Thoroughbreds pounding down the stretch is the most popular test of equine speed and a great moment in sport. The race is the result of a unique industry encompassing breeding, sales, training, and racing.
Ancestry of all Thoroughbreds today can be traced through the male line to one or more of only three stallions imported to England more than two centuries ago.
Thr
Godolphin Arabian (1724-1753)
Given by the Bey of Tunis to the King of France, he was
purchased by Edward Coke and subsequently presented to
the Earl of Godolphin, at whose stud he sired the
champion mare Aelima, imported to Maryland in 1750.
The Darley Arabian (1700-1733)
Thomas Darley sent this Arabian stallion from Syria to
England. Ninety percent of all Thoroughbreds today are
descended through his son Flying Childers and his
great-great grandson Eclipse.
Some yearlings are kept by their breeders or sold privately. Others are auctioned at such places as the Keeneland Sales in Lexington, Kentucky. Prospective purchasers examine the horses, study their pedigrees (great racers tend to produce equally speedy children), then bid. The record price paid for a Thoroughbred yearling was more than 13 million dollars.
The breathtaking beauty of horse farms in the Kentucky Bluegrass country belies their role as part of a major industry. In breeding and foaling barns, in exercise paddocks, and on training tracks the next generation of racetrack champions is in the making.
The Yearling
Having spent its first year developing size and power,
the young Thoroughbred begins training as a yearling. The
animal learns to accept a saddle and bridle, a rider on
its back and ultimately to break from a starting gate and
run around a track, all the skills necessary to be a racehorse.
Backing
A Thoroughbred first learns to accept a rider's weight in
a procedure known as "backing," usually done in
its stall. Backing involves a person standing beside and
facing the horse, gradually shifting his weight onto the
horses' back.
Ponying
Leading the horse around a training track to develop wind
and muscle is called "ponying."
Starting Gate Training
A horse must be introduced to the starting gate and learn
to leave quickly and cleanly.
Morning Workouts
Whether on a farm or at a track, Thoroughbreds are
galloped in morning workouts to keep them in racing trim.
A Thoroughbred's development, exercise, and daily care are planned and supervised by its trainer, who also decides when a horse should race and who will be the jockey.
Life
on the Backstretch
In addition to meaning that part of a racetrack furthest
away from the stands, "backstretch" refers to
the barn area where horses are cared for and prepared for
competition (most such areas are located behind the track's
backstretch). Here a groom looks after a Thoroughbred's creature comforts;
the farrier measures and fits lightweight racing shoes or plates.
Grooms wrap bandages around fragile legs; exercise riders gallop
their charges during a morning workout; grooms "cool out" horses
after a workout. The presence of cats, roosters, goats,
or other stable mascots can have a calming effect on
temperamental Thoroughbreds.
Even though Thoroughbred race riders are small, they have the great strength and courage necessary to guide a horse thundering down the track at top speed. Leading jockeys have quick reflexes, a finely-developed sense of timing, and above all a mastery of turf strategy and experience"a cool hand with a hot horse."
Weighing
To insure that each horse will carry the precise assigned
weight, jockeys and their equipment weigh "out"
before, and weigh "in" after a race. Weight is
an ever-present factor in a jockey's life. Few weigh more
than 105 pounds, and those who have difficulty with
excess poundage must diet constantly.
Jockeys Receive Last Minute Instructions from
the Trainer
Trainers confer with jockeys before a race to give
last-minute instructions and plan strategy. Is the horse
a front-runner or does it like to come from behind? Does
it "bear in" or "drift out" from the
rail? Of the other competitors, which are the
"speed" horses?
Between Races
Inside the jockey's room is a beehive of activities
between races, as riders shower and switch silks while
valets take care of equipment.
Racing Silks
Like coats of arms, the distinctive colors and designs on
shirts and caps are a way to identify horse and rider.
Every owner registers his "silks" with the
Jockey Club, the sport's registry and ruling body.
Racing Gear
Weighing no more than four pounds, a racing saddle is
little more than a "postage stamp" leather pad.
The whip is also called a "bat." Goggles protect
against mud and dirt. The difference between assigned weight and
the rider's actual poundage is made up by lead bars carried in saddle
cloth pockets (some types of races require better horses
to carry more weight as a handicap).
Few sports are so carefully and thoroughly superintended as racing. Stewards, paddock and patrol judges and starters are among the officials who insure that races are run honestly, while buglers and outriders' apparel add a colorful touch to their duties.
The
Outriders
Outriders escort the horses to the post, then wait to
catch any that might throw their jockeys and bolt.
The Starter
After his assistants load the horses into their stalls,
the starter waits until all are standing quietly before
pressing the button to open the gate.
The Stewards
Approved by state racing authorites, stewards enforce
rules and assess penalities for any infractions.
Cameras
Film patrol cameras record every step of the race as well
as capturing the order of finish.
Timers
Photoelectric timers show how fast the front runner is
going and give the winner's time in fifths of a second.
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club,
established in 1894, is the governing body for all
Thoroughbred racing in America.
For more in depth information about the history of the Thoroughbred, go to The History of the Thoroughbred in America created by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
Continue to Thoroughbred, Part II