Leighton Farm
"Making the most of each thoroughbred."
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Leighton Farm "Making the most of each thoroughbred." |
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◊ THINGS
TO KNOW - when you go to the racetrack When in the barn, stay on the inside, the
left, side of the horses as they walk around the shed row. Never stand on the
“outside” or right side of a racehorse. Remember this rule applies to
horses who are being hosed, groomed or otherwise worked on, as well.
Horses have the right of way at all times. This means, don’t walk in front of
them and never run unless you are about to be injured and there's no other way.
Do not use flashes when taking pictures. Plastic bags or other noisy
things are not welcome. While watching horses on the track, don’t
stand close to the rail, for this can frighten young horses. It is
advisable to stand in the open so the horses can easily identify that you are a
human, not something stalking them preparing to pounce. Many times a rider
will sound rude when telling you to get out of his way. Loud and mean is
more likely to get an immediate response. He isn’t mad at you, later
you’ll find the same rider will be polite and friendly. This is a result
of the high potential for disaster when things go wrong on the track. ◊
WHERE TO START Another way is to show up at the entrance gate to the backstretch, early in the morning. Ask the guards to announce you're there looking to buy. This is can be an uncertain, though many times effective way to get connected. Most tracks require a trainer or owner sign an unlicensed person in for the day. Check horse journal classifieds
and the internet to find someone that represents trainers on the backstretch.
This is a good way for the first time ottb buyer to get an introduction to the
track. ◊
GOOD DEALS
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TEMPERAMENT
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MOVEMENT
◊ TYPES OF RACING CAREER I'm going to classify the types of racing careers a horse can have. Obviously, I'll be generalizing and there can be other circumstances that happen during a horse's career. Most of the horses you come across will fall into one of the categories, so let's start with the horses that never had a career. 1. The unraced thoroughbred. Unraced sounds really good and many times it is, but it can also be a bad sign if it's due to an unsoundness that's of a permanent nature. a. Poor confirmation will not hold up to some stresses. b. Less than perfect management while raising the horse may result in negative physical issues. c. There are other instances where the horse may have been injured not resulting in permanent unsoundness issues, but now it's late in the game to get him to the races. Remember, racing is a "time limited" venture. What I mean is horses get heavier as they get older and many trainers, myself included recognize the odds are against getting an older horse to the races successfully. There are always exceptional circumstances, but the more mass on the bones, the bigger the chance of injury and more time off. It's easy to ask why the horse never raced and a pre-purchase exam can confirm the explanation. It's more common for a horse to be unraced for other reasons. d. He was untalented and the trainers/owners felt it better to move on to other prospects. This can be a really great buy. Usually the horse has had enough training to be well broke but hasn't yet trained hard enough to develop any wear and tear. Also many "untalented" horses really don't lack ability, they just don't have the competitive edge. Often this leads to a more quiet, cooperative temperament. A great quality in a show/pleasure horse. Mind you, there are many great racehorses who have lovely temperaments too. e. There just isn't the money to get a horse to the races. Lots of people breed horses not realizing how tremendously expensive it is to get a horse to the races. This leads to a horse ending up in the show or pleasure ring instead of the track. Training fees start at $50 per day, not including vet, blacksmith, etc. and depending on the part of the country, go up to $150 per day. Before they get to the track they have to be started. Racehorses are an expensive luxury. People can have horses in training and then have financial issues that result in not being able to afford to continue. Often these horses are sold within racing, but they are also a good value for the show/pleasure world. f. There is the occasional horse with horrible temperament. He just doesn't fit into the training program of racehorses. These horses are easy to spot and likely won't make a good show horse either. Fortunately, most thoroughbreds want to please and this is a very uncommon occurrence. 