Flat Racing

History—New York State is generally credited with having pioneered organized horse racing in the United States—on the Hempstead Plains on Long Island in the 1660's. This was on a course. In Virginia, there was much "quarter" racing in the early days—a quarter of a mile straight away.

Flat racing owes its rules and customs in large part to Lord George Cavendish—Bentinck, son of the Duke of Portland and owner of the never beaten Crucifix. During the 1840's he devised: (1) The method of starting with a flag. (2) Parading horses in the paddock before a race. (3) The number-board showing runners and riders. (4) The preliminary canter to the post. (5) Insisted on punctuality by jockeys, trainers, owners and officials. (6) Abolished the custom of giving a present to the judge after winning a race.

TRACKS—Tracks in the United States are characteristically sand or natural earth (built on a clay base with a cushion composed of sand and loam). Recently there has been a considerable increase in natural grass turf courses (inside the sand tracks), especially at the larger racing establishments. In England and in Europe the footing—with very few exceptions—is grass turf.
The best known flat racing tracks in the United States are: Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga in New York (Saratoga is the oldest race course in the United States still in use—inaugurated in 1864); Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky; Santa Anita in Arcadia near Los Angeles, California; Hialeah near Miami, Florida; Pimlico and Laurel in Maryland; Arlington Park and Washington Park near Chicago, Illinois; the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Louisiana; Garden State near Camden, New Jersey.

States with the greatest number of tracks (of a mile or more) are: California with 6, Florida and Illinois with 4, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey and New York with 3 each.

LARGEST ESTABLISHMENTS-The largest racing and breeding establishments in the United States are: Calumet Farm, Greentree, Maine Chance Farm, Darby Dan Farm, Spendthrift Farm, Claiborne Farm,

Mr. George D. Widener's racing and breeding stables, all in Kentucky, and the Ellsworth Ranch in California and the King Ranch in Texas. In the past, Col. E. R. Bradley's Idle Hour farm turned out four Kentucky Derby winners. At Elmendorf, also in the Kentucky Blue Grass country, stands a bronze, life-size statue of Fair Play, sire of Man o' War. The C. V. Whitney farm in Kentucky has its own horse graveyard, with white headstones commemorating Broomstick, Whisk Broom II, Peter Pan and others. The stallion barn at Almahurst stands on the exact spot where the great Exterminator was foaled. Coldstream Stud, which breeds and sells, but does not race, was the home of the "little red horse," Aristides, winner of the first Kentucky Derby. The enormous King Ranch in Texas has bred and raced such champions as Assault and High Gun. More than 1,500,000 people came to Faraway Farm in Kentucky to visit the incomparable Man o' War, who died in 1947 at the age of twenty-nine.

THE CLASSIC RACES—There are three great races for three-year-olds:

1. Most colorful and popular is The Kentucky Derby, 14 miles, run on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs, in Louisville. The Derby, inaugurated in 1875, is patterned after the classic English Derby at Epsom Downs. The only filly to win the Derby was Regret in 1915.

2. Second of the tests for three-year-old Thoroughbreds is The Preakness, at 1 3/16 miles, run on another venerable track, Pimlico, in Baltimore, Maryland. Although the race was inaugurated in 1873, two years before the Derby, it was not run from 1883 to 1890.

3. The Belmont Stakes, known as "The Test of the Champion" is at the grueling distance of 12 miles. Run at Belmont Park, on Long Island, the race dates back to 1867 and is the oldest of the "Triple Crown" events. Its winners are among the all-time greats of American racing. Its first winner was a filly, Ruthless. A second filly, Tanya, won in 1905. Thoroughbreds who accomplish the difficult feat of winning all three of the above are known as "Triple Crown Winners."

The Withers, also run at Belmont, is the oldest and most important stake at one mile, restricted to three-year-olds. It was inaugurated in 1875, when it was won by Aristides, winner of the first Kentucky Derby. Other well known races include: the Santa Anita Handicap near Los Angeles, California; the Garden State Handicap and Garden State Stakes at Garden State Park, New Jersey; the Monmouth Handicap and Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park, New Jersey; the Washington, D. C, International at Laurel, Maryland; the American Derby at Washington Park near Chicago; the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga; the Futurity at Belmont Park; the Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park; the Travers at Saratoga, New York (this is the oldest stakes race in the United States —originated in 1864).

