Horse Pedigree Basics
The first thing I should discuss is about the pedigree of horses. When I write that the winner of the race is "By A out of B (X)" that means that A is the sire (dad), B is the dam (mom), and X is the sire of the dam or damsire (grandfather on mom's side). So let's take a horse called A.P. Indy as an example
A.P. Indy's is by Seattle Slew out of Weekend Surprise (Secretariat). This means that A.P. Indy's sire is Seattle Slew, his dam is Weekend Surprise and Weekend Surprise's sire is Secretariat.
Times of Races
Timing of races matters a great deal when looking back on a race and also determining who will win an upcoming race. Secretariat, who has the fastest time ever in the Kentucky Derby is one of only three horses to run the Kentucky Derby in under 2:00 (the others being Sham and Monarchos).
The distance of races is typically measured in Furlongs. A Furlong is an 1/8th of a mile. Most races at Emerald Downs are run at 6 Furlongs (3/4s of a mile). The Longacres Mile, the best race in the Northwest, is 8 Furlongs. Although the final time is important, the timing of races includes internal fractions when the horses reach certain distances. At every racetrack they will also give times after a 1/4 of a mile (2 Furlongs), 1/2 of a mile (4 Furlongs), 5/8ths of a mile (5 Furlongs) and then the final time (If the races are longer like a mile, you will get the 3/4 time also).
Sometimes you will see charts in my posts like the following:
Date
|
Conditions
|
¼
|
½
|
5
|
5.5
|
6.0
|
6.5
|
4-20
|
3F M 7500
|
22.78
|
46.60
|
58.98
| |||
3F 7.5 N2L
|
22.90
|
45.91
|
58.09
| ||||
F 12.5 N2L
|
21.59
|
44.73
|
57.05
|
103.58
| |||
F C3500
|
22.62
|
45.75
|
57.65
|
110.15
| |||
12.5K N2L
|
22.50
|
45.28
|
56.77
|
102.91
| |||
2500N3L
|
21.93
|
45.06
|
57.52
|
103.98
| |||
3 AlwN2L
|
21.98
|
44.82
|
56.78
|
103.13
| |||
C ALW
|
21.82
|
44.09
|
55.85
|
108.2
| |||
F M 5000
|
22.25
|
45.86
|
58.05
|
104.47
| |||
Let me explain what this chart means. Lets take the race highlighted in green which was a race won by Scat Daddybaby on April 20th. His 1/4 mile time was 21.82, 1/2 mile time was 44.09, 5/8s time in 55.85 and the final 6 Furlong time in 108.2. As you can see by the yellow highlighting, Scat daddybaby had the fastest 1/2 mile, 5/8s mile (5 Furlongs) and 6 Furlong times.
Most races at Emerald Downs at 6 Furlongs are run between 1:08 (68 seconds) to 1:12 (72 seconds)
Conditions of Races
Each race will have a condition or conditions. A condition limits the eligibility for a horse to enter a race. For instance, a race may be restricted by gender, age, non-winners, winners of only one race in their lifetime, have not won a race since a certain date, etc.
A big part of the races at Emerald Downs are claiming races. A claiming race is a race in which horses are entered subject to claim for a specified price. To claim a horse is to buy a horse out of a race. Taking the chart above as an example, the first race was a $7,500 claiming race which means any horses in that race can be purchased for $7,500 out of the race. After the race is over the horse changes ownership. Scat Daddybaby's race was an allowance race meaning the horses were not running for a claiming price. This typically means these horses are a higher class than claiming horses.
Here are some of the symbols I use so you know what they mean:
3 - Race is for 3 year-olds only. If a 3 is not listed it means it is open to older horses also.
F - Race is restricted to fillies and mares (if it is 3F then the race is for 3 year-old fillies meaning no mares are in the race).
M - Maiden race. A maiden is a horse that has yet to win a race.
N2L - Non-winner of 2 races lifetime. These horses have won only one race (typically just a maiden race).
N3L - Non-winner of 3 races lifetime.
ALW - Allowance race. Typically for higher class horses. Not in for a claiming tag.
C(ClaimingPrice) - Conditional race at a certain claiming price. For instance, a c3500 race is a race for horses worth 3500 but also something like haven't won a race since a certain date or haven't won 4 races.
