Air Transport of Horses

Coach or First Class?

A Look at Equine Air Transportation in this Expanding World of Racing.

By Mark Couto

In 1927, a 25-year-old former airmail pilot added a new destination to his route. By the time he landed in Paris, Charles Lindberg had changed the world.

Today, the world of horseracing is changing, and again the airplane has much to do with that change. Overall, there are fewer racetracks and fewer races, but there are many more racing opportunities with large purses. Often, these racing opportunities are in far off destinations such as Japan, Dubai, Brazil, Europe, and sometimes just across the country. Thanks in part to the airplane, competing successfully in these races is not the hardship it once was, despite the great travel involved.

In this ever-expanding world of horse racing, one principle of success in racing has not changed: the surest way to win races is to find the easiest spot to run. Fortunately for horsemen, the convenience of air transportation for horses has made it much less difficult to compete in that "easy spot."

The Convenience of Air Travel

How convenient is it really to ship cross-country, or further, to compete in a race? Consider this illustration: A $250,000 Grade III stakes race for promising three-year-olds is scheduled in New York next weekend, and your horse is training superbly. You ask yourself, can we get there without taking the edge off of my horse? No problem!

At 3:00 a.m. Thursday morning, the horse is picked up at the barn. At 5:00 a.m., the horse and groom are safely on board as the FEDEX MD-11 freighter taxis for take-off at Los Angeles International Airport, destination Newark, New Jersey. After four hours fifteen minutes in the air, the aircraft and horses arrive safely. Within 20 minutes, all are on their way to Belmont Park, arriving and in a stall by 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Total time enroute, eight hours thirty minutes, about the same amount of time it takes to travel by van between Northern and Southern California.

Competing on the international racing scene is relatively easy as well. Approximately three weeks in advance of shipment, preparation for transportation begins. "Preparation" in this context means securing international health certificates, blood test results, Customs and United States Department of Agriculture documentation, import permits, registry certificates, and pedigree and race records where required. Additionally, passports and visas are obtained for all personnel who will be accompanying and caring for the horse on the trip. A lot to do, right? Don't worry; a competent equine transportation company will arrange these matters for owners and trainers.

With the abundance of cargo and freight airlines, schedules usually permit transportation in the week prior to any given race. Returning after the race is equally easy. Provided proper permits from the USDA have been obtained and the necessary Customs documents have been completed, when the horse is sufficiently rested, the journey home will begin. Upon arrival, a short three-day quarantine period is required where blood testing is carried out and a health exam completed. Once registry certificates are reissued by the Jockey Club, the horse is ready to resume racing.

The Process

I am often asked: "What is physically involved in shipping a horse by air?" Well, actually, the process has evolved into a relatively simple procedure. Generally speaking, horses are transported on what is called "main-deck freighter aircraft." This type of aircraft is often configured exclusively for cargo but can include a mixture of passenger and cargo space. "Unit load containers," or pallets, are used to ship the horses in the cargo space of these aircraft. The unit of space utilized is referred to as an "aircraft pallet position." A pallet is a 8 x 11 foot aluminum/steel floor structure on top of which is constructed one to three "stalls."

Typically, the first step is to load the horses - on the ground - into a specially designed container known as an aircraft stall or "air stable." One can visualize this container as a horse trailer mounted on an aircraft pallet. Despite the pallet's ability to carry up to three horses, many owners and/or trainers prefer to ship a horse in "a stall and a half," allowing more room for the horse to stretch out during the trip. In one sense, this is comparable to a professional athlete traveling in a first class seat on a passenger aircraft. But, just as a first class seat costs more, so too does a "stall and a half."

The stall, including horse, attendant, and pallet, are then lifted by a hydraulic elevator and rolled onto the main deck of the aircraft. The actual freight deck of the airplane is constructed of a roller bed system. Consequently, each palletized container is then "rolled" into a specific position aboard the aircraft, based on weight and balance considerations. To avoid shifting in flight, the container is secured in place with floor locks.

In most cases, horses are last to be loaded and thus first to be off-loaded. This loading pattern lessens the stress of any trip. Accordingly, the horses are usually placed in the first pallet position behind the cockpit and passenger seats. On commercial freight aircraft, there are often 4 to 8 passenger seats for attendants to rest and have meals when not caring for the horses. Like their human counterparts, equine passengers have in-flight meals as well. They have hay at all times and are fed and watered periodically throughout the journey. The temperature of the cabin is controlled to keep the horses from perspiring. In short, comfort of the horse is one of the most beneficial aspects of equine air travel, not to mention an extremely beneficial advantage over ground transportation.

Although it may not be like walking up to the ticket counter and handing over your American Express card, transportation for your horses to any interesting and promising destination is very feasible and relatively easy. Wherever lucrative racing events may be, you can be confident that, through equine air transportation, the opportunity to win races is within range.

Mark Couto is the general manager of Air Equine Shipping Services, Inc., a Carlsbad; CA based equine air transportation company specializing in domestic and international racehorse transportation. Mark has additional experience in the industry as a former jockey and trainer.

Blinkers

"Focus" on Blinkers
by Laura Grubb

Does your horse have a hard time focusing on business? Does it get out down the lane, lose its heart in the middle of the pack, or is easily distracted? A simple piece of equipment might be all that is needed to keep its mind on-track - blinkers!

Blinkers work, in various degrees, to limit a horse's field of vision and focus it on the task at hand. In racing, this would be getting to the finish line as fast as possible.
Although they come in a variety of types, the most commonly used blinkers are full cup, semi-cup, and French cup. A French cup uses a small piece of plastic, or "cup," to limit sight, while a full cup uses a much larger cup and is quite restrictive of a horse's vision. The semi-cup falls between the two. Extension blinkers have one side (usually the right) almost completely covered to block a horse's vision and are used on individuals that "get out", or start to severely drift to the outside while running down the lane. Some blinkers use screens to protect a horse's eyes from dirt kicked in its face during a race. Others have a small hole drilled into the cup to allow the horse to see behind him.

How do blinkers work?
By restricting a horse's field of vision, which is quite different than ours. Historically, horses are "prey" animals. They have wide peripheral vision in order to see a hungry predator that may be approaching. As the diagram shows, a horse has a 275 degree vision field, enabling it to enjoy a wide panoramic view. With such a large vision field, a horse is able to see everything around itself with only a slight movement of the head. By comparison, humans' field of vision is limited to 200 degrees. Unlike humans, horses are capable of having an independent view from each eye. Using his monocular field vision (see diagram), a horse circling the field in a race can see the fans in the stands on one side, and his fellow competitors on the other. This ability can be distracting, and impair a horse's performance.
Blinkers aid those horses that are reluctant to use their binocular field vision by restricting their monocular field vision and focusing their attention on what is in front of them. Horses that don't seem to pay attention, are intimidated, get out, or look around in a race may be prime candidates for their use.
Like an errant pupil who has difficulty paying attention in class, a distracted horse may need blinkers to focus it on its assignment of reaching the finish line first.

Laura Grubb served as TOC's Deputy Director for Southern California until April, 2000.
Special thanks to trainer Craig Lewis for his help with this piece.

Claiming Jail

Claimed! Go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

By Tracy Gantz

With apologies to the game of Monopoly, if you claim a horse in California, your horse will be "in jail" for 25 days. But unlike the real world, where jail means behind bars, racing jail simply means the horse cannot run again for the same claiming price or less for 25 days. If he races within that time period, it must be for at least 25% more than the price for which you claimed him.

Owners and trainers factor in jail time when they make their claims. They must either be willing to race for a higher claiming price or wait 25 days before next starting the horse.

Often, that gives the trainer time to assess his new charge. A trainer may decide to use different equipment on the horse, train him for a different distance or surface-any number of options that might move the horse up in class. If the horse has a physical problem, claiming jail can ensure that a horse be given some time instead of quickly being dropped into a lower-level race in the hopes he will become someone else's problem.