2. Don't shy away from a horse that only ran a few times and is now for sale. a. Many times the trainer already knows the horse lacks talent, but must race the horse to convince the owner. b. Or the horse showed talent in the morning, but doesn't assert himself during the race. They call the latter "morning glories", and they're the most frustrating horses to train. In the morning, he's a stake horse and in the afternoon he finishes last. These horses have the talent, but lack the mentality to go with racing. c. Good trainers will stop a horse because they can see the horse isn't going to stand up to the rigors of racing. These horses will be suitable for almost anything else, including jumping. Racing asks more of a horse than any other discipline I know of, and at a younger age. Consequently, these horses are often a great buy. It speaks of a trainer's integrity and judgment that he stops a horse long before he is injured, saving the horse and the $$ of the owner too. It's a safe bet that this horse has been handled correctly all along. d. There are horses that have long racing careers and retire sound. Don't eliminate a horse from consideration simply because he's raced a lot. This is a tough horse that's been soundness tested. He has the class to handle the stress and pressure of racing. Usually these horses are very smart and have the temperament everyone is looking for. Horses that try hard can be counted on and that's a special quality. Once a horse races, his history begins to be publicly documented. Comprehensive records are kept of each race a horse runs. When you start considering horses, a good idea is to learn how to use some of these tools. You can gain insight into the type of horse he is, the time he's had off during his career, and where he's been. Plus it's fun. This background information is offered only by other sanctioned racing breeds. ◊ RESEARCHING RACING HISTORY It’s very easy to access a thoroughbred racehorse’s history. You can get his or her history through one of many services for a fee. The Daily Racing Form is the "Bible" of thoroughbred horsemen. They provide the latest news in racing, past performances of horses entered that day and a very nice tutorial on how to read the past performances. Equibase, an offshoot of the DRF is one place you can go to get the entire racing history of your horse. You can get the past performances of every race he ever ran, or the charts, which are results of each race with descriptive comments. You can also access his breeding if that's of interest to you. Brisnet is yet another service that offers similar information for a fee. Pedigree Query will give you basic information of your horse's breeding at no charge. There are others, if you want to search around on the net. This part of my online book is going to be a real work in progress, I'll likely be adding to it for years. I'm going to discuss racing history as it applies to the needs of someone looking for a show/pleasure prospect. This information is used by handicappers to bet, and trainers and owners to strategize their races. They also use it for shopping for horses to claim. What we want to know is how the horse has been trained, where he's been and how much time he's had off and clues to why he had that time. When you look at either the past performances or the charts you're seeing a description of each race a horse ran. I'm going to stick with the past performances, because that's what I pull on a prospect. You get the date he ran, the track, weather, distance of race, jockey, trainer, owner, where he was at different points in the race, where he finished, his most recent breezes, age, color, dam, sire, where he was bred, price paid if purchased at a sale, stud fee if available, lifetime earnings, earnings by year and what surfaces he made the money on. Surfaces meaning, off track, fast, turf. They even publish whether he had front bandages, blinkers, lasix or adjunct medication. You get a lot for your money, but what do you do with it? First, let me state there are no hard and fast rules to follow. The racing history will provide clues that are helpful, nothing more. Let's begin by talking about racing style. Every horse has a preferred way of running. This is determined by the horse and really can't be changed very much. Trainers know this and spend time learning the horse's style and entering him in the appropriate race. Some horses like to run long, meaning their races are a longer distance. While others prefer short races, these are the sprinters. There are body types that suggest preferred distance, but there are always exceptions. Sprinters tend to be more compact, while distance runners generally are bigger and cover more ground. Whatever the horse's best distance, he'll have a running style. Some horses like to lead the entire race while others like to drop back and do all of the running at the end. Still other horses like to sit a few lengths off the lead and than make their move. It all depends on how the horse will best relax in the race so he has the most energy to try to win at the end. Knowing running style can help with retraining. Front end horses and sprinters tend to be less patient. Distance horses