Ask a Trainer.

[ultracapper]

I would like to know why a trainer wouldn't put a horse on a regular workout schedule while the horse is actively campaigning. I see pps all the time with a workout on June 1, a race on June 14, another race on July 6, and then a third race on July 24, and then finally another recorded workout. I'd really like to discuss this because I see horses all the time that I feel as if they would have been given one more workout before the next race, it would have done them a world of good.

I play SoCal. They are running for sizable purses. I just don't get what seems to me to be a lack of effort on some barn's part. I know the reliability of not only the time of the workout, or whether the horse actually worked at all is always debatable, but this is a part of the game I would really like to understand much, much better. Never being around horses, the day to day process of keeping a race horse happy, healthy and competitive is something I'm damn near clueless about.

[carnivalday]

Horses really dont need works if they are running every 2 weeks. They hold their fitness very well. A strong gallop in between time would be sufficient to keep them fit.

Also dont assume that, just because theres no recorded work, that there isnt one. There have been many many MANY times that Ive had a horse work and it doesnt show up on the work tab.

[ultracapper]

Thanks for the reply.

I know I'm getting real hung up on this particular issue, and I'm not sure exactly how to address it. Obviously, workouts are a big deal, or there wouldn't be so many sharpies getting out of bed at 4am to run down to the track with pen, paper, binoculars and a stop watch. At the same time, we're told to take them with a grain of salt. I don't want to get hung up on the reporting issues, whether times, or even the ID, of a particular horse is correct.

Let's say a horse runs an even 4th in a mdn$20k 6f, at Santa Anita, giving every indication that he's moving in the right direction. He comes back 3 weeks later. One 4f recorded work 6 days before the race. What went on for the 2 weeks before the time work? Why a timed work instead of a strong gallop?

[carnivalday]

A half a mile 6 days out sounds perfectly normal for that case. When a horse works, they are working at speed. They are usually walked a day or 2, sometimes 3 days after that. Then they will go to the track, maybe jog a day, then gallop easily a day, jog one day,until the day of the race. Horses hold their fitness. Too much galloping does nothing more than sore up a horse, theres just so much pounding those joints can take.

Ive taken a horse out of the field and worked 3/8 at a track, and they wouldnt have blown out a candle. Fitness is important, but probably more so is soundness. Theres a fine line between fitness and soundness. Id personally sacrifice a little fitness for soundness. A sound horse will run...a horse with soundness issues may not, no matter how fit they are.

[ldiatone]

just asking about track workers
what wage or pay generally do the asst. starters and out riders get? do they have other jobs along w/ these jobs? What happens to the people at PID or AP when the tracks run only so many days? how does the track maintain the tractors and other equipment on the track?
thanks

[ultracapper]

Originally Posted by carnivalday

A half a mile 6 days out sounds perfectly normal for that case. When a horse works, they are working at speed. They are usually walked a day or 2, sometimes 3 days after that. Then they will go to the track, maybe jog a day, then gallop easily a day, jog one day,until the day of the race. Horses hold their fitness. Too much galloping does nothing more than sore up a horse, theres just so much pounding those joints can take.

Ive taken a horse out of the field and worked 3/8 at a track, and they wouldnt have blown out a candle. Fitness is important, but probably more so is soundness. Theres a fine line between fitness and soundness. Id personally sacrifice a little fitness for soundness. A sound horse will run...a horse with soundness issues may not, no matter how fit they are.

Excellent post. Thank you.