Drafting

[Tex9Down]

I have been looking for a horse racing forum to ask this question. I think that drafting behind another horse to save energy during a race would be an advantage. However, I had never seen it discussed before. My friend who has been around horses their whole life and is a hunter jumper trainer says that race horses don't draft.

In the March 8th Daily Racing Form Mike Watchmaker wrote "Visionaire won't get the draft-along-the-rail trip he got in the Risen Star since he must break from the outside.." while handicapping the Gotham Stakes.

Visionaire won the Gotham which my friend bet on, however, we couldn't see if he drafted...LOL.

Do race horses draft?

[Fingal]

Even if one found a way to numericaly quantify it, ( Beyond a visual perception),
how much of a factor would it be, would it really amount to a significant variable?:confused:

[kroebuck67]

I think the only people qualified to answer that (definitively) would be jockeys.

[Pace Cap'n]

Jerry Bailey refers to drafting in his video, but not in the "Nascar" sense. Rather, he spoke of tucking in behind a horse in order to rate his mount without putting a stranglehold on him. As he put it, "They are smart enough not to run over the horse in front of them.".

[gillenr]

As a generalization, it is better to not run into the wind. How to predict it is something else.

[Marshall Bennett]

Have never heard much on drafting but have heard tire pressure is often an issue . :D

[dylbert]

Ask the Sheets, Thorograph, XTRAS/SHORTS crowd -- if anyone has handle on this subject, it should be these folks. Each accounts for numerous factors such as wind, weather, track position and more in their respective "figures".

[DJofSD]

I recall watching an episode of "Mythbusters" where they were able to demonstrate that an automobile drafting behind a "big rig" did work. However, to maximize the effects required you to be literally just inches away from the trucks rear end. Too nerve wracking to say the least. Of coarse neither a truck nor a car are horses.

Perhaps a little closer analogy would come from competitive bicycling (you know, Lance Armstrong, Tour de France).

I'm sure there's some advantage having a leader plowing through the air ahead of the runners that are following. But I suspect that the effect is likely on par with things like how tightly the jockey's silks adher to his body and what kind of cross section his body presents to the wind.

[BillW]

I recall watching an episode of "Mythbusters" where they were able to demonstrate that an automobile drafting behind a "big rig" did work. However, to maximize the effects required you to be literally just inches away from the trucks rear end. Too nerve wracking to say the least. Of coarse neither a truck nor a car are horses.

Perhaps a little closer analogy would come from competitive bicycling (you know, Lance Armstrong, Tour de France).

I'm sure there's some advantage having a leader plowing through the air ahead of the runners that are following. But I suspect that the effect is likely on par with things like how tightly the jockey's silks adher to his body and what kind of cross section his body presents to the wind.

To work drafting relies on a low pressure, non-chaotic space to exist behind the draftee. I'm not sure the wake behind a thoroughbred would meet those criteria. Possibly a secondary effect exists such as blocking kickback.

[JustRalph]

It seems to me that drafting to any real effect would be dangerous as hell. You would have to be very close. It would also lead to being blocked pretty good when the real running starts.

[Marlin]

Perhaps a little closer analogy would come from competitive bicycling (you know, Lance Armstrong, Tour de France).
As a huge cycling fan , grabbing a wheel (vernacular), a cyclist is able to expend up to 25% less energy than the rider in front of him. No question there is a benefit to drafting in horse racing. However, the number would be far, far less because the horse is doing all of the work all of the time and does not have the mechanical advantage a cyclist enjoys. There may be more of an advantage in Harness racing but I am not sure.

[Rackon]

We have harness horses. The drivers do believe in a drafting affect, and if the horse will rate, some drivers will tuck in behind the leader and let the leader "cut the mile", at least until they're ready to go with their final brush.

Just like TBs though, some SBs will not rate and you just try to get them settled where you can.

[robert99]

I have been looking for a horse racing forum to ask this question. I think that drafting behind another horse to save energy during a race would be an advantage. However, I had never seen it discussed before. My friend who has been around horses their whole life and is a hunter jumper trainer says that race horses don't draft.

In the March 8th Daily Racing Form Mike Watchmaker wrote "Visionaire won't get the draft-along-the-rail trip he got in the Risen Star since he must break from the outside.." while handicapping the Gotham Stakes.

Visionaire won the Gotham which my friend bet on, however, we couldn't see if he drafted...LOL.

Do race horses draft?

They certainly do in UK and it is common discussion amongst jockies and handicappers. Many of the races are longer and keeping on the heels of the leaders against the wind gives an actual positive (pushing) wind effect whilst the leaders take the full blast. Horses then come out of the group relatively energy fresh and just in time to get to the line - the earlier leaders have often had enough. Cross winds are another aspect and horses try to keep to the leeward side of others as long as possible. Some horses can't breath so well when headed directly into the wind and are tubed. For jump racing, a horse needs a clear site of the obstacles and the turf going in winter can be faster out wider from the rails so drafting does not often apply except when racing into a gale.

