Proudly owning an OTTB is nice due to the quantity of data you may get about them instantly. However doing so additionally begs the query: what constitutes a “good” race document?
Welcome to the subsequent installment of Thoroughbred Logic. On this weekly collection, Anthropologist and coach Aubrey Graham, of Kivu Sport Horses, presents perception and coaching expertise in terms of working with Thoroughbreds (though a lot will apply to all breeds). This week trip alongside as Aubrey shares her logic on what constitutes a great race document for an off-track Thoroughbred.
The wonderful thing about Thoroughbreds (properly moreover all of the myriad issues that I like) is that with just a few keystrokes, you may check out their previous. Having the ability to bounce on Equibase.com is fabulous. You merely faucet within the horse title and may assessment their race historical past, official public sale gross sales, pedigree, movies and the way and once they modified palms, in addition to some notes on how they ran.
That is helpful on my finish for a pair causes. The primary might be the obvious: once I’m shopping for horses straight from the monitor and need to get a way of their athleticism, soundness, and expertise. The second is once I’m attempting to backtrack and make issues make sense or just get a way of who the horse in entrance of me is and or was.
Finest shot I’ve up to now of Insurgent Warrior (2021). Photograph courtesy of Cecil Clugston.
Right here’s an instance of a technique (of some methods) that I purchase horses:
A scholar who rode with me years in the past texts me, “Hey, appears like NY is nice. Would you like one other good TB? I’ve a racing connection who’s promoting his horse and he looks like your sort.” She forwards photographs. I can’t see a lot in them — they’re shot within the race paddock, so the gelding is in tack and in movement. I can inform that he’s bay and yep, a Thoroughbred. That’s about it.
She presents to have his proprietor name me. I’m at all times completely happy to take the time to speak to race people as even when this horse doesn’t work out, there are sometimes others of their string who could be worthwhile. So, the proprietor and I chat. He clearly cares about his horse — needs to retire him earlier than he retains dropping extra — cares about his second profession, and so forth. I belief my intestine in these conversations, as just about everybody goes to say equally. You’ll get the “they’re a great boy on the monitor, straightforward to deal with, is usually a bit ahead however they’re a TB at a race, and really, very sound.” He sends me a current video and I examine for common soundness and conformation.
If my intestine doesn’t say “run for the hills,” I’m going to Equibase and examine the race document (hell, to be honest, I did that earlier than getting on the cellphone). This specific horse who ships to me immediately (I’m actually enthusiastic about this one) has a gradual and constant document of 11 races and $19,000 in prize cash, one win however principally he would cross the wire in round 4th place. I like this race document. Beneath is what it tells me:
Insurgent Warrior’s race outcomes document on equibase.com.
He began as a two yr previous and ran three races, exhibiting promise. The races have been about three weeks aside, which is a traditional, accountable unfold for a dedicated race season. He then had the winter off when Presque Isle Downs shut for the season. He started his three-year-old yr within the preseason in Charles City, gained someplace within the combine, after which continued to realize expertise between the close by tracks, following the coach.
He by no means actually acquired quick (prime velocity determine of 64) and he by no means actually crashed out too gradual (lowest velocity determine of 31, however remaining fairly constant within the 50-60 vary). The breaks in his document correspond to tracks opening and shutting and on that timeline, don’t look like therapeutic accidents. He simply doesn’t appear fast sufficient to carry his personal and be value staying within the recreation. I ought to observe that he was owned by the identical individual for his entire profession, however did change trainers early in his profession and stayed with that one till he retired. Total, as I can see it right here, there’s nothing significantly exceptional in his document. And that’s what I like.
The race chart for Insurgent Warrior’s third race, noting how he did, who owned him, his coach, and any additional jottings on his efficiency in addition to offering data on the monitor circumstances and the race. To entry race charts, go to your horse’s web page in Equibase, have a look at outcomes, and click on the pictures of a file / chart to see this sort of pdf. Courtesy of equibase.com
So when this horse — Insurgent Warrior — reveals up immediately, right here’s what I anticipate: He’ll be monitor tight. He simply ran. He’s three, so he’ll be doubtless butt-high and rangey as he’s an enormous horse, however there’s going to be a pleasant creature in there. And with a bit of luck, his race document, and the conversations I’ve had with each proprietor and coach will bear out and it’ll not solely be a pleasant, tall, spectacular horse, but in addition one who’s keen and sound.
So in step with searching down data on my new horse, I’ll tackle a query I’m usually requested when delving into race information: “What number of races is an efficient variety of races?” And I’ll be trustworthy and say that I don’t know that reply. Moderately, totally different race quantity brackets include totally different questions.
*I began writing the next and realized simply how a lot there was to say, so that you all get the primary half of it this week and I’ll end it up with the well-run and warhorses subsequent week.
Wolf (Louisiana Moon) ran 63 races and retired sound in 2023. We’ll get to his “Warhorse” bracket of racing subsequent week.
Zero Races
Why not?
