. He may chose to drop WAY down to scare off claims, after all no one would “give away” a legit $20k horse for say, $8k. It’s a crapshoot in alot of ways but most folks in racing operate in the claiming realm.
I have a tattooed TB and I have tried researching him using his name (the one I was given) but I don’t beleive its his registered name. Is there any place online that I could check his tattoo to his name thats not going to cost me $35? I know the JC does the research but I’m not really interested in all that as much as I would just like to know his name. From his name I can find the rest myself I’d hate to pay them to do something that I can do myself…if that makes sense. I might just be cheap :lol: but it seems kind of silly to pay that fee when all I want is a name.
What name were you given? I have a CD-rom with names of all TB’s registered between 1920 and 2001 but if the name is wrong it doesn’t work. Maybe I can play with the name, change a letter or two and see what I get.
Also, how old is he? What’s the letter at the start of his tattoo? If he was Breeders’ Cup eligible, there might be info about him there.
Okay, it’s been awhile since this was posted in but…
What does it mean for a horse to be “eased”?
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