Harness Racing Facts In Brief

This week we'll examine some of the basics of harness racing, that is, the actually biography of a race. For starters, Standardbred horses are either trotters (diagonally-gaited) or pacers (laterally-gaited), and are one of the toughest, and hardiest equines on the globe.

During a race, it is imperative that a horse stay on stride (either trot or pace) in order to finish the race well or to win. Throughout North America, harness races take place on either half-mile, five-eight's mile, seven-eight's mile or one mile race tracks. Purses are paid down to fifth place, in other words, those horses finishing first, second, third, fourth and fifth all receive checks for their efforts. Generally, although not always, the purse is divided as follows: First-50%, Second-25%, Third-12%, Fourth-8% and Fifth-5%. In certain stake races, these standards of payment may vary slightly. So, if your horse wins a $10,000 event, you'll receive $5,000. Sounds easy, doesn't it?

Again, a horse must stay on stride in order to race properly. If a horse does go off stride, or "make a break" and go into a gallop, he does not automatically lose a race. The driver is required by the rules set down by the U.S.Trotting Association (the governing body of harness racing) to take the horse to the outside when clearance exists, and work at getting the horse back to his prescribed gait. Then, he could still come on and win. Again, these rules apply to North American racing only.

If a horse is on a break at the finish line, and there is another horse who is still on gait (stride) next to him, than this horse is said to be "lapped on," and the horse which was offstride at the wire will be placed behind the lapped on horse in terms of the official finish. In other words, if Horse A is first under the wire, but is galloping, and Horse B is right next to him and still pacing, then Horse A will be moved to second and Horse B will be given the win.

Drivers can officially begin driving in matinees at age 13, but must be 16 before they can drive with a "Q" license, for qualifying and fair races. At age 18 a driver can be granted a "P" license, or provisional (apprentice) and from there progresses to an "A" license, giving him status to compete anywhere in the world.

When a driver takes a firm hold of the horse with his driving lines, he is rating the horse. This means that he is conserving his horse's energy until the end of the race gets nearer. Many drivers prefer to conserve a horse's energy for the long stretch drive over mile tracks, which in some cases, is as far as one quarter of a mile long. The most successful horses are very well-mannered and easy to control, as it is often difficult to keep a 1,500 pound animal in a position behind another 1,500 pound animal, when he doesn't want to be there.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic