Horse Betting 101 Racing Dudes Beginners Series: Understanding Race Types March 7, 2012 Coglianese Photos Horse Betting 101 Racing Dudes Beginners Series: Understanding Race Types March 7, 2012 By: Aaron Halterman twitterfacebooklinkedinemail Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article -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: STAKES Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. (Grade I) Purse $300,000. For Four-Year-Olds And Upward. By subscription of $300 each to accompany the nomination. Closed with 17. $4,500 additional to start, with $300,000 guaranteed, of which $180,000 to first, $60,000 to second, $36,000 to third, $18,000 to fourth and $6,000 to fifth 123 Lbs. Non-winners of a Grade I race at One Mile or Over since September 3, 2011, allowed 3 Lbs.; Non-winners of a Grade I race at One Mile or Over OR Two Grade II races since March 3, 2011, 5 lbs A trophy will be presented to the owner of the winner. One Mile. (Turf) P# PP Horse Virtual Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1 Mr. Commons (KY) 4/C L M E Smith 120 J A Shirreffs 4/5 2 2 Jimmy Simms (KY) 7/H L C S Nakatani 118 S M Asmussen 12/1 3 3 Willyconker (IRE) 5/G L J Rosario 118 D F O’Neill 8/1 4 4 Compari (CA) 6/G L R Bejarano 118 M F Jones 4/1 5 5 Jeranimo (FL) 6/H L M Garcia 120 M Pender 3/1 6 6 Massone (KY) 6/H L A Quinonez 118 T Yakteen 15/1 7 7 Make Music for Me (KY) 5/H L C Sutherland 118 A Barba 20/1 8 8 Mega Heat (CA) 5/G L J Talamo 118 P Eurton 15/1 Example of a Handicap. Notice the different weights the horses are carrying: STAKES Santa Anita H. (Grade I) Purse $750,000. For Four-Year-Olds And Upward. By subscription of $300 each to accompany the nomination. Closed with 18 nominations. $2,500 to pass the entry box and $8,500 to start with $750,000 guaranteed, of which $450,000 to first, $150,000 to second, $90,000 to third, $45,000 to fourth and $15,000 to fifth. Trophies will be presented to the winning owner, breeder, trainer, and jockey. One And One Fourth Miles. P# PP Horse Virtual Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1 Uh Oh Bango (AZ) 5/H L M E Smith 117 R K Owens 6/1 2 2 Ultimate Eagle (KY) 4/C L M A Pedroza 120 M Pender 5/2 3 3 Ron the Greek (FL) 5/H L J Lezcano 116 W I Mott 6/1 4 4 Boxeur des Rues (KY) 4/C L M Gutierrez 112 D F O’Neill 50/1 5 5 Thirtyfirststreet (CA) 4/C L E Flores 114 D F O’Neill 30/1 6 6 Twice the Appeal (KY) 4/C L C Santiago Reyes 114 J Bonde 30/1 7 7 Fiddlers Afleet (NY) 6/H L K Krigger 110 P Eurton 50/1 8 8 Gladding (FL) 5/G L J Rosario 116 J W Sadler 12/1 9 9 Setsuko (KY) 5/G L V Espinoza 116 R E Mandella 4/1 10 10 Norvsky (CA) 6/G L J Talamo 118 D Warren 6/1 11 11 Prayer for Relief (KY) 4/C L M Garcia 117 B Baffert 8/1 12 12 Holladay Road (CA) 7/G L R Bejarano 114 J C Canani 8/1 13 13 Victory Pete (FL) 7/H L C S Nakatani 114 A Barba 50/1 -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: ALLOWANCE Purse $47,500. (Includes $23,750 – Other Sources). For Three Year Olds And Upward Which Have Never Won Three Races. Three Year Olds, 118 Lbs.; Older, 124 Lbs. Non-winners Of A