Tom Robbins, vice president-racing at Del Mar and a consultant with Fairplex Park, has worked as a racing secretary at every major California racetrack. In his experience, claiming jail protects the horse, the owner, and the betting public, especially with today's higher purses.

"I'll give you an example," Robbins said. "Without claiming jail, someone could reach in for $20,000 at Del Mar, claim a horse, and run it back three days later for $12,500. Let's assume the horse won for $20,000. If it runs back for $12,500, it will likely win and the owner will lose the horse. The purse and the claiming price would more than cover the $20,000 plus sales tax that it cost to claim the horse."

Running a healthy horse again that quickly could shorten his racing career. Running a horse back who has a problem is even more likely to hasten the end of his racing days.

In addition, Robbins said, dropping a horse quickly makes a very unattractive betting proposition. "If a horse runs back that quickly for a lower price," Robbins said, "either there is something wrong with the horse or it's going to win at short odds." That also makes the race harder to fill, certainly a concern in these days of short fields.

"We've done a little bit of tinkering over the years," Robbins said. "We changed claiming jail from 30 days to 25 days because sometimes those races will fall just short of the 30 days. There are a lot of considerations when writing a condition book. That same race might be offered again in 28 days. With the 30-day rule, the trainer would miss that race, and it might be another 10 days before it was offered again."

Most states have claiming jail rules similar to California's. Claiming jail in Washington state and Kentucky lasts 30 days. Arizona also has a 30-day rule, but it applies only to claimed horses that win the race in which they are claimed. Some states, such as Delaware, have repealed their claiming jail rules. The California Horse Racing Board considered repealing the rule in 2001, but decided against the change when groups such as TOC, California Thoroughbred Trainers, and the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association supported keeping claiming jail intact.

Claiming jail also prohibits a claimed horse from racing outside of California until the close of the meeting where it was claimed unless the horse competes in a stakes race. That rule is designed to keep horses in California. (All Northern California fair meetings, including Fresno, are considered one meeting, so horses claimed on the fairs cannot race out of state until after the Fresno meet ends in October.)

"We don't want people coming in raiding our horses," Robbins said. States with purses enhanced from slot machine revenues offer such rich claiming purses that horsemen there have gone to other states to find horses ready to run. "What often happens," Robbins said, "is that we tend to see a little more claiming activity at the end of a meet. I'd actually like to see that rule be even tougher."

Tracy Gantz serves as TOC's Deputy Director for Southern California.

Condition Books

Demystifying the Condition Book

By Tom Knust

One infamous racetrack "tale" involves a prominent trainer who was being continually pestered by an owner for a condition book. The trainer, tired of being harassed, finally broke down and sent the owner a book. There was one slight problem, though. The cover had over 200 staples in it, making it impossible to open.

The story illustrates historical attitudes trainers have with giving owners access to the condition book. Why? Because some owners had a tendency to over-simplify the game. Many did not understand how to prepare a horse for a race, nor did they have the slightest understanding of how the condition book related to their horse(s). Placing a condition book in their hands meant certain frustration for the trainer.

Times have changed. Now, more than ever, owners are learning more about "the game" and want to be more active. Although the training of a racehorse is an art in itself, requiring a trainer's attention seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, there are certain aspects that an owner can and should be involved in.

One of them is working with your trainer to determine in which race to enter your horse. To do this, an understanding of the condition book is required. Keep an open mind with regards to your trainer's advice. Remember, you've hired him to train your horse-thus, the trainer probably knows where to run your horse.

As the Daily Racing Form is the Bible to the bettor, the condition book is essential to all horsemen. There are a lot of factors that the condition book addresses, so no matter how adept you get in reading a condition book, be sure to listen to your trainer, so that you can adapt.

Although the over-simplification of anything can be hazardous, the following illustration should help you demystify the condition book.

"Conditions win races." "When your horse is right, find a spot and run him." It is the balance of these two philosophies that makes a trainer successful in placing his horses.

For claiming races, you'll want to find the level at which your horse is competitive. Claiming races work like the free market at its best. If you run a horse beneath his level, so that you can win a race, you are more likely to lose him via the claim box. If you run the horse over his head, so that no one will claim him, he'll seldom win.

In Southern California we usually write claiming races at levels in which there is an increase of 25% from one to another. For example, $10,000, $12,500, $16,000, $20,000, $25,000, $32,000, $40,000, $50,000, $62,5000, $80,000, and $100,000. For 30 days after a horse is claimed, the horse is in "jail" and must run for a claiming price of 25% higher than the price at which the horse was claimed.

Another expression commonly used is "a horse running through his conditions." Often, a horse breaks his maiden, then wins a non-winners of two races, then a non-winners of three races, and so on. There are allowance races designed for that purpose. Hopefully, it allows a horse to find his level. (An explanation of conditions appears at the end of this article.)

The owner and trainer must take into account the competition at each level. For instance, how does the race set up for the horse? Who is the speed in the race? Knowing the peculiarities of your racehorse and the others likely to enter can help when placing your horse. And again, the trainer can take your horse's strong and weak points in considering the level to run in.

In California, condition books cover two to three weeks of the meet, and are available approximately a week in advance of the days it covers. If you would like to receive a condition book directly, please contact the track's racing office and have them mail one directly to you. Some tracks also have their condition books available on their web site.

The condition book is a roadmap-a "Thomas Guide" for trainers and owners. If you don't understand certain parts, don't hesitate to ask for an explanation from your trainer or the racing secretary.

Tom Knust was the racing secretary for Santa Anita, Oak Tree, and Del Mar. He later became Kent Desormeaux's jockey agent.

Kinds of Races

Claiming: A race in which every horse entered is for sale for the price stated in the condition book. The claiming price is the factor that keeps a "level playing field" in these races.

Allowance: A race with conditions, but without a claiming price. The conditions specified in these races determine a horse's eligibility for the race and are the factors that keep the field "even."

Classified Allowance: Designed for a horse that has run through his conditions. The next level of race beyond a classified allowance is a stakes race. Horses are restricted based upon their past race wins within a given time period.

Starter: An allowance race in which the basic condition is that the horse has raced for a certain claiming price within a specified period of time, or since a certain date. It is intended to give those horses competing in the claiming ranks an opportunity to race without being "risked" via a claim.

Maiden: Restricted to those horses that have yet to win a race, or "break their maiden."

Maiden Claiming: Horses that have yet to break their maiden and are running in a race from which they may be claimed, or purchased.

Stakes Race: A race in which the owners of the entered horses contribute to the purse, usually through a nominating and entry fee. Nominations to these races close 72 hours or more before the race is run.

Handicap Race: A race in which the racing secretary sets conditions and, with a staff committee, assigns weights to each horse individually based upon an evaluation of its race record and past earnings. The racing secretary's goal is to have all entrants cross the finish line at the same time. The weights are used as an "equalizer" for this purpose.

Graded Race: Top-of-the-line races that are internationally recognized as such, with Grade III being the lowest and Grade I being the top.

"Invitational" Stakes Race: The racing association of the current meet "invites" individual horses to compete in a given race, without requiring the owners to contribute to the purse.

Overnight Stakes Race: These stakes are not part of the track's official stakes program, but are developed during the course of the meet. These stakes are usually of a lesser caliber than regular stakes.

Substitute Race: A race, described in the condition book for a particular day, that might be used to replace a regular race should any of the "listed" races fail to fill.

Extra Race: The racing secretary writes "extras" for those horses that don't fit races listed in the condition book. They are written so as to not conflict with races listed in the book and take the place of a race in the book that doesn't fill. Extras are written the day before entries are taken, and are posted on the overnight sheet and announced over the public address system during morning workouts.

