Just curious as to the typical time a horse needs to recover between races. Some trainers seem to give 3-5 weeks between starts and others run back more often. Is this more trainer or horse dependent? Can some horses handle a more rigorous schedule?
Main reason I ask. Looking at entries for Los Alamitos I noticed one of the claimers that I like (a hard trying older gelding named City State) is entered back for the 4th time in about 3 1/2 weeks and another for the 4th time in 5 weeks. Same trainer, but both did win their last starts and seem to be running well.
Just hoping he holds up to the schedule. Do any of the tracks have rules on how often a horse can run or is it only up to the trainer?
It’s up to the owner and trainer. And yes, every horse is different. Personally, I like about 3 weeks between races. But a horse that goes 3 weeks between races will usually work at least once, and does some galloping. A horse that is running every week to 10 days is walking/jogging between races. When I ran track in high school, we raced every week, in multiple events. Not the best analogy, I know.
Each horse that races is examined by the state vet, how thoroughly is dependent on that state. The jockey can also elect not to ride a horse that does not feel sound warming up.
It all depends on the horse. Years ago, I had a cheap claimer, a filly, that raced almost every week. Trainer decided to give her a bit of time off, on the farm, but had to bring her back to the track within two weeks. She hated the R & R.
These days, my trainer usually aims for 10 to 14 days between races, if the horse has come out of its last race in good form. Also depends on what has been written. Sometimes you need to race a bit closer together if there is nothing coming up that is suitable.
Up here at Woodbine, if you don’t finish in the purse money, you still get $400, just for running, so you might as well race, as opposed to having a work. You don’t get paid for those, and who knows, you might just win. 
Depends on the horse, the level they run at, and the trainer. Lucky ran about once month in low claimers and allowances for most of his career as he was sound and sensible, so might as well go. OTOH, even before he had an injury layoff, our now-four-year-old would go longer between starts as he’s a graded stakes winner and picking spots is different. (Though I admit I’m a wee bit nervous given his new trainer used to be known for giving really, really, REALLY long ‘is that horse retired’ level layoffs.)
I remember when it was not unusual for horses to be started more frequently. Back in the post WWII years many claimers were started weekly. Trainers were known to race frequently to keep horses in condition. Hirsch Jacobs started HAIL TO REASON 20 times in his juvenile campaign. The great STYMIE claimed for $1500 started 131 times during his racing career. Times have changed. This dated article might shed some light on the current thinking.
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34167/why-are-american-thoroughbreds-racing-less-frequently
In my area, there is a horse shortage. Actually, that’s everywhere. But anyway, the tracks are writing a lot more races than they intend to run, and using the races that have full fields. With the warmer weather, expect many more turf races, as they usually draw full fields. The lower level claiming races fill too. So sometimes it looks like a horse is “getting” a lot of time between races when in fact the horse was entered several times and the race did not go.
Check the big Aussie racing, you’ll see horses wheeling back in 3-4 days, in G1 races no less. Here’s an example, So You Think’s in the spring of 2010
[TABLE=“class: grid, width: 626”]
[TR=“class: fl_F_S_W”]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F”]
[TD]02Nov10[/TD]
[TD]Melbourne Cup - G1- 2miles[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]3rd[/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right last, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F”]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“colspan: 10”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F_S_W”]
[TD]30Oct10[/TD]
[TD]Mackinnon Stakes - G1- 1-1/4m[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right last, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F_S_W”]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“colspan: 10”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F_S_W”]
[TD]23Oct10[/TD]
[TD]Cox Plate - G1- 1-1/4m[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right last, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F_S_W”]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“colspan: 10”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F_S_W”]
[TD]09Oct10[/TD]
[TD]Yalumba Stakes - G1- 1-1/4m[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right last, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F_S_W”]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“colspan: 10”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_F_S_W”]
[TD]18Sep10[/TD]
[TD]Underwood Stakes - G1- 1-1/8m[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”]
[/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Martin Pipe, who was leading NH trainer in England for many years, was famous (or notorious, depending on you POV) for running horses back on short rest, often on consecutive days. Here’s an example, Commercial Flyer in 2005. Keep in mind some of these races were at opposite ends of the country, so he was not only running on short rest, but traveled hundreds of miles between tracks.
[TABLE=“class: grid, width: 626”]
[TR=“class: fl_H”]
[TD]23Apr05 [/TD]
[TD]Sandown 2-1/2m Hurdle - 5th[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right last, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_H”]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“colspan: 10”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_H_W”]
[TD]22Apr05 [/TD]
[TD]Perth 3-1/4m Hurdle - 1st[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right last, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_H_W”]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“colspan: 10”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_H_W”]
[TD]21Apr05 [/TD]
[TD]Perth 2-1/2m Hurdle - 1st[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right last, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_H_W”]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“colspan: 10”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_H_W”]
[TD]15Apr05 [/TD]
[TD]Ayr 3m Hurdle - 1st[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“class: nowrap”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right, align: right”][/TD]
[TD=“class: right last, align: right”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_H_W”]
[TD][/TD]
[TD=“colspan: 10”][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR=“class: fl_H_W”]
[TD]12Apr05 [/TD]
[TD][B]Exeter 1-1/4 Hurdle -1st
[/B][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
A lot of good information. Thank you.
Regarding the above, it looks like that horse raced 3 days in a row and won 2 of 3 days. Impressive.
I am on the West Coast and it seems we have a shortage of horses here too. Los Alamitos is sending off 4 and 5 horse fields. It doesn’t seem to be an issue when the meet goes to Del Mar though
I have noticed an East Coast trainer that has come out this way and been claiming a ton of horses , racing some here and shipping many back east. He has claimed many of the nice mid level claimers to take back with him. I am not familiar with him ( Jacobson?) and he seems to do it a little differently–races a lot but maybe this is more typical than I thought.
Thx again for the insight.
Jacobson is very controversial - claims a lot. Probably has a higher percentage of breakdowns than most. I know in the past of those who have lost good horses in claiming races to him, and then tried to get them back, afraid of where they’ll end up.
Just google his name, and I’m sure you’ll find some of the references above.