[maiom01]

Drafting or "live cover" as mentioned in harness racing is key. This is more of a trip angle. Did the horse draft behind another in its last race? Does it matter for today's race? Not sure.

Something to think about. When I bet on a horse and I see him drafting, it says to me the jockey is waiting for the right moment to duck inside or out (make their move) to get the win or hit the board.

[Cratos]

As a huge cycling fan , grabbing a wheel (vernacular), a cyclist is able to expend up to 25% less energy than the rider in front of him. No question there is a benefit to drafting in horse racing. However, the number would be far, far less because the horse is doing all of the work all of the time and does not have the mechanical advantage a cyclist enjoys. There may be more of an advantage in Harness racing but I am not sure.

You are correct, it is more of an advantage in harness racing and it is all about the "wheel."

[keilan]

I have been looking for a horse racing forum to ask this question. I think that drafting behind another horse to save energy during a race would be an advantage. However, I had never seen it discussed before. My friend who has been around horses their whole life and is a hunter jumper trainer says that race horses don't draft.

In the March 8th Daily Racing Form Mike Watchmaker wrote "Visionaire won't get the draft-along-the-rail trip he got in the Risen Star since he must break from the outside.." while handicapping the Gotham Stakes.

Visionaire won the Gotham which my friend bet on, however, we couldn't see if he drafted...LOL.

Do race horses draft?


yes

[Cangamble]

I've often wondered why they don't publish wind in the racing form. It could/should be done a race to race basis. B15 would mean backstretch wind of 15mph, while H15 would mean homestretch wind of 15 mph. Of course, us Canucks use kilometres usually, but in racing a mile is a mile is a mile.

[Nacumi]

A friend of mine explained once that, with thoroughbreds, it's more about the "drag" or wind resistance created mostly by billowing jockey's silks, believe it or not. Years ago, he had done the research with the science behind it, and developed special silks that were much better aerodynamically (akin to the bodysuits swimmers and cyclists now wear), to cut down on this drag. He was able to prove that less wind resistance equated to less weight, as much as 7 pounds, on the horse's back, very meaningful over a distance of ground as well, mitigating the need for the impost argument. Trouble was, most of the jockeys wouldn't wear them, even though they fit perfectly fine over the vests. I guess you couldn't hide the buzzers effectively in them. :lol:
It's stupid to think that every other speed/endurance sport would embrace a concept like this, except horseracing. That, alas, is the heart of the steroids issue as well, sadly.

[classhandicapper]

I don't understand the physics of drafting, but just from observation I think drafting is probably a factor. When I look at figures and trips, I find more lifetime tops by horses drafting behind fast paces than I do randomly and the horses don't duplicate those figures as often as they do with more legitimate trips.

[robert99]

I've often wondered why they don't publish wind in the racing form. It could/should be done a race to race basis. B15 would mean backstretch wind of 15mph, while H15 would mean homestretch wind of 15 mph. Of course, us Canucks use kilometres usually, but in racing a mile is a mile is a mile.

You would need a weather station placed at the centre of the course. Turftrax in UK have one at each course and you can get windspeed and direction, precipitation, net evaporation, humidity and temperature data at any time, 24 hours a day.

[Overlay]

We have harness horses. The drivers do believe in a drafting affect, and if the horse will rate, some drivers will tuck in behind the leader and let the leader "cut the mile", at least until they're ready to go with their final brush.

Just like TBs though, some SBs will not rate and you just try to get them settled where you can.

That's true, but I would expect a sulky to offer more protection and a greater drafting effect to a horse running behind it than if it were just running behind the horse itself. I think the reason for the "parked out" symbol in harness racing relates to advising the handicapper of both the extra distance negotiated, and the extra energy expended due to lack of cover.

[Rackon]

Well, technically you are "parked in", not out, as you are in behind the leader as directly as possible. This is where you get the best effect. In harness racing parlance, you are then in the "garden spot". You just hope you can make your move as "first over" and no one comes up beside you and traps you on the rail.

[Overlay]

When I mentioned "parked out", I was referring to racing two-wide. My point was that the reason harness racing programs call attention to this is that it means both having to negotiate more ground, and to expend extra effort because of not having the benefit of cover in front of you. I agree that the ideal harness trip (if you can get it) is to draft behind the leader and pull out and pass in the homestretch. Thoroughbred past performances aren't as explicit about this, because the benefits (or handicaps) are not as pronounced.

[Pell Mell]

Well, technically you are "parked in", not out, as you are in behind the leader as directly as possible. This is where you get the best effect. In harness racing parlance, you are then in the "garden spot". You just hope you can make your move as "first over" and no one comes up beside you and traps you on the rail.

You are "first over" when you are "parked out" alongside the leader.

[Cratos]

You would need a weather station placed at the centre of the course. Turftrax in UK have one at each course and you can get windspeed and direction, precipitation, net evaporation, humidity and temperature data at any time, 24 hours a day.

You can get similar info in the USA from the Weather Underground website.