Conditions
By Laura Grubb

Conditions are used to "level the playing field" in allowance races. They are somewhat akin to claiming prices in claiming races.

1st Condition: "non-winners of either $3,000 other than maiden, claiming, or starter (1)" or "non-winners of two (2)."

Conditions have two "subparts," as noted above and explained below. A horse needs only to meet the requirements of one of these parts in order to be eligible for this race-"either $3,000. . ." or "non-winners of two."

(1) "Non-winners of either $3,000 other than maiden, claiming, or starter"

A horse cannot have won a race where the winner's share of the purse was more than $3,000 and be eligible for this race under this subpart. He may have earned more than $3,000 finishing second through fifth in a single race and still be eligible. For example, a horse may have run second in the Kentucky Derby and still be eligible for this condition, as only the winner's share of the purse counts when determining eligibility. However, the winner's share of a purse won in a maiden, claiming, or starter race is disregarded-as in "other than maiden, claiming, or starter."

or

(2) "non-winners of two"

A horse cannot have won two races, of any type, during its lifetime and still be eligible for this race based upon this subpart.

However, if he has won two races, neither of which winner's share of the purse was more than $3,000, he is still eligible for the race under the first subpart. A horse need only to fit one of the above parts in order to be eligible for this race, not both.

Owners of California-bred horses, please take note of the following "special" condition:

Cal-bred "once other than" rule: A horse which wins a Cal-bred "once other than. . .or non-winners of two" (1st condition) shall remain eligible for that comparable open allowance race, provided that the horse did not win an allowance or stakes race following the Cal-bred win.

Once a Cal-bred has won its 1st condition in both Cal-bred and open allowance races, then the Cal-bred win will be disregarded for future eligibility purposes. This allows a Cal-bred winning both a Cal-bred and an open allowance race to still be eligible for its 2nd condition.

This special condition was designed to make owning Cal-breds more lucrative, and thus increase their value.

2nd Condition: "Non-winners of either $3,000 twice other than maiden, claiming, or starter," or "non-winners of three."

As in the 1st condition, a horse may be eligible for this race if he meets one of the following requirements:

"Non-winners of either $3,000 twice other than maiden, claiming, or starter"

Same as the 1st condition, except that a horse cannot have won two races where the winner's share of the purse was more than $3,000 per race and still be eligible, under this subpart. Once again, the winner's share of the purse won in maiden, claiming, or starter races is not counted.

or

"non-winners of three"

A horse cannot have won three races, of any type, during its lifetime and be eligible for this race under this subpart.

3rd Condition: "Non-winners of either $3,000 three times other than maiden, claiming, starter," or "non-winners of four."

Same as the 1st and 2nd conditions, except that a horse cannot have won $3,000 on three separate occasions, or have won four races, of any type, during its lifetime. As in the above conditions, a horse can fit either one of these subparts and be eligible for this race.

Lead Changes

How Lead Changes Can Affect Performance

When your horse puts his best foot forward, that can give him an advantage
By Tracy Gantz

"He didn't change leads."

Just another jockey excuse? Not necessarily. If your horse failed to change leads in the stretch, that loss of acceleration could cost him the win.
Changing leads comes naturally to horses. When negotiating a turn at a gallop, they will use their inside lead. In other words, turning left-as in a race-a horse's feet will hit the ground in a four-beat cadence: right hind, left hind, right front, left front. Thus, as you watch him, his left front foot is "leading" him around the turn.

The correct lead is "the easiest method to get the shortest distance between two points in the quickest way," said Dr. Ray Baran, the racing association veterinarian at Southern California tracks. By being on the inside-or correct-lead, a horse is in balance, Dr. Baran explained. He pointed out that all performance horses benefit from correct leads, something especially notable in polo ponies. "They are entirely dependent on leads because they have to turn and go after that ball fast."

At U.S. racetracks, Thoroughbreds must use their left lead on the turns. "That's the real purpose of changing leads for horses," said Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron. "They're able to negotiate a turn to the right or to the left more adeptly when they're on the proper lead."
But running an entire race on the left lead will tire a horse more quickly than if he switches leads. So when a horse receives his first lessons, before he gets to the racetrack, he learns to switch to his right lead in the straight-aways. When he does it correctly, a horse can surge past his rivals, especially if the competition doesn't change leads.
"When they switch to the right lead, it gives them a burst of energy," said trainer John Sadler. "It's very important."

Many people concentrate on whether a horse changes leads in the stretch driving to the finish line, but changing to the right lead down the backside can help a horse as well.
"It's especially important for horses that have the propensity to stay on their left leads in the lane," McCarron said. "If you don't get them to change down the backside, they're already going to start to get tired before they even change up at the head of the lane. Then if they don't change, now you're adding fatigue on top of fatigue and they're going to hang and stop."

McCarron recalled the Triple Crown battles between Affirmed and Alydar in 1978. "I can't help but think that if Alydar had changed leads in any one of those races, he might have had a little better chance of getting by Affirmed," said McCarron, who won the 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness aboard Alydar's son Alysheba.

Not every horse needs a lead change to win, however. Arazi burst into prominence by winning the 1991 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and never switched leads in the stretch. Point Given in this year's Preakness switched leads close to the wire, but had already put away the rest of the field.
McCarron rides a talented filly for trainer Ron McAnally, Janis Whitman's Beautiful Noise, who also doesn't always need to switch leads. "She's done something that in 27 years of riding I never had a horse be able to do," McCarron said. "Twice she has run 71/2 furlongs on her left lead and won. She's very, very stubborn about changing leads. She's done it her whole life." The jockey has learned not to push the filly to change leads. "I can interrupt her momentum by fighting with her," he said.

Normally, though, trainers and jockeys try to convince a reluctant animal to switch. Sadler said he has improved horses by getting them to switch leads. He added that it's important to have a good exercise rider who can help teach the horse in the morning, "and then you've got to have the jockeys working with you in the afternoons."

Both Sadler and McCarron said that the keys to a successful lead change are the bridle and the rider's weight, not the whip.

When McCarron needs to ask a horse for a lead change, he first takes a stout hold of the horse's head. He uses the reins to steer the horse a little to the right, then back to the left, and then a more abrupt signal to the right. "You might see the head move," he said, "but I don't necessarily want the horse's body to float out and go into the path of somebody else. My duty, my responsibility is to make sure I keep the horse straight."

Those signals with the reins put tension on the bit, which will usually get a horse to switch to his right lead. If that doesn't work, "then I involve my weight," McCarron said. "I'll lean one way or the other in the same sequence-a little bit right, a little bit left, and then-boom-back to the right again. Angel Cordero taught me that one a long time ago."

While some horses are just reluctant to change leads, it can sometimes indicate a soundness problem. Dr. Baran said if a horse that previously showed no difficulty changing leads suddenly won't change, "it might mean he's comfortable in that lead and he's hurting in that other leg somewhere. You'd better investigate it."

Sadler watches lead changes when he looks at 2-year-olds in the training sales. "This year I saw a horse sell at Barretts," he said. "The first preview, he went down the stretch in his left lead. The second preview he went down the stretch in the left lead. I still liked the horse. We vetted him, and he had a ton of problems." The horse ultimately started for someone else at Hollywood Park. Sure enough, he ran down the stretch on his left lead and finished out of the money.

Sadler also pays attention to sale prospects that change leads too often because "usually it's a sign of sore shins," he said.
"I had one really good horse that didn't switch leads a lot-Olympic Prospect," Sadler said. "I think it was because he had problems and he felt more comfortable in his left lead. Also, he was so big that it was kind of an effort for him to switch. So he won a lot of races on the left lead. They can do it, but it's rare."