Investing Basics
Most of the time the investments I put on the blog are Pick 4s at Emerald Downs. Pick 4 is picking the winner of 4 races in a row. Shocking, I know. The Pick 4 is usually offered on the first four and last four races of the day. So you have two opportunities to bet the Pick 4 at Emerald each race day. When I structure a bet I will use multiple combinations (more than one horse to win in each race). So you may see the following structure:
1,2,3,4/4,5/3,4/1,2,3
If you are betting the early Pick 4 this means you need the 1,2 or 3 need to win the first race. The 4 or 5 needs to win the second race. The 3 or 4 needs to win the third race and the 1,2 or 3 needs to win the fourth race.
The "/" means with in a Pick 4. So when investing this ticket you would say:
1,2,3,4 (1st race) with 4,5 (2nd race) with 3,4 (third race) with 1,2,3 (fourth race).
The Pick 4 is a minimum .50 bet. So each combination will cost you .50.
However, you have several combinations with this investment. For instance, with the #1 in the first race you have:
1/4/3/1
1/4/3/2
1/4/3/3
1/5/3/1
1/5/3/2
1/5/3/3
1/4/4/1
1/4/4/2
1/4/4/3
1/5/4/1
1/5/4/2
1/5/4/3
12 possible combinations for the 1 winning the first race.
Remember this is just for the #1 horse in the first race. You still have 2,3, and 4 meaning you have 36 more combinations, totally 48 combinations. This is not as confusing as it may appear because you can just take the amount of each horses in each race and get the same number:
4 x 2 x 2 x 3 = 48 Combinations.
Each combination is not $1 but rather .50 so this bet would cost half that 48 combos or $24.
You need to have each of your horses win each leg (all four) in order to win the bet. This makes it much harder but the payoffs are usually larger.
Definitions of Terms Used
BREEDER- Owner of dam at the time the foal drops.
BROODMARE- Female Thoroughbred used for breeding. For instance, Marva Jean is a broodmare and has had two foals since she has been part of my animal posse.
CHART- A statistical look at a race. The chart shows the position and margin of each horse at certain points of call. The chart will also use the age, weight carried, owner, trainer, purse, conditions, pay-off prices, odds, time and other data. I typically will link to Equibase charts when I use them in a post.
CHECKED- A horse pulled up by his jockey because the horse was cut off or in tight.
CLAIMING- Buying a horse out of race for the price they are running for.
CLAIMING RACE- Race in which horses are entered subject to claim for a listed price.
CONDITION BOOK- A book that is issued by the racetrack and racing secretary which sets forth conditions of races to be run in the next few weeks.
CONDITION RACE- An event with conditions limiting it to a certain class of horse. Such as: Fillies, 3-year-olds, non-winners of two races other than maiden or claiming, etc.
CONFORMATION- A horse's physical structure.
DAILY DOUBLE- Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races, usually the first and second.
DAM- Mother of a Thoroughbred.
DAMSIRE or BROODMARE SIRE- The sire of a broodmare.
DEAD-HEAT- Two or more horses finishing in an exact tie at the wire.
DAILY DOUBLE- Type of wager calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races, usually the first and second.
DAM- Mother of a Thoroughbred.
DAMSIRE (BROODMARE SIRE)- The sire of a broodmare.
DROPDOWN or DROPPING IN CLASS - A horse meeting a lower class of rival than he had been running against previously.
EIGHTH- A furlong - 220 yards
EXACTA - A wager in which the first two finishers in a race, in exact order of finish, must be picked.
FIELD- The horses in a race.
FILLY- Female horse up to and including the age of 4.
FOAL- Newly born Thoroughbred until they are weaned.
FOUR FURLONGS- Half a mile - 880 yards
FRACTIONAL TIME- Intermediate time recorded in a race. A 1/4 or 1/2, etc.
FURLONG- One-eighth of a mile - 220 yards.
GELDING- Castrated male horse or Jason Laukaitis.
GRANDDAM (SECOND DAM)- Grandmother of a horse.
GRANDSIRE- Grandfather of a horse, sire of the horse's dam.
HALF- Four furlongs or half of a mile - 880 yards
HALF-BROTHER, HALF-SISTER- Horses out of the same dam but by different sires. For instance, Marva Jean has a colt by Bellamy Road and a yearling by Midnight Lute. The Bellamy Road's half-sister is the Midnight Lute filly.
HANDICAPPER- One who makes selections based on past performances.
HANDLE- The amount of money wagered on a race, a program, a meeting or a year. The handle is the most important financial statistic for the health of the industry.
IN FOAL- Pregnant mare.
JUVENILE- Two-year-old horse.
LENGTH- Length of a horse from nose to end of back, roughly 8 to 8.5 feet. The distance between horses in a race.
MAIDEN- A horse who has not won a race.
MAIDEN RACE- A race for non winners.