Race Since January 4, 2012 Allowed 4 Lbs. A Race Since November 4, 2011 Allowed 7 Lbs. One And One Sixteenth Miles. P# PP Horse Virtual Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1 Mykindacandy (KY) 5/H L C H Borel 117 S W Roberts 6/5 2 2 Bowmans Castle (IL) 4/G L R Morales 1195 J Haran 12/1 3 3 Gentle Tap (KY) 4/C L L S Quinonez 120 S M Asmussen 9/2 4 4 A Student (KY) 5/H L M C Berry 117 M Robertson 6/1 5 5 Don Dulce (KY) 4/G L J K Court 117 R L Morse 2/1 6 6 Timely Pursuit (KY) 5/G L C Hill 124 M A Tomlinson 12/1 -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: CLAIMING $5,000 Purse $17,000. (Includes $8,500 – Other Sources). For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward Which Have Not Won A Race Since December 4, 2011. Weight, 122 Lbs. Non-winners Of A Race Since October 4, 2011 Allowed 3 Lbs. A Race Since August 4, 2011 Allowed 6 Lbs. Claiming Price $5,000 (Races where entered for $4,000 or less not considered). One Mile. P# PP Horse Virtual Stable A/S Med Claim $ Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1 Joyce G (IL) 9/M L $5,000 R Morales 1175 R A Hellman 10/1 2 2 Honeymoon Hotel (KY) 5/M L $5,000 R A Vazquez 113 D J Alfir 5/1 3 3 Champ Laila (KY) 6/M L $5,000 L S Quinonez 116 B L Riecken 5/2 4 4 W W Olma (KY) 5/M L $5,000 A Canchari 1097 J E Cox 3/1 5 5 Northern Winn (FL) 6/M L $5,000 C Gonzalez 116 F D Loy 12/1 6 6 Zuri’s Girl (FL) 6/M L $5,000 R Santana, Jr. 116 R Moquett 7/2 7 7 Don’t Change (KY) 4/F L $5,000 J M Johnson 119 G G Hartlage 9/2 -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 SPECIAL WEIGHT Purse $46,000. (Includes $23,000 – Other Sources). For Maidens, Three, Four, And Five Years Old. Three Year Olds, 118 Lbs.; Older, 124 Lbs. Six Furlongs. PP Horse Virtual Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer 1 Barefoot Mailman (KY) 3/C L C Hill 118 S Hobby 2 Geothermal (KY) 3/C L1 R A Vazquez 118 L S Whiting 3 Golden Frontier (KY) 4/G L1 J K Court 124 J A Dodgen 4 Turnofthecat (KY) 4/C L T J Thompson 124 D W Lukas 5 Rulers Icon (LA) 3/C R Morales 1135 C W Phelps, Sr. 6 Imahit (OK) 3/G L1 P Teator 118 C R Trout 7 Quite Spectacular (KY) 3/C L C Gonzalez 118 J R Martin -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: MAIDEN CLAIMING $25,000 – $20,000 Purse $21,200. (Includes $10,600 – Other Sources). For Maidens, Fillies Three Years Old. Weight, 121 Lbs. Claiming Price $25,000, if for $20,000, allowed 4 Lbs. One And One Sixteenth Miles. PP Horse Virtual Stable A/S Med Claim $ Jockey Wgt Trainer 1 Candy Store Kid (KY) 3/F L $25,000 J K Court 121 W H Fires 2 Southern Drifter (KY) 3/F L $25,000 R A Vazquez 121 D W Lukas 3 Tap Down (TX) 3/F L $25,000 I Ocampo 121 W B Calhoun 4 Ms. Caution (KY) 3/F L $25,000 T J Thompson 121 K G McPeek 5 Dropped Call (KY) 3/F L $25,000 L Wade 121 W B Calhoun 6 Patty Ballgame (KY) 3/F L $25,000 A Birzer 121 G T Forster 7 Sweet Action (KY) 3/F L $25,000 G Saez 121 T Dixon 8 Pura Valvida (TX) 3/F L $25,000 M Escobar 121 A Milligan 9 Grand Tuscany (KY) 3/F L $20,000 J Joubert 117 T Rengstorf
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