Sadler has also ridden jumpers, who must leap obstacles quickly and turn both to the left and to the right. "You're going for time, so you're turning in the air," he said. "If you want to turn left, you need him to land on his left lead." Lead changes are such a sign of an athletic horse that they are often part of Olympic dressage competition. And Dr. Baran cited the importance of lead changes when a horse cuts cattle.

"Sometimes you look at a particularly gifted horse, and they'll switch leads just so smoothly," said Sadler. "Those are the really special ones."

Tracy Gantz serves as TOC's Deputy Director for Southern California.

Poles in a Race

Learning the “Poles”

What are they, Where are they, and Why are they Different Colors? It’s a beautiful Saturday morning in Los Angeles. You decide to enjoy it by watching your horse go through its morning workout at Santa Anita. So you jump in your car, drive to the track, and after getting your first cup of coffee at Clockers’ Corner, find your trainer.

As you watch the sea of horses galloping by, you ask yourself “How will I be able to time my horse, and how will I know how far it has worked?” To answer this question, and have a better understanding of morning workouts, it’s important to know the poles, or mile-fraction markers on the racetrack. The placement of poles on the racetrack is crucial to those involved in training and racing Thoroughbreds.

Jockeys, trainers, and owners use the poles to measure how far a horse has traveled, and how far they have to go.
The easiest way to acquaint yourself with the poles is to start at the finish line, or “wire”, and count the poles backward, or clockwise. In North America, the distance between two poles is 1/16th of a mile. Black poles represent 1/16th of a mile, green poles 1/8th of a mile, and red poles indicate 1/4 mile fractions. For example, let’s look at Santa Anita’s mile track. Start at the wire, and begin to count the poles backwards. The first pole (black) you reach is the 1/16th mile marker, the second pole (green) is the 1/8th (or 2/16th) mile marker, the third pole (black) is the 3/16th mile marker, and the fourth pole (red) is the quarter-mile marker. As you continue to work your way backward around the track, add 1/16th of a mile to every pole you reach. Doing this, you will pass the 5/16th pole (black), 3/8th pole (green), 7/16th pole (black), and the 1/2 mile pole (red). Continue to count your way around, passing the 3/4 pole (red) and finally back to the finish line, which would be the fourth and final 1/4 mile marker. If you are having trouble, try remembering the order of the colors of the poles with this acronym, B.G.B.R. (Black, Green, Black, Red).

However, not all tracks in North America are the same size. Here in California, Santa Anita, Del Mar, Bay Meadows, and Golden Gate Fields are all mile tracks, while Hollywood Park has a 1 1/8th mile oval. So before you begin counting poles, determine the size of a racetrack to make sure your pole count comes out correct.

Armed with this knowledge, you’ll now know when to start and stop your stopwatch when your trainer informs you your horse is going to work seven furlongs from the 3/4 pole.

Lucinda Mandella serves as TOC’s owners’ liaison.

Purse Contracts

A Peek Inside a Purse Contract
By Laura Grubb

Powerful pieces of paper they are, those purse contracts, which outline California's racing programs, spell out how millions of dollars will be spent in stakes schedules, and grant approval for the simulcasting of California's races.

Purse contracts originated to provide for an orderly and uniform method of distributing purses to both overnight and stakes races. They have since evolved to cover a multitude of items, and to provide a clear written understanding between the tracks and horsemen in order to avoid controversies that could interfere with the conduct of race meetings.

Negotiated on behalf of owners by TOC's Don I. Johnson and John Van de Kamp, and overseen by members of TOC's Purse Committee, TOC's purse contracts are officially known as "Race Meet Agreements," and are hammered out between TOC and individual track's management prior to the start of a meet. These agreements cover not only purses, but also simulcasting, stall assignments, and owners' proprietary rights.
While purse contracts weren't written to keep you entertained, they do contain many provisions affecting your racing stable. So take a minute to "peek inside" a purse contract.

Contract Determines How a Purse Under or Overpayment Will Be Made

While not rocket science, determining the purse money available for a race meet is not the easiest of tasks, either. Daily purse distributions are usually based upon figures from the previous year's meet, with adjustments to the distribution usually being made at meet's end in the form of "over" or "under" payments. Calculating over or underpayments can take months, due to the intricacies of modern simulcasting and the complex tallying of figures involved.

TOC personnel constantly monitor purse distributions to see if an underpayment is building, or if an overpayment is looming. The purse contract spells out how such over and underpayments should be made. If at the meet's end the racetrack has made an overpayment, meaning that it paid out more purse money than was generated for purses, the amount overpaid is deducted from the purse account in the succeeding year.

However, if the track has underpaid purses in an amount greater than $ 150,000 - $ 250,000, (this amount will vary from track to track), the track is bound by terms of the purse contract to issue a retroactive payment to those owners earning money at their meet. Such underpayments are issued to owners in proportion to the amount of overnight purse money the owner earned. If the track has made insufficient payments to the purse account in an amount less than $ 150,000 - $ 250,000, the deficiency is carried forward and added to the succeeding year's purse account.

Unfortunately, purse reductions are occasionally warranted during a racemeet when the wagering handle is depressed and purse revenues are lower than expected. With written consent from TOC, tracks can reduce purses as long as the reduction is uniformly applied to both overnight and stakes races. Likewise, occasionally purses may be increased during the meet when the amounts handled continue to exceed projected expectations. Such increases must be applied both retroactively and prospectively to the meet's purses, and are usually applied solely to overnight races. The purse contract also requires that all monies available for purses be held in a separate account for the benefit of horsemen, and not commingled with the monies belonging to the tracks. The track retains a Paymaster of Purses to manage these monies, which accrue reasonable interest. This interest can be substantial, and 50% of it is returned to owners in the form of purses for a series of starter allowance races at the race meet where the interest is generated. The track retains the remaining 50%.

Stakes Schedule and Overnight Racing Programs are Outlined

The purse contract covers both the stakes and overnight racing programs' content, and TOC's Purse Committee is heavily involved in these programs' design. In Southern California, between 25-28% of
total purse money is usually allocated to a racemeet's stakes program. This 28% can be substantial, as at Santa Anita's 2000 meet it amounted to $10.4 million. (The TOC Purse Committee has consistently attempted to reduce the total purse money allocated to stakes.) In Northern California, not more than 15% of the purse distribution is generally allocated to stakes. The remaining percentage is allocated to overnight races, and divided up into claiming, allowance, and overnight stakes races. While the track's racing secretary develops the daily racing card depending upon the local horse inventory, the purse contract outlines the racemeet's minimum claiming price, along with minimum purse levels for the various race categories.

In an effort to make those races listed in the condition book go, and thus give owners and trainers definitive races to point towards, the purse contract also states that when six horses are entered in an allowance or overnight stakes race under separate wagering interests, the race is considered filled and will be run. For all other overnight races, when seven horses enter separately the race is considered filled and will run. This provision was implemented in order to give owners and trainers confidence that those races listed in the condition book will be contested and allows them to
plan their training schedules accordingly.

Stall Assignments & Training Facilities Also Addressed

In order to provide owners with adequate stalls and training facilities, the purse contract also outlines the minimum number of stalls that the track will provide, and requires that they be in good condition for stabling of horses. In an attempt to be fair and not allow individual trainers to dominate a racemeet, the contract also sets a maximum number of stalls that any one trainer can have. Those trainers needing additional stalls usually find excess stabling at an auxiliary training facility approved by the CHRB and the track.

The purse contract also requires that a track open their main track and training track (if one exists) for a definitive period of time before and after the meet's running for training purposes (without cost to owners), and requires that the track maintain their training facilities in a safe condition. The purse contract also establishes minimum workouts that first-time starters or horses coming off of a layoff must complete before entering races. Furthermore, the contract requires that ambulances for both horses and humans be fully manned and operational during both training and racing hours.