have more stamina. Think about those first trail rides and how you can better relax the horse just by where you put him among the other horses. A sprinter may take more warming up to instill patience in him. Horses are trained according to their racing style so keep in mind these characteristics will fade back to the horse's natural tendencies in time. Gaps in a horse's racing history can mean a rest period or an injury. There are clues in the amount of time off, time of year and location of the track. · If you get to know the trainers style, you may find he gives all 2 year olds off about that time, for instance. · When you look at an extended time between two races, keep in mind that's the rest period and the time it took to get the horse race ready again. For instance, six months is maybe four months rest and sixty days to regain fitness, at the very least. A month between races is nothing, they probably couldn't find a race. Even two months could be explained for the same reason. Young horses suffer from respiratory illness more, just like children. They also almost always have shin soreness requiring time off. · Gaps in a horses form when they're younger don't worry me as much. · Turf horses spend the winter on vacation in the Mid Atlantic area because there is no turf racing. A horse that's had a lot of trainers and lived at many tracks and isn't nervous is a well adjusted individual. When possible ask the trainer, groom and exercise rider questions about the horse. How is he for the blacksmith and vet? What is he like to ride? How is he to handle at the races? While you make your rounds looking for a horse, you should be familiar with some of the more common health and soundness issues. While it is advisable to have a pre purchase exam done on any horse you're interested in, it’s also good to have a basic understanding of some of the issues you may come across. Dr. Carol Swandby a long time horseman and veterinarian has graciously given a brief overview of some of the most common veterinary topics you’ll likely come across in your search for a new horse. · "Bleeding EIPH is not an issue for the non-racing athlete. I am never concerned that a horse is on lasix." · Wind problems and the sounds they make: "If the horse is a roarer (left laryngeal hemiplegia) there may be an issue if you plan to show in the hunter division. Upper airway noises are considered faults. Check with your show organization. If the horse does make a noise, have an endoscopic exam performed to determine the cause." · Osselets is a slang term for any enlargement of the front ankles. They represent overexertion - stretching of the soft tissues. Once the horse has them it is a permanent blemish. · Splints on a thoroughbred are not a concern for future disciplines. Splints will not become a source of lameness unless the horse is lunged frequently and/or for an extended period of time. · Ringbone is not seen in the racing thoroughbred. This is a condition of older horses. · Chips in any joint may be a problem in the future. Chips are always associated with degenerative joint disease. Horses with chips can be serviceably sound for many years as trail horses, companions and broodmares. Horses with chips should not be considered for resale projects as they will not "pass" a pre-purchase exam. · Bows are any injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon. It is an injury associated with fatigue. The only disciplines that an old bow may be a problem are combined training where there is a lot of galloping and steeplechasing. · Capped hocks and elbows are strictly cosmetic and not associated with lameness. · A healthy suspensory is necessary in dressage, show jumping, etc. Suspensory ligament injuries can be associated with broken splint bones and/or sesamoids. When considering a horse with this issue have an ultrasound exam and radiographs taken. · String halt- Uncommon in the young thoroughbred. · Hock problems are usually associated with OCD. Racing thoroughbreds do not jump, so degeneration is minimal or non-existent. OCD is a complex syndrome that can affect any joint. Best to consult your veterinarian. Every horse is different as regards to long term prognosis. · Nerving is done when the coffin bone (third phalanx) has been broken. Trail riding is probably the best discipline for these animals. There is a list posted in the Racing Secretary’s office of the horses who've had this procedure. When possible ask if the horse has had any Anabolic steroids. Fillies and mares that have had anabolic steroids may have difficulty conceiving. Horses of either gender may be sexually aggressive when turned out with other horses. The effects of anabolic steroids wear off in 4-8 weeks. Finding a vet to do a pre-purchase exam at the track is rather easy most of the time. There are vets at the track every day. Each track I’ve been to has more than one vet practice. Just ask the trainer who his vet is and choose one of the other practices to avoid conflict.
