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Originally Posted by lamboguy
as far as i know, horses that have been away for a certain period of time in parx, need to have an accredited gate work in order to run. there might be other tracks that have the same policy.
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An example taken from where I run, it is if the horse has been off for 45 days. The horse needs a published (or announced) workout (whether from the gate or not) to race again. There would be little reason to make an experienced horse go back to the gate again just because it has had some time off. (If that is what Parx is doing, I would find that kind of wacky. I wonder
how long the horse would have to be off for that.)
Reasons I can think of to need a card from the starter (at the gate):
* First-time starter
* Toggling blinkers on/off
* Acted up in a previous start and got itself on the starter's list
And even in those last two, it doesn't always have to be an actual break from the gate. Often all they will have to do is just stand quietly for a long enough period to satisfy the starter. And even if they want you to break, they certainly aren't going to
make you work at that time.
All of this is left up to the discretion of the starter who has the authority to give you the card. Whatever he wants. (Which is why you always want to stay on the good side of those guys- even if you get a questionable call- as if from a referee- and are placed on the starter's list when your 'little angel' horse didn't
really act so bad.... or at least not in your opinion.)
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Originally Posted by lamboguy
also if the starter has a problem with the way the horse acts he might request the trainer of that horse to break the horse out of the gate before they allow him to run again.
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Or just stand. (And then back out.)
All of this sucks the most when the starter at the track where you get put on the list wants you to come back to that very track and do whatever gate schooling is necessary, even though it is a track that you had shipped several hours to for the race. Then, you have to beg and plead over the phone for him to just let you do the gate work for a recognized starter (at a track or training facility) that is closer to your home to avoid the return trip, and allow that to suffice. Having a congenial attitude is better in this case. The tracks are supposed to honor each other's rulings in this instance. If you are on the starter's list at one track, don't count on just never going back there again, and trying to race everywhere else.
And as you said, the stewards can of course pretty much request whatever they want, whenever they want as far as all of this goes. I don't know if I have heard of that one too much, though. It is usually one of those (intelligent, professional, handsome, admirable, non-bribable) starters. Those guys are the best. Next to the stewards who are also the best. And also.... oh, whatever...
all officials are just super.
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