Owners' Proprietary Rights Set Forth

Should a track desire to use the name, image, or likeness of a particular horse for promotional or commercial purposes (other than the promotion of live racing, simulcasting, or wagering) the track is obligated to contact the individual owner(s) to obtain permission to do so. However, owners need to be cognizant that the nomination of or entry of a horse into a race shall be deemed to be authorization for the track to use the name, image, or likeness of that horses for promotion of that race.
In the context of simulcasting or broadcasting races, the proprietary rights created by the collective image of the race belong to all owners participating in the given race meeting. The tracks negotiate exclusively with TOC for the consensual use of this image for purposes of simulcasting and televising. However, if a track receives compensation for a race sold to television or an interactive wagering service, or for other commercial purposes, then TOC's prior consent must be obtained before doing so, and a reasonable contribution to overnight purses must be negotiated.

The Right to Simulcast Included

As simulcasting today (both inter and intrastate) accounts for approximately 75% of the handle, the purse contract gets quite specific as to how tracks may simulcast California's races. In accordance with the Federal Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978, TOC's consent must be obtained before the track exports California's racing signal. To do so, the track submits to TOC a list of simulcast outlets to which it wishes to send the racing signal, along with the amounts which the guest racing association is willing to pay for this signal. Upon review, during which adjustments to the amount paid for the signal are occasionally made, TOC usually issues letters of consent, although this consent can later be revoked by TOC with 48 hours' written notice. Additional simulcast outlets and races can be added to the contract subsequent to its execution, once again with TOC's written consent. For simulcast imports, the track notifies TOC of the interstate and international simulcast races that will be shown, and provides copies of written agreements from those locations from which the track wishes to import.
Purse monies and commissions generated by all simulcasting are divided in accordance with California horse racing law, and are usually shared equally between purses and track commissions.

Other Provisions

Other purse contract provisions of interest include the requirement that an owner's valid CHRB license allow them free admittance to the track's clubhouse, that owners silks be washed after being worn in a race, a prohibition against the track limiting the free enterprise marketplace providing backstretch supplies to trainers, and a provision that covers stabling and vanning from auxiliary training facilities.
Of special interest to owners is a "fire and disaster insurance" clause that requires the track to acquire and pay for Fire and Disaster insurance. This coverage protects owners against the loss, in part, of their horses due to fire or disaster.

Contracts Negotiated in a Spirit of Cooperation

Horse racing by nature is synergistic, with its various members working in an interdependent manner. While the industry can be fractious and fragmented at times, its leaders realize that no one component, be it the track, owners, trainers, or breeders, can singularly exist. Thus TOC and California's tracks negotiate purse contracts in a spirit of cooperation. As the purse contracts state, both parties "are mutually interested in the continuance, maintenance, and improvement of Thoroughbred racing in the State of California." The purse contract is also an instrument to this end.

Racing Office

What Goes On in the Racing Office?

By Tom Robbins

All too often in this business we take our job responsibilities for granted and view them as "routine." As we in the racing department perform our daily duties, we improperly assume that everyone else in the sport understands precisely what is involved in determining entries, post position draw, scratches, etc.

In this article I hope to identify some of the concerns and procedures in the racing office so that owners and trainers might have a better understanding of our function. If possible, I will dispel some of the myths and misconceptions that have developed over the years.

Horse Inventory Determines Races

Before we ever get to the start of a meet and the daily task of filling racing cards, some important work must take place. That work will, in no small part, determine the success of the meet.

Chief among those tasks is determining stall assignments. In reviewing trainers' requests for stabling, the racing secretary must assess the available horse inventory for the upcoming meeting. The character and quality of the inventory will dictate the quality and types of races the racing secretary can write. In this regard, few recognize that the racing secretary has dual obligations; first to the wagering public in presenting the most attractive racing program possible and second to owners and trainers by offering races in which their horses will be competitive.

The Condition Book

Generally speaking, the condition book covers two weeks of racing. It is typically made available to horsemen about one week prior to the first day of races listed in the book. This is the most important document in racing, at least for owners and trainers. They will utilize "the book" to select a race or races they feel best suits their horses.

Depending on the track, entries for races are due 48 to 72 hours before race day. Information regarding the closing of entries for every track is listed in its condition book.

Clerk of the Course

At about 7:00 a.m. on the day of the race closing, trainers' and jockeys' agents begin entering horses in the racing office. Before any entry can be made, the specific horse must be registered with the Clerk of the Course and its foal registration papers from The Jockey Club be on file in the racing office. In addition to assuring that a horse is registered, the Clerk of the Course is also responsible for maintaining accurate information regarding a horse's ownership, trainer, breeder, and silks description, as well as issuing horsemen's credentials, car stickers, and CHRB license validations.

Assistant Racing Secretary

As entries are made, each is directed to the assistant racing secretary who checks the individual horses' eligibility and proper weight assignment. The assistant also tracks the number of entries per race, continually updating the racing secretary, horsemen, and jockeys' agents about the status of each race.

Veterinarians'/Starters'/Stewards' Lists

Once the assistant finishes the eligibility and weight assignment checks, the entries are passed along to the data entry operator who inputs all relevant information. The data is crosschecked against the veterinarians', starters', and stewards' lists. A horse on any of these lists is deemed "not eligible" to race. Horses on these lists can only be removed by the entity on whose list the horse appears.

There are state and association veterinarians that may place a horse on the vets' list. Unsoundness, bleeding, and sickness are often the reasons why a horse is placed on this list. A physical exam and/or qualifying workout is usually required for removal. Horses on the starters' list are generally those that require additional schooling at the starting gate or have demonstrated poor behavior in the gate. Ownership problems and inferior performance on the track are some of the reasons why a horse may make the stewards' list. In most instances, a workout may be all that is required for removal.

Determining "The Card"

Once the entries have been checked and processed, the racing secretary, in conformity with the terms of the contract agreement with TOC, determines which of the races will be used to make up the program, of "the card." He will also determine "the set" or order in which the races will be run. Once that determination is made, the assistant racing secretary oversees the postposition draw.

If a race overfills, the starters are determined by "preference" conditions. For example, some races are written to prefer one horse over another based on races won or the class in which the horse previously competed. In most cases, and all things being equal, selections are determined by the "date system," meaning the horse, which has started most recently, is the least preferred.

Detailed information on the date system and preference clauses can be found in each condition book.

"The Draw"

When the "final," the races to be used, is announced, agents, trainers, and owners assemble to witness the drawing of postpositions. Generally speaking, one of the stewards is present at every draw to monitor the procedure and resolve any disputes that may arise. A member of the racing office staff will coordinate the draw, utilizing a trainer, jockeys' agent or owner to select the numbered pills representing post positions, and actual entry cards. It is a daily ritual and a rather exciting conclusion to the several hours, multi-faceted entry process.

The Overnight

In the racing office, the close of the draw really signifies the start of our day. For example, once the field is set, the data entry operator compiles all relevant race information and a computer generates the "overnight." In addition to providing basic information about the field in each race, the overnight includes horsemen's notices and "extra races," information vital to every horseman.

Horse Identification

With the overnight in hand, horse identification department checks all horses, beginning with those which have never started, to assure the proper identity of the animal. Specifically, The department confirms that a horse's physical markings match the description reflected on the horse's registration papers. Discrepancies may result in a horse being deemed ineligible to run.

Once the horses have been properly identified, the program production department begins compilation of the official program, blending information on imported simulcast events with the live race program.

Scratches/Recorded Workouts

Official scratch time occurs the morning before a scheduled race day. Owners or trainers may elect to scratch if entries are sufficient. Likewise, any overfilled races are paired down to the maximum field size.

It is at this point in time that past performance information becomes available and eligibility and weights are once again checked. It is also at this point that horses which have not raced recently, or never at all, must demonstrate that they have a sufficient number of official recorded workouts qualifying them to compete. Such workout information is reviewed by the stewards who ensure that each horse qualifies.

