2 Days Rest- Possible

[redlandb]

I'm taking a look at a couple races from Crooked River, and some of the horses are running on as little as 2 days rest. How much does this hamper them? A lot a little? Any opinion is appreciated.

[RunForTheRoses]

My inclination is that it is not good. Not unprecedented though, former NY trainer Murray Garren would run horses on only a few days rest.

[Nutz and Boltz]

My inclination is that it is not good. Not unprecedented though, former NY trainer Murray Garren would run horses on only a few days rest.

Yeah, but Garren was a madman.

[forced89]

My recollection is that back in the late 50s (or early 60s) a horse named Joe Top won a stake race in Ohio on a Friday; shipped overnight; and won a stake race on Saturday (the next day) at the old Cahokia Downs.

[camourous]

Rudy Rodriguez does it from time to time.

In 2012 he trained Willy Beamin who won the Albany Stakes at Saratoga on August 22nd, then won the Kings Bishop on August 25th on 2 days rest

[WALLENDA]

Reminds me of what Dutrow did with El Real Madrid...

The horse race 3 times in 9 days at Saratoga back in 2010. .

https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=7552639&registry=T&rbt=TB

[WALLENDA]

Yeah, but Garren was a madman.

Anytime I see his name I think of Jacksonport and Federal Funds..

[AskinHaskin]

I'm taking a look at a couple races from Crooked River, and some of the horses are running on as little as 2 days rest. How much does this hamper them? A lot a little? Any opinion is appreciated.

Physically?

Probably doesn't hamper them at all.


For it was a common theme 20 or 30 years ago that runners at small tracks who raced only on weekends, and for short meets especially, would run on consecutive days.

A few horses dotted around would win on consecutive days, and they would make a big deal of it whenever it happened.

I can recall one horse in the mid-1980's who started 9 times in a month, at a race meet that probably had 12 or 14 dates that month. The horse ran 19 times in a 42-day race meet and shipped to somewhere else for 3 starts during that season.

In addition, to prep for that endeavor, he raced 3 times in 3 days at a small meet which only had 3 race days.

Beginning a 4 1/2-month period, the horse ran those 3 consecutive days, and then on 6 separate occasions he ran on 2 consecutive days during those 4 1/2 months.


If they can bring harness horses back for 2 or more heats in a day, a Thoroughbred running 2 days in a row should be a non-issue. Furthermore, while horse racing has devolved considerably over the past 30 years, the fitness of the average horse probably hasn't deteriorated at anywhere near to the same trajectory.


Because purses are so much more significant today than they were decades ago, particularly for the cheaper set, the seeming urgency for horses to run so often has diminished considerably in most circles. That just doesn't apply as much to the horses on tiny fair circuits. Although in Oregon the purses at the fairs are boosted by the account wagering companies who have hubs in that state.

[Nutz and Boltz]

Anytime I see his name I think of Jacksonport and Federal Funds..

I think of Peat Moss , who he trained to almost beat John Henry with odds,that I think, were like 50-1.

[RunForTheRoses]

Anytime I see his name I think of Jacksonport and Federal Funds..



Me too (and Peat Moss and Gil Puentes). I was at Aqueduct when Jacksonport won a minor stake. Had claimed him from Thomas Bohannon and Loblolly.

[betovernetcapper]

From 1800-to 1850, racing was conducted in 2 to 4 mile heats, & the first horse to win two heats was the winner. These were conducted on the same day & with multiple horses you could have 3 or more heats on the same day.
By those standards racing 2 races on consecutive days is a piece of cake.:)

[dilanesp]

My favorite it Woody winning the Met Mile in 1:33 and chsnge with Conquistador Cielo, and then coming back 5 days later to win the Belmont by the length of the grandstand.

[VeryOldMan]

My favorite it Woody winning the Met Mile in 1:33 and chsnge with Conquistador Cielo, and then coming back 5 days later to win the Belmont by the length of the grandstand.

+1

CC is my all-time favorite short rest example, and he put up an achievement that modern day horses will never match.

[sour grapes]

as the races are now on the same day instead of 5 days apart.

[Hambletonian]

I have actually been to the Crooked River Roundup...and many other fairs, and racing on even consecutive days is not completely unheard of. Keep in mind they are running sprints on a short track, and these fair jockeys out west take it easy on the turns, so you are full out for 2-3 furlongs at best.

Also note that as these fairs scramble to fill fields, you end up with many entrants racing out of conditions, like an open race with maidens and NW2L types. Allowance races open to the world, etc. Many uncompetitive entrants, leading to less than taxing runs for the winners. I would say if the horse did not race well first time out I would not look for much improvement a day later.

Steelwood, of whom I am sure more than a few folks here remember from back in the day, won consecutive races at Keystone and Pocono Downs, when the racing secretary at the latter apparently refused to allow him to scratch.

[saevena]

I recall that some years ago, King Leatherbury ran a horse in Maryland on a Saturday afternoon, then sent him to Penn National to run at night on the same day. He finished third at Penn National that night. I also recall reading about a horse who once ran 5 straight days at the Ohio Fairs and won each day. Another horse named Cephalonian performed an incredible feat at Charles Town. I believe he won 17 races in a year, the most in the country that year. Some horses are extraordinary.

[DSB]

I remember a horse named California Girl who won the last race at Belmont then shipped to Monmouth and won the first race the next day.

1972 I think...