2 year old rookies

[socantra]

In what month of the year do 2 year olds normally start racing at major tracks and is there a date standard for moving through the 2 furlong, 4.5 furlong dashes up to say, 6 furlong races?

[Shenanigans]

Doesn't Keeneland have a few 2 yr old races during their April meet?

[1st time lasix]

The babies are already running. Keenland, Churchill, belmont, Arlington, soon Saratoga and Del mar will have races on their cards for them. I believe Churchill will soon have a card made up of ALL two year old races. Very well bred stock at the Spa in August making theri debuts.

[onefast99]

Monmouth and Delaware has them already. Belmont had a few and I saw a few at Keeneland back in April. They are running now!

[ghostyapper]

I always look to the sanford opening week at saratoga as the beginning of the 2yo season in regards to route runners. Those 5 furlong races at belmont rarely turn out route runners.

Afleet alex was the only recent horse that I remember who raced before july of his 2yo season that turned out to be anything.

[wegoosewe]

while i was making a par charts for the spa i noticed early on that there is a lot of 2 year olds going 5 to 6 furlongs..about 74 races.. there has only been 10 7 furlong races. in 2 years.. (these are just the dirt stats)...only 7 races going over a mile as well..


So over 2 years:
5-6.5=74 races
7=10 races
1 mile plus:7
so looking at saratoga that were they start heavy.. then my guess would be to progress to belmont after that.
hope that helps

[rastajenk]

I think More Than Ready started in one of those 2f or 4f early spring races, he turned out to be pretty useful. Or maybe it was Limehouse. Or both; a Pletcher horse.

The Cradle Stakes @ River Downs use to have the distinction of being the first graded stakes around two turns for juvies; it lost its grading, but still might be the first stakes going long (Labor Day). So the progression from sprints to longer races occurs fairly quickly through the summer.