Relevant workout and gate approval criteria is listed in each condition book and, through TOC's efforts, are now standardized throughout the state.

When the scratch process is completed, it is time for the morning line maker to set the "odds." The morning line is not necessarily that individual's personal assessment of each horse but rather his/her professional evaluation as to how the wagering public will handicap and bet the race.

Race Day Inspections

On the morning of every race day, the veterinarian team (state vet, track vet, and off-site vet) performs soundness examinations on each horse scheduled to run. Horses determined to be physically unfit are not permitted to race.

In addition to the morning inspection, just prior to each race as the horses arrive in the receiving barn; the state vet once again examines the horses. So too does the horse identifier and the horseshoe inspector whose job it is to ensure proper shoeing. As the horses are saddled, the paddock judge ascertains that each horse is properly equipped. If the horse is tacked as previously approved, i.e., with proper blinkers, bit, shadow roll, etc., it is time to race.

Unfortunately, this article provides only a glimpse at the racing department's duties. Yet, as one can see, this is a highly regulated affair with numerous checks and balances that take place from the time of entry to the horses actually racing. It is a process designed to ensure the integrity of our sport and to instill confidence in the wagering public.

We encourage all owners, whether neophyte or veteran, to witness and participate first hand in the processes and functions of the racing department. Every member of our staff is available to assist the horsemen and answer their questions.

Horsemen's Liaisons

In addition to the racing office staff and TOC's own liaison staff, track liaisons are also available to answer owners' questions and to make arrangements for or accommodate the requests of owners, trainers, and their guests. The following is a list of liaisons available to provide assistance at all of California's major racetracks.

Santa Anita
Nancy Wallen, Horsemen's Liaison Director (626) 574-6471

Hollywood Park
Diane Hudak, Horsemen's Liaison (310) 419-1684

Del Mar
Lisa Iaria, Horsemen's Liaison (858) 755-1141 ext. 1040

Bay Meadows & Golden Gate Fields
Jeanne Shand (510) 559-7351 & (650) 573-4600

TOC
Lucinda Mandella (626) 574-6622 Santa Anita
Jim Ghidella (510) 559-7521 Golden Gate Fields

We, who have been participants for so long in Thoroughbred racing, take for granted everyday life at the racetrack. But to those who are not so familiar with this business, the processes, including those of the racing office, can be intimidating. We encourage all horsemen and owners to feel welcome to ask questions so that we may make the racing experience more enjoyable and much less intimidating.


Tom Robbins served as Vice President of Racing at Santa Anita, and Director of Racing for Oak Tree and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

Shoeing Horses

Fleet Feet
By Wes Champagne

A farrier's job involves much more than simply nailing shoes onto a horse's foot. A horse's foot must be properly shaped, trimmed, and generally cared for in order to help him perform up to his full potential. Thus, a farrier's responsibilities include correctly balancing a horse's hoof and properly fitting him with the shoes that best fit his needs.

Quality farrier work is essential to the health and success of every racehorse. Proper horseshoeing requires a close observation of the individual horse and the skillful recognition of the best type of shoe to be applied that will allow the horse to attain his best performance.

Balance is Essential
A properly balanced hoof will evenly distribute the impact of the horse's weight without causing undue stress. For a foot to be balanced, the column of bones of the leg, pastern, and foot should be in a straight line when viewed from the front and be at a 90-degree angle to the weight-bearing surface of the wall. When viewed from the side, the foot is in balance if the median axis of the pastern coincides with the axis of the foot, and is parallel to the hoof wall at the toe.

In achieving balance, it is important that a horse be observed while in motion. The feet should hit the ground flat, with the angel of the hoof and pastern in alignment. Like their human counterparts, horses' old shoes should be checked for wear patterns. "Wear" in this sense is a very useful tool in determining proper balance.

Serious problems can develop when out of balance conditions occur. For example, if a horse's toe is not properly trimmed, i.e. left too long, increased leverage occurs due to the delayed break over of the hoof. This delay in turn causes increased stress in the horse's knees. This stress in the knee may be corrected by trimming the toe and leaving more heel.

Proper Fit
"Proper fit" means that the shoe must be formed to the shape of the foot, and must be concave so as to not cause pressure on the sole. The shoe must be level so that resistance between the hoof and the shoe is eliminated. If there is a "toe grab" on the shoe, the toe grab should be exactly centered with the apex of the frog. It is important to remember that toe grabs that are not properly aligned can cause check ligament injuries as the foot is forced to break over unnaturally.

A shoe also needs to be full in the heel area, meaning hat a small amount of excess shoe should be left around the heel. If this excess shoe is not left, the hoof may grow over the shoe and could cause corns or under-slung heels (extreme sloping of the heels). Under slung heels can create stress on ankles and tendons.

Additionally, it is important for protection and strength, to maintain ample sole on a horse's foot. The bars of the heel should remain intact so as to keep the heels strong and to prevent the heel from rolling under the foot.

"Nikes" For Horses
Not all horses' shoes are created equally, nor do they serve the same purpose. Below is a list of shoes commonly used on racehorses in training in California. Hopefully this list will provide a basic understanding of the choices available to you and your farrier.

Flat Steel Training Plates: these shoes used primarily for horses in light training.

Queens' Plates: Aluminum, and thus, lightweight training plates with out a toe grab. Horses occasionally run in these shoes when ease in the break over of the foot is important.

Egg-Bar Shoes: Generally, these special shoes are used for horses with quarter cracks, broken coffin bones, sore or under slung heels etc. Egg-bar shoes distribute weight over a larger circumference and thus are useful whenever stability of the foot is necessary.

Starting Gates

And They're Off!

By Laura Grubb

Make Sure Your Horse Gets a Good Break Through Proper Schooling at the Gate

Hooves firmly planted in the soil in front of her, the little filly refused to budge. Desperate to start the race, the gate crew coaxed and cajoled her, pleading with her to move forward. The filly simply shifted her weight back and dug in deeper. Edgy jockeys exchanged impatient glances with one another, while their anxious mounts shifted nervously in the starting gate's narrow stalls. Watching from the stands, the trainers could only hope that their charges would settle, while their nervous owners fretted nearby. Impervious to the angst she caused, the little filly simply pinned her ears at the crew, who were now being more forceful in their attempts to load her. Seeing that this filly was determined not to load, the starter sighed and gave the sign to scratch her. She was now on his list, and wouldn't be allowed to race until she proved that she would not cause such a scene at the gate again. Her embarrassed trainer slunk back to the barn, while the disgusted owner shook his head.

How do you make sure your horse doesn't act like this stubborn filly? More importantly, how do you ensure that your horse is confident at the gate, loads smoothly, and breaks well? Through proper schooling where he learns the "ins and outs" of gate etiquette and how to break fast and clean.

The 11 Ton Gate

The starting gate can be a scary place for a horse. Its stalls are narrow, only two feet wide, barely giving a large horse room to clear his hips. When fully loaded, the eleven-ton starting gate becomes a shifting mass of horses, jockeys, and starting crew. Tense riders, anxious to go, exchange terse words with the starter that can add to a horse's fear, especially those that haven't spent sufficient time at the gate during their morning workouts. Horses who are rattled by the gate often break awkwardly, losing precious ground at the start. "Not feeling comfortable and confident at the gate will cause a horse more problems in the race than anything else," explains Southern California conditioner Carla Gaines. But those horses that are taught that the gate is not to be feared, and who learn to break confidently from it, have an edge. Their fast start helps them get good position, while their calmness saves their strength for running.

