Terminology question

[Smarty Cide]

What does 'game' or 'gamely' mean?


also what does the term 'rate' mean?

[Stillriledup]

I think the chart line misuses "Game" too often, but it means that a horse shows "fight" when he's battling to the wire with another horse. Its means they're trying hard.

Rate means the jockey purposely slows down the horse to conserve energy for later in the race, the horse is essentially running slower than he's capable of running at full speed, its just the rationing of energy.

[cashmachine]

What does 'game' or 'gamely' mean?
also what does the term 'rate' mean?

In the book "Ainslie's complete guide to thoroughbred racing" there is no definition for termin "game". He defines "rate" as follows: "To restrain a horse early in race, conserving its energies for later challenges".

[Greyfox]

Others may have more accurate definitions but to me they usually mean

Gamely - after a race the horse still appears somewhat peppy and lively rather than exhausted and spent. Sometimes the steed looks like he could actually run again.

Rate - This term is used several ways in horse racing including the velocity that a horse is travelling. I assume though that you are asking about a horse being "rated" during a race, which means that the rider was able to have the horse run optimally without fighting it to control the speed that it might want to run.
For instance some horses do not "rate well." They insist on having the lead and expending their energy until they are spent. Other animals will rate well for the jockey allowing them to conserve some energy for the drive down the stretch.

I'm not a "Webster" on horse racing, but those are what I take those terms to mean.

[JustRalph]

I didn't rate well with my first wife. Only lasted five years, and i was everything but game toward the end.

This time I'm rating well, still game, after 26 yrs as of yesterday......

The jury is still out on where I finish though....... :lol:

Trying to avoid fading down the stretch

[Zydeco]

I didn't rate well with my first wife. Only lasted five years, and i was everything but game toward the end.

This time I'm rating well, still game, after 26 yrs as of yesterday......

The jury is still out on where I finish though....... :lol:

Trying to avoid fading down the stretch
Good one. Us Columbus boys seem to get it right the second time! :lol:

[JustRalph]

Good one. Us Columbus boys seem to get it right the second time! :lol:


Go Bucks! :ThmbUp:

[Smarty Cide]

wait so game and gamely are 2 different things.

game is trying hard

and gamely is still having energy after the race

[Greyfox]

wait so game and gamely are 2 different things.

game is trying hard

and gamely is still having energy after the race

My use of the word is absolutely not the commonly accepted one.
I stand corrected.
Equibase says they use the term in the following way:


Gamely A horse that narrowly misses victory. He has either dueled for command from the outset and gave way grudgingly in the late stages, or set all the pace and just missed.http://www.equibase.com/products/cc-comments.cfm#G

[NJ Stinks]

This time I'm rating well, still game, after 26 yrs as of yesterday......



Happy Belated Anniversary, Ralph! :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

[JustRalph]

Happy Belated Anniversary, Ralph! :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

Thank you.....she's the super hero who puts up with me :lol: