The Types of Horse Races

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Different types of horse races
Match Races
Maiden Races
Maiden Special Weight Races
Claiming Races
Maiden Claiming Races
Handicaps
Allowance Races
Stake Races

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There are few types of the horse races which you can find on the racetracks.

Match Races

This type of the horse races is the oldest one that goes back to the early days when the horse owners raced their horses to see which one is faster. The horse owners had to put up the money for the prize. In case if one owner did not show up, the horse race had to be cancelled. Later a “play or pay” rule was introduced and if the owner failed to show up for the race, his share of the prize was forfeited. In modern era match race usually means a race between two best thoroughbreds in the country. The conditions for that type of the horse races must be agreed upon by the horse owners and trainers. As a rule a winner takes all. The entire purse goes to the winning horse. Such horse races are not subject to the rules of the particular state.

Maiden Races

This type of horse races is only for maiden horses. Maiden horse is the one that has never won. As soon as a horse had the first win in a maiden race it’s no longer eligible to participate in that type of horse races.

Maiden Special Weight Races

This is the same type of horse races as a maiden race. The only difference is that in these horse races participating maiden horses must have the same weight.

Claiming Races

In the horse races of that type all entered horses have a certain claiming price. Any qualified owner can buy any horse at the end of the race for its claiming price. The deposits equal to claiming prices must be made in advance. The claims proceed according to the rules of the racetrack were the claims are made.

Maiden Claiming Races

It’s a claiming race for maiden horses.

Handicaps

This is the type of the horse races where thoroughbred horses are required to carry a weight assigned by the racing secretary. The purpose of the weight is to give all the horses as equal chance to win as possible. Naturally, the heaviest weights are assigned to the horses, which are considered to be the favorites with the best chances to win. The lightest weights are given to the horses with the poorest chances to win. For ex. if a jockey and his gear weigh 109 pounds and the horse has an assigned weight of 115 pounds, then 6 pounds of led is inserted into the “bag” to guarantee the assigned weight. The difference in a carried weight is supposed to neutralize the difference in the horses’ chances and make a real contest out of the race.

Allowance Races

This type of the horse races is basically the same as a handicap race. The only difference is that the horse's carried weight is not assigned by the racing secretary but, instead, is determined by the track officials according to the rules of the “condition book” for the specific track.

Stake Races

Usually, only the best horses participate in this type of horse races. Thoroughbred horses are the two and three years old only. The entrance fees to the horse races and purses are higher than in other races. The horse owners contribute their money to the purse. The rest is added by the racetrack. Unlike in handicaps, all horses carry the same weight to exclude possible negative effect of the extra weight on the horse performance. If the weights are different an adjustment must me made with extra weights.

 Copyright Progress Publishing Co. 2006

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