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:

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	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	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	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	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	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	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