Starting the Young Horse

Confidence at the gate is acquired early on in a horse's career, with patient trainers gradually acclimating horses to the gate through frequent lessons during morning training hours. "Frequent visits to the gate done in a relaxed manner will give a young horse confidence that the gate is not to be feared," explains trainer Tom Proctor, who has worked with many young horses throughout the years.
A horse is gradually accustomed to the gate during morning training hours, usually after a relaxing morning gallop. For the first lesson, the horse is brought to the gate and lead straight through it by a gate crew member until he enters without hesitation. Next, he is taught to stand in the gate while its back doors are closed behind him, and then stand while both the front and back doors are shut, and he is closed in. Once these lessons are mastered, he then learns to first jog out when the gate doors fly open, and then, later, to gallop out. These exercises, which are given in short doses over a span of several weeks, focus on teaching the horse to depart from the gate alertly and in a straight line. If the horse is having difficulty learning to break quickly, an experienced stablemate is sometimes used in the gate as company to teach the horse how to break. Once the horse has proved he can break well, he is approved to start.

Re-schooling the Problem Horse

Problems with horses acting up at the gate usually occur from rushing a horse's education, and not giving him time to gain confidence with one lesson before moving on to the next. Horses can also become rattled on race day if his neighbor acts up in the gate, causing him to lose heart and begin to resist entering the gate. Those horses that refuse to load, delay the start, or are extremely fractious at the gate will be placed on the starter's list, and must prove that they can enter and break from the gate in a mannerly way before being allowed to start again. "Gate schooling in the morning pays off in the afternoon," advises Santa Anita starter Jay Slender. "Those trainers who regularly bring their horses to the gate in the morning and allow them to relax in it will have one less problem that could go wrong during a race." Most track starters will help school such problem horses during morning training hours until the horse learns to relax and regains its confidence. "We have two fine starters, Jay Slender and Gary Brinson, in Southern California," Proctor continues, "who are always willing and able to help trainers. Their crews school horses at the gate six days a week, so if a horse acts up in the afternoon, it's usually the trainer's fault for not schooling him properly in the morning."

Acclimating the Imported Horse

Foreign horses sometimes need extra gate schooling to accustom them to the American style of racing. Many European horses starting for the first time in the States break slowly, as early speed is not emphasized in England, France, and Ireland. "European races are not geared for speed," Gaines explains, who has worked with many imported horses over the years, and understands the differences between European and American racing. "Many times a European horse starting in the States for the first time will simply fall out of the gate and just gallop away, as opposed to breaking quickly from it," she continues. "Such horses also tend to be more anxious at the gate, as their European training rarely includes morning visits to it." To correct this tendency, and teach a horse to break fast, extra schooling time during morning training may be all that is needed.

Cool, Calm, & Collected

One month later and the little filly is back at the gate. It's the feature race of the day, and tensions are running high. The filly, who has since graduated from gate school after numerous morning visits to it, remains unruffled. Pausing while another horse loads, she calmly steps forward into the gate when asked. When restless horses shift and jockeys holler at the starter, she hardly gives them a glance before focusing ahead. The starter, who has kept a keen eye on her, notes her good behavior. For a split second the field is quiet, with the horses poised squarely and looking straight ahead. Bang! The gate doors spring open, and they're off. The filly quickly jumps out ahead of the pack and calmly settles into position. A mile later and she is still confidently galloping along. With a furlong to go she accelerates away from the field to cross the finish line first. Her graduation from gate school has just paid off.

Laura Grubb served as TOC's Deputy Director for Southern California. She has recently relocated to points east.

Time & Class

Time - It's All Relative

Time is of the essence. At least that's what some people think. Racehorses, however, are not as conscious of time as their human counterparts. How fast a horse goes depends a little bit on training, a little on luck, and a lot on class. While it is important to understand how horses are timed on the track, both during the races and morning workouts, understanding your horse's class and running style will tell you much more about a workout or race than your stopwatch.

Let's say your trainer calls to report on your horse's morning workout. "He worked six furlongs in 1:13 1/5", your trainer states. Your first question should be, 'How did he do it?' Knowing how easily your horse traveled will tell more about his ability than the actual time. At least that's what some trainers say. There are others who don't bother to carry a stopwatch and only check time fractions during a race to determine the pace for their horse. Everyone looks for something different when asked about time, so be sure to find out from your trainer what is important.

Time is frequently used as a measure of how a horse is preparing for a race or has performed in the past. To some, results from a stopwatch indicate when a horse is ready to run, while others prefer to use workout times along with visual impressions to determine preparedness for racing. What makes time, as it relates to racehorses, so subjective is that time only measures how fast the horse is running, not the manner in which he is traveling. The factors that contribute to how fast or slow a horse works during the morning are limitless. Probably the most important factor is your horse's running style. If your horse is a closer (comes from off the pace), he may work the first 1/2 mile to 5/8th slowly and then work the final 1/8th a second or two faster. If your horse is a sprinter, each 1/8th of a mile may be a second faster than the work of an average horse. Horses that work in company (with more than one horse) exert more energy than those working alone, which could contribute to a faster workout.

Horses, on average, run 1/8th of a mile in 12 to 13 seconds. At six furlongs, a fast workout may be between 1:11 and 1:12, while a slow workout may be between 1:15 and 1:17. During the afternoon races, a fast time for the same distance may be between 1:08 and 1:09, while a slow time would be between 1:12 and 1:13. When analyzing time, don't forget the pace of a race usually determines the outcome. For example, if the first quarter is too fast the leading horses will get tired and not be able to finish. If it is too slow, the pacesetters will not get as tired and therefore may not be as easily caught at the wire.

Additionally, the surfaces on which your horse works and runs and track conditions contribute to the time of a workout or race. Dirt races are typically faster than turf (grass) races and dry tracks are usually faster than muddy tracks. As the morning turns into afternoon, final times take on an added significance, especially to fans in the grandstand and owners in the box seats. A maiden winner who runs six furlongs in 1:09 may turn out to be a future stakes winner, while the maiden horse that finishes in 1:13 is definitely for sale.

Written by Lucinda Mandella, TOC's Owners' Liaison

Track Maintenance

Track Maintenance: It's More Than Just a Tractor and Some Water

By Steve Wood

As a track superintendent, my main function is to achieve a consistent, safe, and fair racing surface. It sounds simple, and most people assume that it is. However in the 24 years I've done this type of work, I have come to realize how many things can go wrong.

Many factors can affect the daily track condition; some obvious and some not so obvious. For instance, the weather, employees, day-to-day traffic, soil composition, etc., all affect track condition and ultimately the work that must be done to the racing surface.

To assist owners in understanding some of the concerns we have as track superintendents and how we go about dealing with those concerns, I have attempted to identify some of the more common factors affecting and procedures we use to control track condition.

Soil Materials
Generally speaking, we try to monitor soil composition so as to maintain greater control of the racing surface. Monitoring includes testing the soil on a biweekly basis. The tests are designed to ensure that track material size, though varied, is balanced.

Too much of one diameter-sized material can result in a track surface becoming much too firm. However, if the soils material diameters become uneven, horses will have a difficult time getting hold of the racing surface.

Maintenance Procedures
The basic theory underlying track maintenance procedures on the West Coast is "rip and rotoill". This procedure basically consists of digging up the surface of the track six inches, rolling it back down before watering, and harrowing.

The reason we "rip and rotoill" is that generally California has clay-based tracks which have a tendency to become hard and uneven. By ripping and tilling through the cushion (top three inches of soil) and into the base (bottom three inches of soil), we can essentially maintain a uniform and safe surface on a daily basis, regardless of the amount of training or racing occurring on any given day.

The primary objective is to provide the horse's foot with a cushioned surface. The "cushion" hopefully prevents a horse's foot from coming to a sudden, jarring stop on impact. This is accomplished by laying a series of small pads of semi-compacted materials below the surface. The cushion is important when you consider a horse's foot force when traveling at full speed is 5000 pounds per square inch. A proper cushion enables recoil or lift as the horse's foot goes forward. When done properly, track maintenance can extend the career of many horses.

