The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, sometimes known as the Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds in the United States, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. However, a question that horse racing enthusiasts raise is why these races are restricted to three-year-old horses and are there valid reasons for this decision.
Why do Horses Race as a three-year-old – Racehorses are unique individuals, and some may mature sooner than others. However most racehorses peak at a young age, but there are exceptions, and some horses succeed later in life. Horses reach their maximum speed at the age of 4.5 years. Horses typically plateau at approximately that age and gradually diminish in pace until they are five years old. They discovered that juvenile horses’ rates increased slowly but steadily between two and three and a half years. Horses’ speed grew dramatically between the ages of 3.5 and 4.5.
Horses have cartilage at their bones, which fuses as they grow. It takes six years for a horse’s cartilage to fully fuse. The cartilage fusion is evaluated to assess the developmental stage, and after the cartilage has finished the fusion process, the horse is deemed grown. The vertebrates in a horse’s neck and back are the last bones to join as these bones typically fuse at the age of six.
The Racehorse – Developmental Stages
The majority of racehorses begin regular racing training between 18 and 24 months. However, their general teachings begin at a far earlier age. Before allowing a juvenile horse to race, its knees are inspected to ensure that the cartilage has bonded correctly. Riding a horse before its knees have fused might cause a horse to become prematurely injured as these only binds fully between 18 and 24 months.
Many young horses are being trained at the racecourse in the early hours of the morning. Some are just getting started, while others are prepping for a race. There are several phases involved in preparing a racehorse for its first race. A yearling is a young horse aged one to two years, and these racehorse yearlings have to be well-handled and are used to being walked, groomed, and washed down by the time they reach the age of one.
A racehorse learns to tolerate a bridle and headstall, girth pressure, a saddle, and the weight of a rider as a yearling. Certain yearlings even become accustomed to some of these before being sold at a yearling sale. Yearling sales are held a various times during the year, so the young horses that go through the auctions are in the latter stages of their second year.
Yearlings acquired at ready to run sales mature quickly. They are introduced to the bridle, saddle pad, and surcingle (an elastic strap that, like a girth strap, is used to exert pressure) shortly after arriving at their new stables after being bought at the Sales.
After being tacked up, the yearling is encouraged to move about in the stall. The horse should not be permitted to stand still as movement assists in keeping them relaxed. The yearling will be tacked up and moved about the stall every day for at least a week until the horse is comfortable moving about while being tacked.
The Racehorse – The Jockey and the Starting Stalls
Typically, a human (the horse’s groom) will lie down on the saddle while the horse is restrained in the stall. The groom lies across the horse’s saddle so that they can quickly dismount if the horse becomes fractious in the stalls. The yearling is then mounted in the stalls, and the horse will then be walked around the stalls. After a few minutes, the rider dismounts. The horse is still in tack and is led to a round enclosure where he is lunged (moving the horse in a large circle).
After completing the preceding procedures, a horse is ridden in a round pen. It is trained in the round pen to react to the jockeys’ commands. Once the horse has become accustomed to the paddock, the yearling will be taught to jog short distances and become acquainted with the training track.
At this age, gate training typically consists of walking through open gates. It is a method of acquainting the yearling with the equipment. He will eventually enter, and the gates will shut in front of him, and when they open, he will walkthrough. A horse will only be allowed to jump from the stalls after it has reached the age of two.
The Racehorse – Potential Risks for Younger Horses
Horses are unique individuals, and the training rate is determined by how quickly they advance through each level. Some horses mature faster and respond better to training. In horse racing, age is crucial. When older horses compete against younger horses, the younger horse will receive a weight allowance from the older horse.
Racing horses have always had inherent dangers, but these concerns may be magnified when horses as young as two are subjected to the high physical stress of racing. Musculoskeletal (soft tissue) injuries pose a considerable risk to racehorse health and welfare, especially for the younger horses. During strenuous pre-race preparation and races, their bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments are subjected to substantial stress.
According to a UK study, two-year-old horses and horses older than five may be at a greater risk of injury than horses between three and five. According to 1990 research, 40-80 per cent of two-year-old horses suffer shin soreness, a painful ailment for horses. And 20 years later, the study discovered that three-year-old horses became shin sore half as frequently as two-year-old horses.
While shin pain is not usually a career-ending ailment, it does raise concerns about the horse’s racing longevity as horses do not reach complete physical maturity until they are approximately six years old. Most horses begin training between 18 and 20 months before their skeleton has completed its development. While biological activity and mobility benefit bone growth, intense training may put them in danger of damage, and hence many trainers believe that starting the racing career of a horse as a three-year-old will benefit the horse and increase its racing longevity.
Engaging two-year-old horses in the strenuous physical preparation necessary to prepare for professional racing is akin to expecting a 13-year-old to perform at their athletic peak. Such efforts may aid in developing physical strength and stamina, but excessive training may have a detrimental impact in the long run.
The Racehorse – The vulnerability of the Younger Horse
Yearlings aren’t inherently quicker or more successful than older racehorses, and according to various researchers, peak speed is usually attained around 4.5 years. A simple explanation why horses are raced at a high level as a two-year-old is the possibility of financial rewards, especially if the horse is above average.
However, racehorse trainers are more open to the view that the later the horse starts its racing career (preferably as a three-year-old), the more beneficial it will be for the horse in the long term. If owners agree, we could see a fundamental shift in this aspect of the sport of Horse Racing.