◊ NEGOTIATING THE PURCHASE Now that you've found a horse you want and made the decision of whether to have a pre-purchase exam, you're ready to negotiate. 1. The strongest negotiating point for most trainers is when you plan to take the horse. If you want a great price, arrive at the track prepared to buy. If you're willing to take the horse that day, many sellers will be much more willing to negotiate. Bring your horse trailer, just in case, but don't feel pressure to fill it if you don't see the horse of your dreams. You can make arrangements to have any horse vetted before you arrive. Do this by asking the trainer for the names and phone numbers of the vet practices operating at that track. Call them and see if they're willing to go over a horse if you find one. Most times this is easy to arrange. 2. Cash is the best because the seller doesn’t have to worry whether your check will clear. Cash also keeps you in a budget, because you arrive with exactly what you're willing to pay. I know for myself this is important because I tend to fall in love with horses. Many sellers will accept checks. 3. Trainers are interested in racehorses and winning races. If they're going to survive in this business, that must be their priority. Just like all other horse people, you have the trainers who dearly love their horses and the trainers who see them as a way to make a living. This makes a difference when negotiating. It matters to me and many of my friends who are trainers, where our horses are going. 4. Remember age, sex, soundness and size all affect the price of a horse. Also racing people and show/pleasure people value horses differently. In racing a well bred horse is very valuable, not just because of the breeding, but what the breeding means. Well bred horses tend to have class and carry themselves in a more confident way. They generally handle stress better too. Show/pleasure people aren't necessarily worried about breeding and sometimes this causes a disconnect in the negotiation. 5. Stalls are assigned at the track; each trainer has a certain number of stalls and is expected to make a certain number of starts per stall per month. Starts are races in which a trainer runs a horse. In Maryland, a trainer is expected to make one start per stall per month. This means if he has four stalls, he must race four times in Maryland per month. It’s not that easy to do when you consider, some of the horses might be young horses who’ve never started or a horse coming off a rest period. There is pressure to keep horses who are racing in each stall. If a trainer isn’t making his quota, he risks losing his stall assignment. Resources are also limited. Most trainers don’t want horses that aren’t viable, taking their time or the time of their employees. It’s hard to keep enough good employees for horses in training. 6. Trainers need horses that can race. They need owners to keep and buy new competitive horses. It’s easier to get them to purchase a new horse when the retired horse is sold. Many trainers are happier if the horse is sold outside the racing industry. For me, it’s because once I know the horse is not competitive, I don’t want him to suffer the kind of life these horses usually have - dropping down in price to lesser and lesser tracks until they end up in a kill pen. Many trainers don’t want another trainer to get the horse and do well. Owners get mad about this even if they weren’t willing to do what it would have taken to get the horse competitive. 7. There are certain times that are better than others to shop at the track. Every track has separate “meets”. These are designated time periods during which each trainer must apply for stalls and list his runners on the application. The end of the meet is a good time to buy. Some trainers are shipping out to other tracks and are selling any horses that aren’t competitive instead of shipping them to the new location. In areas that have a cold winter there is no grass racing, consequently at the end of the fall meet is a great time to buy a horse that is competitive only on the grass. Unless a horse is racing for big money, it’s not economically smart to carry him all winter until the spring meet. Grass horses tend to have less soundness issues and generally are raced less. During the winter, many trainers would like to have fewer horses to train. Everything is much harder to do during the winter months. 8. Many workers at the track are migrants. They all have to go home for two to four months each year. Their visas expire at the same time, causing a shortage of qualified workers. If you know when this happens in the state you are shopping in, it can be a great time to strike a deal on a new prospect. 9. The foal certificate or papers as they are commonly referred to, enhance the value of the horse. Be sure to ask if the trainer will allow you to have them if you purchase the horse. Some trainers never allow the papers to go with the horse. Each racehorse that's run has a tattoo on the underside of his top lip. It is a number preceded by a letter. This number is on the foal certificate. The first two numbers on the certificate are replaced by the letter. The letter denotes the age of the horse and repeats every 26 years. Lip tattoos often become hard to read with age. Here is an explanation of the meaning of the letters in a tattoo: A=1971 B=1972 C=1973 D=1974 E=1975 F=1976 G=1977 H=1978 I=1979 J=1980 K=1981 L=1982 M=1983 N=1984 O=1985 P=1986 Q=1987 R=1988 S=1989 T=1990 U=1991 V=1992 W=1993 X=1994 Y=1995 Z=1996 A=1997 B=1998 C=1999 D=2000 E=2001 F=2002 G=2003 H=2004 I=2005 J=2006
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Kimberly Clark 301-579-6898 |