DIRECTION—On American  tracks,  horses  run  counterclockwise.  In England and in Europe, horses run both counterclockwise and clockwise.

DISTANCE—Two year olds usually race about six furlongs. Starting at three furlongs at the beginning of the season, the distances are gradually increased as the season progresses and may be extended to as much as 1 1/16 miles in November. (A furlong is 8 of a mile or 220 yards.)

Three year olds usually run up to 12 miles.

The larger tracks in the United States are generally a mile oval but there are several 2 mile tracks. At the larger tracks there are occasionally "chutes" or straightaways for races up to six and one-half furlongs. Belmont is the only 12 mile track in the U. S.

TIME—The record for a mile in the United States is 1 minute 335 seconds. It was set by Swaps as a four year old, carrying 128 pounds, in the Argonaut Handicap on June 9, 1956 at Hollywood Park, California.

The world record for a mile is 1 minute 32 seconds, set by Mopsus on June 22, 1939 at Brighton, England. (The Brighton Track is a straightaway, slightly downhill.) Swaps' mile mark of 1:335 is the world record for an oval track.

Earlier records for the mile in the United States are these: In 1800, 1 minute 452 seconds (Flying Dutchman); in 1900, 1 minute 352 seconds (Salvator).

Good time for six furlongs is 1 minute 11 seconds. Good time for a mile and Vs is 1 minute 50 seconds; for a mile and 4, 2 minutes seconds; for a mile and 2, 2 minutes 31 seconds; for 2 miles, about minutes 24 seconds. (These figures are, of course, influenced by type of track and racing conditions.)

PRODUCE—The greatest number of Thoroughbreds is foaled (produced) in Kentucky; California is second; and Virginia, third.

RACING TERMS—Handicap—Horses are handicapped by carrying additional weight (lead weights added to the saddle). Handicaps are assigned by an impartial "handicapper"—currently usually the Racing Secretary—in consideration of age, sex (fillies and mares are favored) and performance (amount and number of previous winnings).

Allowance race—Weight for age, plus weight penalties for prize money earned.

Stakes—A race in which the entry fees and any added money are divided amongst the winner, second, third and fourth horses.

Sweepstakes—The winner takes all—currently infrequent.

Claiming race—A race in which any of the horses may be bought  (claimed) by any other owner of an entry in that meeting for the price posted by the owner prior to the running of the race.

Sprint—Up to 7 furlongs.

Middle distance—Up to 14 miles.

Stayer distance—12 miles and over.

Maiden—A horse which has not won a race.

Place—To come in second (in betting, second or better).

Show—To come in third (in betting, third or better).

Across the board—The horse is bet to win, place and show; that is, come in first, second or third. This type of bet is also known as a "combination ticket." (It is a convenience in placing or collecting a bet, but has no premium value.)

Daily double—A bet that a specified horse in each of the first two races will win. If both horses do not win, the bet is lost.
Parlay—To apply an original bet and the winnings on a horse in a succeeding race.

Odds-on—A bet which, if won, will return an amount less than the bet, e.g., one to two—you wager $10 to win $5, collecting, if you win, $15; the $10 you put up and $5 in winnings.

Pari-mutuel—A system of mechanically pooling bets and distributing the total proportionately among the holders of tickets on the winning, second and third horses. The odds, therefore, depend on the amounts bet on the winning, second and third horses. A percentage of the total bet is retained by the State and Track before distribution. The machine which computes the odds is known as a "Totalisator," or "Tote." This method is distinguished from individual bookmaking in which the bookmaker establishes the odds and his percentage.

Garrison finish—A horse coming from behind with a whirlwind burst of speed during the run through the stretch. The term was derived from "Snapper" Garrison's characteristic manner of riding his races.

Produce race—One in which the offspring of specified mares only are eligible—a race for the unborn produce of horses named at the time nominations for the event close.

Breezed under wraps—The rider holding a horse well in hand at a pace slower than he can or would gallop if he were not restrained by his rider.

Rating—To steady a horse—hold him back a little at an even rate of speed up to the final dash so that he will have something left for a strong finish.

Quinella—A wager to select the first two horses to finish in a race. The order in which they finish is immaterial.

Asterisk * before a horse's name indicates an imported stallion or brood mare.

Names—All Thoroughbred horses must be registered and Jockey Club rules require that no name shall exceed sixteen letters and spaces. Names of famous horses are retired, so that they may never again be used. If a horse is not well known, his name may be picked up and re-used after fifteen years.

