OK, I know this is a longshot to ask, but…
Does anyone know about racehorses in Russia, or their caliber? Is the Russian Derby and its competitors on equal ground with any kind of racing here? What is the footing like (the article I read said 2400 meters on “sand”)? I’d really like any information in general, about the horse Monomakh in particular if anyone has any feedback. Thanks so much!!!
There was a prior thread on Russian associations worth a peek: topic “Dasvidanya? Nyet! Part два”
Russian President Putin once bought a 4th place Preakness finisher (“Racecar Rhapsody”) largely for the purpose of the Russian Derby. The horse finished off the board. I assume the horse is now working along side some mules in a coal mine in beautiful Minsk.
Video replay: 2010 Russian Derby which was won by North Stream a Giant’s Causeway son
Quality? Eh, watch the video and aside from the fact it looks amateur hour from the gate crew to the video production, announcer, and in a bull-ring looking sand box I’ll reserve judgement 
Here’s the official page for Monomakh: http://hippodrom.ru/modules/horses/horse.php?horse_id=1406 (if it comes through in Russian rather than English, just click the American flag in the upper right corner for a translation.)
You can see a list of his races at the bottom and if you click on each one, you can get a complete order of finish, incuding the breeding for each entrant.
I know they race TBs in Russia, but they also have a very active circuit where Akhal Tekes are raced (a rare breed from Central Asia that actually did help contribute to the formation of the original TB). In fact, many breeders over there gear their programs specifically towards producing stock that is successful in racing.
Rather odd, since the Teke was historically a breed that had great endurance and strength over a long distance. However the distances for the Teke races are the same as the distances we offer over here for TBs (and Arabs, for that matter) – 6f - 1 1/2miles max.
They don’t understand that there is no market for racing Tekes over here or in the EU – nor is there likely to be one.
We’ve had many spirited discussion online trying to convince these Teke breeders that you can’t hope to develop races that cater to Tekes when there are only some 400-600 in this country…
The Time-Life archives on Google include some photo’s from a Russian Festival that is still held annually.
Time-life-Google is one of the most difficult sites I’ve seen to navigate and search. If they’ve (google) a method to the madness, it’s not apparent.
May be the horses your referring to?
The photographer was “Howard Sochurek”
This may get you close.
After you select one image, there’s a group of thumbnails on the right for more of the same shoot.
Thanks everyone for your replies!They have been fun and informative :0)
I was actually looking just at Russian racing in general (and Monomakh in particular because he is my mares baby) and wondering what the racing was like - I looked at the footing and thought “Geez!” because it doesn’t look very friendly and the distance they travel over it is tough. I never really looked into Russian racing before now and was just wondering what kind of horse excels there in that tough environment (and please, I know the caliber is different, blah blah, so no I am not expecting to see a Curlin emerge from there). If there is any other information out there, keep it coming. I like to learn!
“what kind of horse excels there in that tough environment”
fast ones 
My trainer in Russia worked as an agent for an owner and would take regular trips to Britain to buy TBs. He had some kind of relationship with Godolphin and would often buy their culls – horses who were quite nice, but were probably not going to make it on the tougher Western European/North American circuits. I understand they did reasonably well in Moscow and the regions.
I rode at the Moscow Hippodrome and the footing wasn’t great, as I recall. However, that’s been several years ago, so things may have gotten better since. I saw primarily Orlov trotters there (going in the mornings this time of year was wonderful, because they worked/raced them with sleds), so I’m not sure the Hippodrome was used that often for TB racing, although they did have some.
In the 1950s and in the 1980s the Soviet national stud sent some horses to the Washington, D. C., International. I know this only because on a back wall at Laurel Park, behind one of the betting-window banks, the Soviet national stud silks are part of a display of once-internationally-famous silks which were carried in the D. C. International when that was still a top race (before the Breeders Cup.)
I dont know much about it, but as Kyzteke said, Akhal Teke racing is fairly prominent there, as well as Arabian racing. I’m currently looking into importing a fairly successful arabian racer from there as my next herd sire (still debating if I want to have a breeding stallion again though - so decision is still up in the air. )
Probably not what you’re looking for, but do a google image search for orlov trotter (or, heck, I’ll do it for you: http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=orlov+trotter&pdl=1000&wrapid=tljp1291990186442021&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1004&bih=581 )
I think they are so pretty. And from the pictures seem to have some varying athletic purposes!
The following excerpt from the April 17, 1930 Trotter and Pacer magazine, under the title “Observations of a Yankee Trainer in Europe”, and written by J. P. Allen:
In reading the results of racing in Italy, I noticed a race where two four-year-olds, Mafisa and Mastrilli, were first and second. Both were sired by the Russian stallion, Perony 2:091/4, he by Peter B. out of a mare by Baron Rogers 2:091/4 (record over two miles 4:40). His grandam was a clean Orlov trotter. As to Perony himself I remember having seen him in his late three-year-old form. He came out on the track like a buzz saw, going so rapid gaited that he would shift over to the pace continually. Frank Caton also saw him and told me to tell the Russian trainer that had the colt to put three-ounce toe weights on him. A few days later Caton and I were standing in the drivers’ stand when this gray colt came out on the track. He jogged him a turn the wrong way, then went on the big track and stepped a half in 1:071/2. I said to Caton, “There go your three-ounce toe weights,” and showed him my watch.
A short time after that he started as a four-year-old and got a record of 2:151/2, being sold soon after for $27,000. He was then shipped to Moscow for the Derby. On the Friday before the Sunday in July, 1916, when the Derby was to be raced, his driver worked him three heats better than 2:12 and one heat in 2:10. He probably trotted the Derby away in the work as he was only beaten a 'head in 2:091/2 2:103/4, by a horse named John, by John A. McKerron, dam an Orlov mare. About a day and a half before the Derby John had a bad leg but Mr. Caton patched him up so that he was able to win and go two good heats.
end of quote
For those of you not aware?
The “Frank Caton” referred to here, is the maternal grandfather of Caton Bredar.
May be the horses your referring to?
