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People keep talking about the big chunks in the elite sport of horse racing. They tell you how these thoroughbred horses qualify, what are the characteristics and proper training they have to be in such race, but little talk about how these horses get there to where they are today.
It may have crossed the mind of new players in betting, “How did these horses reach this kind of level?”. We are talking about the level of big races like Kentucky Derby and The Pegasus Cup. Truth is, there’s a class system a racer must get through first before they become the rockstars of the biggest races in the world.
Just like any human being, the horses will have to climb up the ladder through training and competition in lower level races. Here are the types of races you need to know for these horses to pass in the racing world.
Maiden Races
Maiden from the word itself means the entering horses are still fresh and are probably here for their first race ever. This is where the new ones “break his maiden” and hope to win it. Although some exceptional horses may get their first win in an allowance or stake race, it is said that a horse must begin its career in maiden races and stay there until he gets his win.
Two classes:
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Maiden special weight races – are for horses who are expected to easily break his maiden at first try and move right away to prestigious competitions.
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Maiden claiming races – are for horses who failed in the first class or those who believed they are not ready yet to start engaging in the higher level.
Claiming Races
Claimers are the lowest-class horses at the track and in this racehorses have an amount on their heads. The participating horses may be bought or claimed once a request has been made before the race. The person who requested the claim becomes the new owner regardless if the horse wins or fails in the race. In return, the owner gets the won purse.
Most races in North America are claiming races which means these horses are the ones you’ll see most often at a track. This becomes a trend in horse racing where they get into a race to buy or claim a horse.
Allowance Races
After engaging in the claiming race, these horses won’t be for sale anymore and the purses escalate. The horses carry a certain amount of weight or carry less due to certain factors, thus explains the name “allowance”. Take note that these races are for non-winners or starters. The allowance is usually five pounds off the assigned weight if the horse never won a race from a certain date or was not able to earn an amount of money.
Stakes Races
Now this is where the top racehorses compete. These thoroughbred horses bag with them the biggest purses or may vary with between the smaller tracks and of races like the Kentucky Derby. Tip in the oval is that you will find the best local horses at local stakes while graded stakes will showcase the top horses from local barns or those coming from abroad.
Graded Stake Races
This is the top level of the horse races. They have no restrictions other than the age or gender of the horses. However, there are three grades from which they will be assigned: Grades 1, 2 and 3 that will be reviewed each year. The reviewing of the grade assignment will base on the horse’s performance. If a horse has consistently won races they will most likely be listed in the Grade 1 which is the highest in the caliber.
An example of a Grade 1 Stake Race would be the Kentucky Derby series where the top ranks fight and sprint their way to The Triple Crown. This is by far the biggest and soon the richest race in the world.
The Kentucky Derby which is usually aired both on live TV and online sites like https://www.tvg.com/promos/preakness-stakes/ will be the first leg followed by Preakness Stakes in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes. This one and the quarter-mile race is a test of stamina and determination of Grade 1 thoroughbred horses to maintain their name on the class list.
This year’s top contenders on track would be an intense neck-to-neck race of Game Winner, Improbable, Maximus Mischief, Signalman, Coliseum, Code of Honor and Vekoma. One hell of a race a derby fan must never miss.