RACING Q & A

Question: I have a feeling that if the same 10 horses raced against one another 10 times, there would be a different winner almost every time. Do you agree?

Answer: “That depends, I would think, on the class of horse to which your reader refers,” says Hall of Fame trainer Leroy Jolley. “If you are talking about cheap claiming horses, then I agree that there would be a lot of winners in 10 races with the same field. If good horses were involved, I think two or three horses would dominate. Good horses have the consistency that is often missing in cheap horses.”

Q: What percentage of horses never win a race?

A: A study was made some years ago of the produce of 1,000 broodmares. These mares produced approximately 6,600 foals. Of this group of foals, 18% never raced. Another 20% raced but did not win. Thus, 38% of this study group failed to win. Students of breeding estimate that these figures would stand up fairly well if a similar study were made today or tomorrow. These statistics underline the hazards of horse ownership. It is important to remember that it is the owners who put on the show. If not for their willingness to buy horses, there would be no racing as we know it. The late (Sunny) Jim Fitzsimmons always said the owners and the public who support the sport are the only important groups in racing.

Q: How much will a horse’s speed rating change during the course of a season?

A: “If a horse does most of his racing at the same distance and in the same area through most of the year, his speed ratings won’t show a wide range of change,” says the well-known handicapper and breeder, Jule Fink. “However, when a horse changes distances, his speed ratings can be affected. Consider a sprinter asked to go a distance of ground in several races. He will probably show a higher speed rating in those races, for he has been conditioned in sprints to run at a faster pace. On the other hand, when he drops back to sprints, his speed ratings are likely to be lower for his speed may have been dulled going distance of ground several times. A point to remember, however, is that this horse may have more stamina because of those distance races. This added stamina could be of help to him, even in sprints.”

Q: How far is a horse beaten if the margin is a neck?

A: “We calculate that two noses equal one head, two heads equal one neck, and four necks equal one length,” says Daily Racing Form track man Jack Smallwood. “The length of an average racehorse is between 8 and 9 feet, and thus a neck would be about 2 feet.”