I wrote an article a yr or so in the past about being cautious of horses who’re unraced. Within the land of demanding ISOs who need Champagne on a home non-craft beer price range, an unraced Thoroughbred (bred for racing) nonetheless appears to be fascinating. I perceive the logic — the legs haven’t taken the beating or pressure {that a} race profession places on them. Okay, high-quality. However preserving logic in thoughts, when a racehorse proprietor spends 1000’s (generally lots of of 1000’s) for a stud payment, tens of 1000’s to get a foal born, wholesome, and into coaching, there needs to be a purpose to forfeit a return on that funding.
Even when solely trying on the financials, to not race is to take an enormous loss. There needs to be a great purpose for preserving that horse off the monitor. Generally it’s obvious, like Aspenfiveoneseven’s clubby proper entrance and irregular left hind hock-to-tarsus orientation. Generally it’s a proclivity — Madigan Cat’s spectacular bucking capability when he didn’t need to do one thing (AKA go in the direction of the race gate). Generally, I don’t know and nobody can actually present the data, as within the case of Needles Freeway.
Nonetheless no clear rationalization for this one (Needles Freeway) not racing, however hey, I’ll take the truth that there’s no good purpose and hold bringing him alongside. Photograph by the Kivu Crew.
Positive, horses do fall via the gaps. Homeowners die or run out of cash to get them educated (that’s a quite common rationalization behind not racing, but it surely’s one which at all times comes with a bit little bit of a crimson flag of “is that basically the primary purpose???” for me). However normally, somebody will see to it that that horse makes it to a minimum of just a few races to see if they’ll certainly run. So if there’s no working, I need to know why and go from there.
One Race
Why just one? Why didn’t the horse get a second likelihood to show themselves?
For this one, I proceed with warning. I’m in all probability going to need to watch the race video and browse the race card. I’m additionally going to hope that the horse was simply woefully gradual, or did one thing foolish like not need to go away the beginning gate. A aggressive horse who solely runs one time makes me marvel about accidents — significantly gentle tissue ones. Did the horse put in any revealed works after that single race? How lengthy was the hole between that race and another works on their document?
Juice (Pulpituity) and Forrest (Don’t Noc It) (and a a lot youthful Walker canine) at Poplar again in 2019. Photograph by Kassie Colson.
Juice (Pulpituity) is my proverbial one-race heartbreak. I wrote a protracted three-part collection about his suspensory accidents once I retired him again to his breeder. Nevertheless, whereas one horse with poor outcomes doesn’t imply all one-race horses are unsound, I’ll be trustworthy to notice that I proceed with warning and have a tendency to ask for fairly a bit extra data earlier than diving in.
Two – 5 Races
“Had been they not quick?” “Had been they not sound sufficient?” or “Did they not need to do the job?”
On this bracket, I’m asking about each their psychological and bodily suitability for racing. Generally, they simply don’t need to run, and that’s what I hope for right here — they’re both too gradual, or they didn’t just like the work or the racing conditions. What I like about this variety of races is that the horses had an opportunity to coach up, strive once more and present whether or not or not they’d aptitude. Once they come off the monitor on this bracket, the reply about aptitude is normally “no” — however in fact I need to know why.
Rhodie (Western Ridge) failed to indicate dedication to racing on the monitor in his 5 begins, however he’s come out of the beginning field much more instances that that with a zeal that retains me preserving him within the recreation. Photograph by the Kivu Crew.
Rhodie (Western Ridge) had the five-race likelihood and failed to enhance with every race. They let him strive sufficient to appreciate his coronary heart wasn’t in it. Publish monitor, Rhodie is a hell of an eventer, however the warmup area jogs my memory why he struggles to run his personal race — he’s waaaaaay too distracted by everybody else.
Forrest (Don’t Noc It) additionally retired from racing on this bracket. He wasn’t quick and he was terrifically obnoxious and bullish on the monitor. People related to him on the time famous that he “simply wasn’t completely happy on the monitor.” As I discovered after coaching him up in his second profession, Forrest additionally has an previous stifle situation. Might the sore stifle have contributed to his poor racing? Most likely. However I solely can put these issues collectively as a result of the truth that I acquired him proper after he completed racing have owned him and had him in coaching for seven years, thus permitting me to attach extra dots than traditional.
This good-looking beast with the most effective noggin (Cove – At all times Spring) ran on this bracket and got here off for merely being too gradual and I’d wager a bit too massive to know the place his legs are… at virtually 17h he has quite a lot of filling out to do. Photograph by Sarah Hepler.
Insurgent Warrior had eleven races. He’s within the subsequent begin bracket of horses (5-15), which carries its personal set of questions. The enjoyable a part of splitting this up into two elements is that I can run via all I’m pondering earlier than he reveals up immediately. Subsequent week, I’ll have extra data and I can see if it bears out.
So go trip people, and when it’s wet or too sizzling, take a minute and take a look at your horse’s information simply to see the place they fell within the land of racing and retiring.
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