MARE- Female horse 5 years old or older.
MORNING LINE- Approximate odds of the horse predicted before the race begins. Each racetrack has an individual who sets a morning line.
NECK- Unit of measurement, about the length of a horse's neck.
NOSE- Unit of measurement, smallest amount you can win by.
PARIMUTUEL- A form of wagering that originated in France in which all money bet is divided up among those who have winning tickets, after taxes, takeout and other deductions are made.
PAST PERFORMANCES- A compilation in Daily Racing Form of a horse's record, including all pertinent data, as a basis for handicapping.
PEARL HARBOR - A terrible movie made by Michael Bay in 2001. Summed up best by this song from Team America:
PICK 3 - This wager includes picking the first place finishers of three consecutive races. If one leg of the pick 3 is a loss the entire wager will be deemed a loss.
PICK 4 - The first place finishers of four consecutive races must be picked in order to win this wager. The wager must be placed before post time of the first race. If one leg of the pick 4 is a loss the entire wager will be deemed a loss.
PICK 5 - The first place finishers of five consecutive races must be picked in order to win this wager. The wager must be placed before post time of the first race. If one leg of the pick 5 is a loss the entire wager will be deemed a loss.
PICK 6 - You get it by now, right?
PINHOOKING - To buy a horse at auction for the purpose of reselling the horse at a later auction.
PLACE- Second position at finish.
PLACE BET- Wager on a horse to finish in either first or second.
POST- Starting point or position in starting gate.
POOL- Total sum bet on a race or the amount of money placed on a single bet, such as the win pool, Pick 4 pool or Pick 5 pool.
POST POSITION- Position of stall in starting gate from which a horse starts.
QUARTER- One-quarter of a mile - 440 yards. Designated in my charts by 1/4
RABBIT- A horse entered in a race purely to ensure a fast pace and tire out other speed horses, softening up the competition for the benefit of an entry mate. Also a device used by some people.
ROUTE- Race distance of a mile (8 Furlongs) or longer.
ROUTER- Horse who performs well at route races.
SCRATCH- A horse that is taken out of a race.
SECOND DAM- Grandam or grandmother on the mom's side. I always look at the second dam on a horse because those genetics are still getting passed on to your horse.
SHOW- Third position at the finish.
SHOW BET - Wager on a horse to finish either first, second, or third.
SIRE- Father of a horse.
SIX FURLONGS- Three-quarter of a mile or 1,320 yards.
SIXTEENTH- One-sixteenth of a mile (1/2 a Furlong) or 110 yards.
SLOPPY- Condition of footing. Wet on surface with firm bottom.
STAKES-PLACED- Finishing first, second or third in a stakes race. It is very good for a broodmare to be stakes-placed for purposes of selling the offspring.
STAKES RACE- A race for which owner must pay up a fee to run a horse. The fees are added by the track to make up the total purse. Some stakes races are by invitation and require no payment or fee.
STAKES HORSE- One capable of competing in a stakes race which is a higher level event.
STALLION- Entire male horse or Will Brewer.
STATE-BRED- A horse bred in a particular state and thus eligible to compete in special races restricted to state-breds. All of my horses are Washington-bred horses and are therefore eligible for races restricted to Washington-breds.
STAYER- Horse who can race long distances.
STEADIED- A horse being stopped or taken back, usually because of being in close quarters.
STEPS UP- A horse moving up in class to meet better runners.
STUD- Male horse used for breeding. Or Will Brewer.
TAKEOUT- The amount taken out of each bet at a racetrack. The Washington Horse Racing Commission will deduct from mutuel pools which it then shares with the track, the Washington Horse Racing Commission, and the purse account. I will discuss more about takeout as it is important to the overall health of the industry. I typically be lower takeout bets like the Pick 5 at Santa Anita (15%).
TAKEN UP- A horse pulled up sharply by his rider because of being in close quarters. Similar to steadied.
TRIFECTA - A wager picking the first three finishers in exact order.
TRIP- The horses race. It includes the position of the horse, whether they had any trouble, etc. When discussed in a blog posting it usually will be either the horse got a "perfect trip" meaning there was not a straw in the horses path or the horse had a "troubled trip" meaning it went wide or was blocked by other horses.
TRIPLE CROWN- In the United States, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
TURF COURSE- Grass course.
WEANLING- A foal that is less than 1-year-old but has been separated from its mom.
WORK- A workout. Essentially practice for racing.
YEARLING- Thoroughbred between the first New Year's Day after being foaled and the following January 1.
1 comment:
Is Shadowfax a male or female horse?
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