Racing Colors—Stables apply for and register their colors with the Jockey Club. Colors may be registered for one year or for life. However, as with names, the colors of famous stables are never given out twice (i.e. the famous green and white of Bradley or the Woodward polkadots).
Pole—Distances on the track are marked at each sixteenth of a mile, by poles. The Finish Pole often is painted with special colors to avoid mishaps like that in the Kentucky Derby of 1956 when Willie Shoemaker on Gallant Man, eased the horse at what he mistook for the finish line—and lost the race.

Dead Heat—When two or more horses cross the finish line with no margin between them. There have been triple dead heats and at least one four-horse dead heat.

Photo-Finish—The finish of a race close enough to require examination of a photograph of the horses passing the finish line before announcing the winner and placing the order of finish.

Ringer—The substitution in a race of one horse for another—illegal and extremely rare. Scandals of many years ago involved horses being painted to disguise their identity.

Plater—An inferior horse; he races for prizes (plate) instead of the big-money stakes.

Plates—The thin and light metal shoes worn by race horses.

Objection—When the "Objection" sign is flashed on the board, it means there has been a protest lodged (most often by one jockey against another) or the stewards have called for an inquiry into the running of the race. Offenses include crossing over in front of another horse, impeding his progress, forcing another horse to go wide, thus making him give up ground, impeding at the start, etc.

FAMOUS HORSES—Many horses have, for a time, had the distinction of being the greatest money-winning horses, but since the number of tracks changes over the years and purses become larger, while the dollar is apt to decline, the record changes rather frequently. Several horses have earned over a million dollars during their racing career.

Winners of the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Bel-mont Stakes) include Sir Barton-1919, Gallant Fox-1930,  Omaha-1935, War Admiral-1937, Whirlaway-1941, Count Fleet-1943, Assault-1946, Citation-1948.

Exterminator was known as "Old Bones."

Man o' War was known as "Big Red." He won 20 of his 21 starts.

Phar Lap, an Australian gelding, winner of the Melbourne Cup, arrived in the United States in 1932 as a 5-year-old to race against leading American horses including Twenty Grand. He died shortly after a warm-up race on the West Coast.

Kincsem had the longest string of victories known to the turf, winning 54 consecutive races. Her career ended in 1880.

Eclipse (1764-1789) has been called the most famous horse in the history of the Turf. Never beaten, he sired a long line of English winners.

Citation was the first of the "millionaire horses" ($1,085,760 in four seasons of racing, 1947-1951) Sword Dancer in the single racing year of 1959, won $537,004.

FAMOUS JOCKEYS-Eddie Arcaro has won the Kentucky Derby five times. Isaac Murphy, the great Negro jockey, and Earl Sande, each won the Derby three times. Arcaro is the only jockey to ride two Triple Crown winners (Whirlaway and Citation). England's Sir Gordon Richards is the only jockey ever knighted. Johnie Longden beat Sir Gordon's world record of 4,370 wins when he rode his 4,371st winner at Del Mar, California September 1, 1956. Willie Shoemaker became the first jockey to win $2,000,000 (in purses) in a single year (1956).

GOVERNING BODIES—Each State Racing Commission prescribes the rules, regulations and conditions of racing in that state. It issues licenses to owners, trainers and jockeys.

The Jockey Club is custodian of the American Thoroughbred Stud Book. (All North American-bred thoroughbreds may be recorded here.) The Jockey Club registers racing colors for New York and several other states and approves proposed names of horses. It established the pattern and code on which the State Racing Commissions' rules and regulations are based. The Jockey Club of England is a separate organization. The American Club is located at 300 Park Avenue, New York.

The Thoroughbred Racing Association is composed of the management of some 40 tracks throughout the country. It is concerned with matters of policy, the solution of mutual problems and the policing of tracks through its subsidiary, The Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau. Address: 405 Lexington Ave., New York.

THOROUGHBRED STUD BOOK-A11 horses included in the American Thoroughbred Stud Book are direct descents in the male line from one or more of the three foundation sires: the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Barb and the Byerly Turk.
BAROMETER—The most effective barometer of the state of thoroughbred racing in the United States is generally considered to be the annual yearling sales at Saratoga, New York, and the Keeneland sales at Lexington, Kentucky—the number of yearlings offered for sale, the average price and the top prices.

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