There are two sayings in Horse Racing. The first is that a horse does not know what the bookmakers are betting to win a race, and the second is that a horse does not know the price its owner paid for it. No matter how meticulous a breeder is to ensure that a horse is well bred and therefore able to fetch high prices at the Yearling Sale, sometimes it works brilliantly and sometimes fails spectacularly. If that horse wins races and becomes an equine superstar, the thrill of all those wins will be unparalleled in an owner‘s life. Of course, the upside of owning a thoroughbred superstar will be that once their racing career has ended, a Stud Farm will buy that superstar and breed with them, and the circle will be complete.
What makes certain Horses Faster than Others – Knowing a horse’s lineage will assist a prospective owner in purchasing either full or part ownership of a horse. However, having parents who champion is not the be-all and end-all of purchasing a racehorse. A good horse is much more than an attractive pedigree, and indeed, many ex-racehorses who were excellent on the track might not produce exceptional children, and much depends on which mare that horse is bred with to try and find that champion.
Horse Racing takes place daily from records of a horse’s performance in previous races and is often seen as an accurate predictor of a horse’s future success. However, the best racehorses do not always produce the best children, and Stud Farms will pour over statistics daily to try and find that elusive formula to breed the ultimate champion.
To the untrained eye, the historical form of a racehorse may seem like a random collection of numbers, but this is the section of the racecard where most horseracing tipsters and analysts at Stud Farms spend the most time. A horse’s official Rating is the handicap mark.
Primary Duties of a Stud Farm’s Horse Racing Analyst
- Preparation of historical ratings, as well as pre-and post-race rating analyses for international thoroughbred racing
- Racing studies and history race analysis for the horses presently being considered to be purchased.
- Form/Rating analysis and access to historical data for horses’ form and ratings in a race.
- Preparation of race views pertains to pace and pacemakers and associated analyses.
- Race form analysis, including pre-and post-race analysis, as well as associated analytical ability to “read a race,” such as analysing race videos and writing horse remarks/race summaries and video comments
- The use of sectional time analysis. Sectional Timing provides in-race speed statistics per runner during a race, enabling intriguing storylines to emerge even before the horses cross the finish line, with the data analysing how a race is run rather than simply the outcome.
A Horses’ Lineage – Practical Tips for Prospective Owners
All Stud Farms will keep extensive records of all the horses they have bred. If the horse was previously registered, a breeding group or Stud Farm could assist in reissuing the horse’s registration papers. Specific breeding organisations charge a fee for this service.
An adage within the horseracing fraternity is that horses do not know their price. Many owners will only acquire horses with a certain pedigree, and others only want to own a racehorse. No matter which side an owner is drawn to, the thrill of owning a horse always trumps the lineage.
If that horse wins races and becomes an equine superstar, the thrill of all those wins will be unparalleled in an owner’s life. Of course, the upside of owning a thoroughbred superstar will be that once their racing career has ended, a Stud Farm will buy that superstar and breed with them, and the circle will be complete.
Breeding Horses is An Art – Embrace It
Breeding racehorses is as much of a science as it is an art, and breeders and horse owners spend countless hours studying pedigrees and analysing the “best” sires to send their mares to. Some consider figures such as the “dosage index,” a mathematical statistic to determine the projected distances progeny will best perform at. It takes into account several generations of a horse’s pedigree and the performance of the family.
Some people use their years of experience to help them decide which stallion will produce a quality foal with their mare. Other factors besides mathematical figures go into selecting a stallion, including the size of the mare and stallion, stud fee, performance of the mare and stallion, and previous matings. Horse breeders use thoroughbred breeding theories to arrange matings that produce successful progeny in horse racing.
Bloodstock experts also rely on these theories when purchasing young horses or breeding stock. These theories can also help the racing public understand a horse’s theoretical genetic potential. The breeding theories stem from the belief that careful analysis of bloodlines can lend predictability to breeding outcomes. A well-designed mating increases the probability of the offspring’s success, although many other factors also come into play.
Breeding the Best to produce the Best
Statistics show that high-quality racing mares produce an unusually high percentage of top-tier runners. The Racecourse Test implies that the ability shown on the racetrack is the most critical selection element for breeding Thoroughbreds. The Racecourse Test evaluates a horse’s ability to win, which varies depending on the race and requires a perfect blend of speed and endurance. Racing also puts the horse’s strength, soundness, and drive to win to the test, all heritable to some degree.
The ultimate goal is to win elite races. Horses who fail the Racecourse Test are deemed inferior breeding material due to a lack of athletic ability or racing excitement. When a previously unknown racehorse becomes a successful sire or broodmare, a deeper look reveals that they had substantial training skills but were forced to retire due to an unfortunate incident, usually an injury. These horses often have above-average pedigrees and are prized in the breeding industry.