These races are one step above most Claiming Races, the conditions are very similar except that the entered horses are not for sale.  The purses are generally higher than Maiden, and Claiming Races.  Allowance Races normally contain horses that have already broken their maiden. (won a maiden race)  Horses entered in Allowance Races aren’t quite ready for Stakes Races, they are, as a rule, being … Continue reading Allowance Races

Todd Pletcher Todd Pletcher is a renowned and respected name in today’s thoroughbred racing business.  His love for horses started at a very young age as he was a hot-walker for his father (also a trainer) when he was seven years old.  After high-school he enrolled in the University of Arizona’s Racetrack Industry Program and in 1989 graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Animal Science.  … Continue reading Profile

The Trail To The Grail continues this weekend at Gulfstream Park, as the annual Florida Derby takes place on Saturday.  It is a Grade 1 Stakes race with a one million dollar purse and 100 Kentucky Derby points to the winner.  A win here will punch the ticket to the starting gate for May 5th.  A comparatively short field of nine horses will take to … Continue reading Race Of The Week

This is the most common of all races.  A normal card of racing at most tracks will have a couple of Maiden Races, a few Claiming Races, an Allowance Race (I’ll get to those on another post) or two, with at least one Stakes/Handicap Race.  The feature race(s) of the day.  On special days, (Kentucky Derby, Travers Stakes, for example) usually on weekends, the card(s) … Continue reading Claiming Races

It is one of the most dangerous jobs in sports.  That of being a jockey on a thoroughbred race horse.  The best, and most consistent are very well compensated.    That said, Major League ball players don’t go to the ballpark everyday thinking they might not see their family again.  The jockey is a different breed of athlete.  Sports-casters, and columnists tend to use the … Continue reading In Memorium: Jose Flores

This week the Kentucky Derby Trail heads to The Fairgrounds Race Track in New Orleans, Louisiana.  It will be the 105th running of The Louisiana Derby.  It is a Grade 2 stakes race with a million dollar purse.  The winning horse also receives 100 points toward the Kentucky Derby.  A field of 10 will go a mile and an eighth over the main track.  It … Continue reading Race Of The Week

Today I’ll go to the opposite end of the competition spectrum, and that is the Maiden Race.  Even the greatest race horse of all time (my opinion) Secretariat had to run as a maiden, way back in 1972.  These races are exclusively for horses which have never Won  a race.  A horse that has had multiple starts but never a Win still qualifies as a … Continue reading Maiden Races

All the horse racing talk for the next 6 weeks will be dominated by the Kentucky Derby and the prep races leading up to The Run For The Roses.  So with that in mind, you may ask yourself why all the fuss ?  Aren’t all the races the same ?  Not even close people. A Stakes race is the highest class of race reserved for … Continue reading What Is A Stakes Race ?

This weeks feature Kentucky Derby Prep Race is the Rebel Stakes.  Which is race 10, Saturday March, 17 at Oaklawn Park Racetrack.  It is a Grade 2 stakes race with a total purse of $900,000 american dollars, as well as 50 points toward Kentucky Derby entry.  There are 11 horses scheduled to start in this race.  I’ll give you my breakdown of how I see … Continue reading Race Of The Week

Okay, you’ve decided which horse(s) you like in any given race, how do you place that bet ?  Once you’re at the betting window it’s 4 simple steps. 1.  State the track and race number you’d like to bet. 2.  Say the amount of your wager. 3.  Describe the type of wager you’d like to make. 4.  Say the number of the horse or horses … Continue reading At The Window