The condition or composition of the soil is not the only thing that must be considered. The soils need air in order to avoid being too dense. Too much water eliminates the air space between soil materials and retards the track's load-bearing capacity. Conversely, too little water will prevent soil materials from holding together sufficiently which will cause a horse to have a hard time "getting hold" of the track.

When soil composition causes the recoil to become too quick, the cushion does not sufficiently absorb the shock that will be felt up the horse's leg. Again, if the soil materials are too wet, deep or not handled properly the track recoils too slowly, causing a horse to labor and increases the risk of injury.

As I said earlier, a properly maintained track allows a horse's foot to come to a slow, gradual stop while providing lift as the foot extends forward. I stress the term "properly maintained" because if any component of the maintenance program is overlooked, the track will not be consistent.

Watering and Grading
The majority of our tracks in California spend a large portion of the night preparing the surface for the next day. Preparation includes watering. Our tracks absorb about 30,000 gallons of water daily. The water trucks are constructed with a long arm on the rail side so as to avoid driving directly over that portion of the track where the horses are likely to run.

We grade daily due to the fact that the track is sloped and banked for drainage, as well as cambered to help the horses negotiate the turns. Track materials have a tendency to shift to the inside, which can also create an uneven surface. Constant grading is necessary to control these materials and the ever-changing environmental conditions.

Practical Experience
As I said in the beginning, a track superintendent's job is to create a safe, fair, and consistent surface. This is very difficult to do properly. Unfortunately there are no books about this subject, nor is there a school at which one can learn how to excel in this type of work. The only means by which we learn these principles is by practical, on the job experience. Track maintenance is not an exact science.

In most cases, a good trackman develops a "feel" for when a track is right. It is similar to the trainer who develops a "fee" for when a horse is ready to run a great race. This level of experience or intuition is unquestionably the hardest part of a track superintendent's job. The ability to create a safe, consistent racing surface is impossible to teach.

As a final thought, let me add that I am pleased to say that is profession has been good to me, and I have enjoyed working with the horses and people associated with racing in Southern California. I have learned over the years that although it is not always possible to please all of the horsemen all of the time, it is, nonetheless, quite gratifying to watch the horses finish a race or training session without incident. This I consider to be the most important of my objectives.

Mr. Wood is the track superintendent for Oak Tree, Del Mar, and Santa Anita race meets.

Two-Year-Old Racing

Factors to Consider Before Racing Your Two-Year-Old
By Laura Grubb

It's two-year-old time - when owners of two-year-olds must begin to take stock of their youngsters, decide whether or not to race them at two, and, if so, decide what time of the year for them to make their first start.

Racing two-year-olds has always been a controversial issue. Many believe that racing young horses leads to injuries, breakdowns, and may be one reason why we currently are facing a shortage of horses. The loss of such young stars as Holy Bull, Thunder Gulch, Brocco, Hennessy, and Cavonnier, all of whom competed as two-year-olds only to suffer career-ending injuries at three, is one reason advanced to de-emphasize two-year-old racing. 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup, who was purposefully not raced at two and now looks forward to his six-year-old season, illustrates the rewards possible for patient owners.

However, as long as American racing richly rewards its three-year-olds through the Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown series, and other lucrative races limited to three-year-olds, proving grounds for two-year-olds will continue to exist. The substantial purse money offered in two-year-old stakes is also tempting to owners of precocious juveniles.

Owners should be encouraged to be prudent in their approach to two-year-old racing, to make educated decisions, and always make the well being of their horse the first priority.

Should you Race your Two-Year-Old?

For those owners having horses capable of running at two, starting them as a two-year-old obviously allows a quicker financial return. However, racing one's two-year-olds may be economically short sighted for owners who race juveniles incapable of withstanding the rigors of training and racing. Injuries and breakdowns can occur when young horses are pressured to perform, sometimes jeopardizing their ability to run successfully in later years. For the owner, that not only brings disappointment, but vet bills, long layoffs, and the need to start all over again with the costs attendant to that.

Owners should consider some of the following factors before making the decision to race his or her juveniles.

Physical Development - Is your two-year-old ready to withstand the rigors of racing? Is most of its growth process completed, as indicated through the x-raying of its knees to see if the growth plates are closed? Does it have a big heavy body type that needs more time to develop in order to prevent unsoundness caused by the concussive forces of training? Or does it possess a light body type, with good hindquarters conducive to the sprints of two-year-old races? If no, be patient and think long term. If you are unsure about whether your horse is ready to race as a two-year-old, ask your trainer or veterinarian.

Mental Development - Like people, horses mature at different rates. A two-year-old that you are contemplating running should be an alert, quick, and nimble horse. Typically, lazier horses are slower thinkers, and do not have the mental capabilities to do well at two. It's in your horse's best interests to run when it is mentally ready. Yours too. Once again, consult your trainer on your horse's mental ability to withstand the pressures of racing.

Pedigree - Is your horse bred to go a distance? If so, it may be better to wait and properly develop him than to run in the two-furlong races offered during the spring. However, some horses are bred to excel at two, as certain sire lines are known for producing two-year-old runners. These precocious individuals (early developers both mentally and physically) may perform well at two without negatively impacting their ability to race as a three-year-old.

What Time of the Year Should Your Two-Year-Old Make Its First Start?

Let's assume that you have considered the above factors, and have determined that your horse is capable of starting as a two-year-old. Once again, use caution in determining when to make your horse's first start. Also, remember that in California, a horse must actually have reached its second birth date* before it can enter into a race.

Springtime Advantages

Softer (less competitive) fields may occur earlier in the year, as some owners elect to give their valuable racing stock more time to develop
before racing. Also, purses may be higher in the springtime than in the fall, especially in Southern California. Weather is also a factor, as the drier racetracks of the spring and summer are more conducive to conditioning young stock. Training babies in the mud is not considered to be a good practice, as it places too much stress on their young bodies.

For owners fortunate enough to possess a precocious two-year-old, many opportunities usually exist to sell two-year-olds who have displayed ability at the track, whether through promising training (fast morning works), or good racing performance.

Advantages of Waiting Until Later in the Year

The primary advantage of waiting until later in the year to run your two-year-old, if you do decide to race it during its juvenile year, is the extra time allowed for your horse to develop both mentally and physically. Horses mature significantly between the spring and the fall. Patient owners who are willing to wait may reap economic rewards by having a horse who can start a few times later in its two-year-old year, and then be fresh for its three-year-old campaign. Few horses possess the ability to show brilliance early in their two-year-old year, and then continue to stay sound for their three and four-year-old years.

Handling Horses Purchased at Two-Year-Old Sales

Some owners may purchase horses at the upcoming two-year-old auctions with the intent of immediately pointing them to a race. However, remember that many of these young horses have been in training for six months prior to the sale, have been pressured to perform on "preview" day, and are in need of a rest. Also, understand that many of these horses have only been asked to breeze an eighth of a mile during the sale' preview, and are not prepared to go further. Realize that sales can be very stressful on young horses, and that many need to be turned out in order to recuperate, both physically and mentally. Once again, think long term.

Patience is a Virtue

Purses offered for two-year-old races this spring are mighty tempting to an owner, especially as he or she writes the monthly support check. However, use good judgment and think of your horse's best interests in the long run. Is your colt or filly ready to face the challenges of racing at two? Consider the above-mentioned factors carefully, or consult your trusted advisors, before making your decision, and always put the interests of your horse before your own. More often than not, such responsible thinking will reward you. Remember Alphabet Soup!

* All Thoroughbreds turn a year older on January 1st. However, in order to compete in a two-year-old race, a horse must have reached its second actual birth date. For example, a horse born on March 16, 1995 would not be eligible to enter into a race until March 16,1997.