Every time horse racing becomes the topic of conversation, people usually think of only one thing, and that is the thoroughbred. But contrary to the misconception, there other types of horse racing such as harness racing and steeple chase. It just so happens that the thoroughbred is the most popular! In fact, the Kentucky Derby is known as the most exciting two minutes in the world of Sports.

The Famous Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is only part of a three-part grand slam horse racing: The Triple Crown. Imagine the excitement offered by the entire race. It’s triple the fun and adrenaline! The Kentucky Derby plus the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes complete the renowned Triple Crown prize. To this day, there are only 11 known horses to have achieved such a prestigious prize.

For the record, the highest level of competition for horse racing are the stake races. This type of race is reserved for the best horses, and even then, there is a required registration for each horse. The money collected is added to the prize money. When a Stake race is a Graded race, there is a certain appeal of class to it.

Other Types of Horse Races and their Criteria

Horses have to meet criteria before they can be allowed to race. A race may require additional weight requirements for better horses. This type of race is called a handicap race. The added weight is dependent upon past performances of the horses.

Other races sometimes require that horse must be a “non winner of three”. This is called an allowance race. Horses entered in this type of race is usually chosen to be prepped for better races. Most of the time these horses go on to compete in handicap and stake races.

Another type of race, and probably the most common, is the claiming race. A claiming race may also be “optional.” Before the race, owners are asked to specify an amount by which the thoroughbred may be claimed or purchased for.

You can rest assured that the racing field is leveled by this requirement. Obviously, owners will not list better horses in a claiming race. This type of race may be a good place to expose or train your weaker horses. Who knows? They might just need a little training to turn into a champion. Just make sure you are ready to part with your horse.

If you don’t want to part with your horses and you want to list them in a race to see just how they perform or to familiarize them with competitive races, a maiden race is the best avenue for this. This type of race is confined for horses with no record of wins. The winner of the race is said to have “broken his maidenhood.”

When to Watch Which Race

Race tracks usually hold eight or more races each day, combining all of the above-mentioned races. It doesn’t matter which type or race you watch and whether you win or not. In the end, you’ll still experience the fervent excitement that keeps horse racing enthusiasts coming back for seconds.

Thus, adapting your systems according to the type of race can be a logical move. Here then are the types of horse races.

Stakes and Handicap Races

These are the highest level of horse racing, which offers the highest purse winnings amongst all types. Thus, if you win here, you win big! Adapt your horse racing systems to allow you this advantage.

Also, stakes races are participated in only by the best horses in the stables, the creme de la creme of the horse racing world. The racing adrenaline alone is enough motivation to bet on these horses.

On the other hand, horses in a handicap race carry varying weights. This is supposed to level out the racing field such that a better horse will have about the same chances of winning as an inferior horse; usually, the former is assigned heavier weights.

Thus, you might want to bet on the horses with heavier weights on the assumption that they are superior. Also, take into consideration that weight breaks are also assigned to younger horses, fillies, and other handicap conditions as the Racing Secretary sees fit.

Allowance Races

In allowance races, conditions are set by the Racing Secretary. These conditions limit the qualifications by which a horse can enter the race. Thus, you will hear of qualification requirements like non-winner of two races other than maiden, or non-winner of three races other than maiden.

In these types of races, you have to reconfigure your horse racing systems to account for these horse requirements. Expect that your favorite horse can perform differently in a different class.

Maiden Races

Maiden races are participated in by horses who have never won a race. In a sense, it is the horse’s initiation to the professional world of horse racing. These races are further subdivided into two types. The maiden allowance is generally participated in by the best bred and youngest horses on the track, with consequently higher purses than the maiden claiming race. This second type differs from maiden allowance because the horses can be bought after the race.

Your horse racing systems would have to take into account the unproven winning ability of the maiden horses. You have to possess higher risk tolerance, acceptance of speculative losses, and a formidable knowledge of horses and horse racing, among others, to find the thrill of betting on maiden horses an exhilarating and rewarding experience.

These are the stages of racing that a horse must go through – from maiden races to stakes races. If you are an avid punter in horse racing, you can adapt your horse racing systems to reflect the changes (or non-changes) in a horse’s racing career.

Try not to stick to one system in all the types of races. This would be foolishness and foolishness has no place in successful gambling.