Racing Dudes Beginners Series: Understanding Race Types

-Stakes/Derby/Handicap Races:

 These types of races are for the best of the best.  The purses are usually very high for Stakes, Derby, or Handicap races, sometimes up to 5 million dollars at the highest level.  There are usually conditions attached to these types of races so not just any horse can enter.  The conditions are usually age, gender, and/or earnings acquired.   For example, to run in the Kentucky Derby you must be three years old, and you must be in the top 20 in earnings amongst the horses that are trying to enter the race.  Stakes, Derby, and Handicap races are broke down into three grades.  Grade 1 races account for the elite horses and carry the biggest purses.  Grades 2 and 3 races are still extremely good, but do carry smaller purses than Grade 1’s.  Winning a Grade 1 race is every horsemen’s dream.  There are also ungraded stakes races, which usually serve as prep races for the graded races.  In most cases, all horses carry the same or similar weights in Stakes and Derby races.  In Handicap races horses carry different weights.  The weight assignments are given to each horse by track officials.  The best horse determined by the racing officials is given the most to carry weight, and so forth.  This is meant to try to give every horse a chance, hence the term “Handicap” race.  It’s much like using a handicap in golf.

Example of a Stakes Race.  Notice that you have to be four-years-old or older to run in this one:

Example of a Handicap.  Notice the different weights the horses are carrying:

-Allowance Races:

If a horse is not quite good enough to run in a stakes, they will run in an Allowance race.  Allowances usually contain purses around $35,000 to $50,000 and can draw very good fields.  Like Stakes races, Allowance races are usually made with conditions.  A typical Allowance condition may look like this:  For 3 year olds and upward who have never won a race other than a maiden or claiming race.  They make these conditions so they can keep the races competitive by grouping similar horses together.  Competitive races are great for the betting public, as well as the horse owners and trainers.

Example of an Allowance race.  Notice the conditions at the top of the race:

-Claiming Races:

 The claiming race is the heart and soul of the race track.  Often these races contain horses that are not good enough to run at a high level, or have aged and can no longer run against the better horses.  In a claiming race all the horses in the race are essentially for sale, and licensed owners can buy the horse if they desire.  To do this, the prospective owner must fill our a “claim sheet” before the race is ran.  Once the race is over the horse belongs to the new owner, no matter happens.  So even if the horse sustains an injury during the race, the new owner still has to take him.  This is often described playing poker with horses.  Claiming prices can range from $2,500 all the way to $100,000 depending on the talent of the horses running.

Example of a Claiming Race:

-Maiden Special Weight Races:

 This one is simple.  A maiden special weight race is simply a race for horses that have never won a race.  All horses start their careers running in this type of race.  These fields usually are full of young horses that are aspiring to be stakes type horses.  All horses in this race carry the same weight as well.

Example of Maiden Special Weight:

-Maiden Claiming Races:

If a horse struggles to win a maiden special weight, they are often dropped into a maiden claiming race.  A maiden claiming race is for horses that have never won a race, but they can be purchased for the amount the claiming price is set at, just like a regular claiming race.

Example of a maiden Claiming race: