Thoroughbred horse racing is the main form of horse-racing throughout the world. A trainer, who is hired by the thoroughbred horse's owner, would train the horses for a particular event (the horse trains on a local training track near the stable) and also enter horses into races that would suit the horse. Trainers also have professional relations with jockeys, who ride the horse and give feedback to the trainer after every run.
- Handicap Race : One in which the runners have been 'handicapped' according to their performance in other races. Theoretically, all horses have a chance of being competitive in a race that is correctly handicapped.
- Stakes Races are ones where the competitors usually belong to the same gender, age and class. These races may be 'weight-for-age ', with weights adjusted only according to age, and also there are 'set weights ' where all horses carry the same weight.
- Jumping Races and Steeplechases are done over long distances, and horses carry more weight. Normal jumping races involve horses that are starting out a jumping career, including horses that previously were trained flat racing.
Horses are judged on the weight (a horse carrying 52 kg is said to have better chances than one who carries 58 kg), the barrier gate (horses have less distance to make up if they start from an inside barrier , such as 1, rather than from an outside one, such as 15), the performance over the last three starts, and also the performance on wet tracks, against horses of gender and class (weak or strong opposition). Time ratings and jockey statistics are also factors in a horse's performance in a race, but they are considered less important.
While the attention of horseracing fans and the media is focused almost exclusively on the horse's performance on the racetrack or for male horses or possibly its success as a sire, but little publicity is given the brood mares. Such is the case of La Troienne , one of the most important mares of the 20th century to whom many of the greatest thoroughbred champions, and dams of champions can be traced.
Some of the world's most famous thoroughbred racehorses in flat racing include:
See also
Last updated: 02-10-2005 09:27:25
