What is the difference between “breezing” and “handily”? I ask because when looking at workouts for my job, it seems the same distances at roughly the same paces have different terminology & I noticed that they are east coast vs. west coast. Are they the same thing, just regional, or are the different???
Handily means the horse finished well with plenty left.
For workouts? Or for races?
On the east coast and in the midwest, breezing means the horse worked under his own power. Handily means that the jockey was pushing hard (or used the whip.) Oddly enough, on the west coast, the way the terms are used is reversed.
It is an odd reversal because when you say he won a race “handily” it means he won easily or “in hand.”
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[QUOTE=lily04;6065034]
Handily means the horse finished well with plenty left.[/QUOTE]
I discussed this with an east coast clocker during morning works recently and was told this.
DH and I raced on the east coast for 40+ years and “handily” was meant to be as lily04 said…made the distance easily with no pressure. “Breezing” implied the horse was “helped” by the jockey…hand ride or stick.
[QUOTE=LaurieB;6065067]
On the east coast and in the midwest, breezing means the horse worked under his own power. Handily means that the jockey was pushing hard (or used the whip.) Oddly enough, on the west coast, the way the terms are used is reversed.[/QUOTE]
This is what I’ve always understood on the New York circuit. Especially considering that most of the top works in any one day are marked H. My horse used to get a tightener the week before a planned race, often had a bullet work doing so, and otherwise was breezed for maintenance works.
Isn’t it odd that they are so opposingly different. I’d guess you’d have to look at the day’s works overall at that location to get the picture?
I have to note workouts of horses, and it was just interesting to me how the same distance/time was called both “breezing” and “handily” and I figured they had to be the same thing… It is funny how they are opposite on the different coasts…
Depends completely which side of the country you are on. On the west coast, Breezing is not asked, easily in hand. Handily is asked for run.
Midwest to east coast is the reverse
West coaster here… Breezing means that the horse is volunteering the effort, not being asked by the rider.
Handily means “in hand”, being asked to run by the rider with the hands, but not pushed hard.
Driving is the other annotation. This means that the rider used the whip to gain the effort for the workout. Very rare in the morning.
These annotations describe a visual observation of the workout, rather than just the time. Gives the reader some idea of the plan of the trainer that was employed in the workout. A bullet workout with a B means a lot more than a bullet workout with a D or even an H. A slow workout with a B means a lot different than a slow workout with a D.
Here in Texas, for workouts Breezing means the horse was working easily, no encouragement from the rider, Handily means the horse was urged with hands/ whip etc.
[QUOTE=NancyM;6093636]
West coaster here… Breezing means that the horse is volunteering the effort, not being asked by the rider.
Handily means “in hand”, being asked to run by the rider with the hands, but not pushed hard.
Driving is the other annotation. This means that the rider used the whip to gain the effort for the workout. Very rare in the morning.
These annotations describe a visual observation of the workout, rather than just the time. Gives the reader some idea of the plan of the trainer that was employed in the workout. A bullet workout with a B means a lot more than a bullet workout with a D or even an H. A slow workout with a B means a lot different than a slow workout with a D.[/QUOTE]
I am from the east coast and this is what I always thought were the meanings of the terms. Maybe I am just old?
