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Horse Racing

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Horse Racing - General Information

By Tom Keegan

Question: What’s even more cringe-worthy watching people blush after working oneself into an embarrassing situation with all the world watching?

Answer: Watching them not blush because they don’t know enough to be embarrassed.

Face it: The thoroughbred horse racing industry is led by a series of committees under the umbrella of organizations identified by acronyms consisting of yes men and women nodding their heads in agreement because it’s easier to get through the day that way.

Industry leaders should be mortified that for the second time ever and first since 1968, the Kentucky Derby winner could be on the verge of being stripped of its title over what appears to be a technicality.

Guess again. Instead, the attitude seemingly can be summed up in 10 words: “A rule is a rule is a rule. So there.”

Nobody said those exact words, but they might as well have in trying to explain how it is that Bob Baffert, the most successful thoroughbred trainer of the 21st century, was suspended for two years by Churchill Downs and then, reflexively, by the New York Racing Association before a thorough investigation was conducted into what happened that led to Derby winner Medina Spirit to flunk a post-race drug test because it had a small amount of betamethasone in its system.

How small an amount? This small: .21 picograms per milliliter of blood. A picogram is a trillionth of a gram. For comparison purposes, consider that a human being who is found to have less than 300 nanograms of cocaine per milliliter of blood passes the drug test and is allowed to fly an airplane. A nanogram is one billionth of a gram.

If you just accepted a job offer pending your passing a drug test, you wouldn’t want horse racing standard applied by the employer. Let’s say you win $20 on a golf wager and unbeknownst to you your victim earlier in the day had rolled up that bill and used it to snort a line of cocaine while using the bathroom at the turn. The trace of the devil’s dandruff makes its way onto your hand. You rub your nose. It’s in your system. Sorry, you just lost your new job and it’s too late to go back to your old one.

Despite all of the outstanding thoroughbred racehorses that have been produced on American soil, success overseas in the major European races has been in short supply.

Jay Trump was the first U.S. owned and trained horse to win the Grand National at Aintree in the UK, Fourstars Allstar was the first horse trained in the United States to win one of Europe’s classics – the 1991 Irish 2,000 Guineas, and Strike the Tiger was a winner at Royal Ascot.

Then there’s Lady Aurelia, of whom veteran jockey Frankie Dettori claimed: “I’ve never seen or experienced anything like it, especially for a 2-year-old.” Together they won the Queen Mary Stakes at the regal Ascot showpiece.

But the wait for a horse with American connections to prevail in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe goes on, although in 2021 there might just be a contender for honors on French soil.

Chantilly racecourse to the north of Paris, France, is the home of some of Europe’s most prestigious horse racing events, including the Prix de Diane, which will make its return this summer. Between its world-class participants and stunning backdrops, the Prix de Diane is considered a French Classic. It is even sometimes referred to as the French Oaks, a nod to the famous Oaks race in England that is run at Epsom Downs.

The History of Prix de Diane

Established in 1843, the Prix de Diane is a Group 1 flat horse race that is run over a distance of 2,100 meters, and it is open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. The famous race is named after the Roman and Hellenistic mythological goddess Diana, or, in French, Diane, who is considered a patroness of hunters, crossroads, countryside, and the Moon. The race moved to Versailles in 1848, followed by Longchamp racecourse in Paris, before returning to its true home in Chantilly. This year's event will take place on Sunday, June 20.

The All-Time Best New Zealand-Bred Racehorses — Photo courtesy of Pixabay

When it comes to the horse racing greats, many hail from a handful of nations: America, the UK, France, and, more recently, Dubai. There’s also another and more surprising country of origin that crops up in lists of the most elite equine athletes, and that’s New Zealand.

Despite its landmass, New Zealand has a population of a mere five million, but its equine population is more impressive – and on a par with those of far larger countries. With a whopping 120,000 horses, 40,000 involved in the racing industry, it manages to perform admirably on the global sporting stage.

So, which famous racehorses is New Zealand responsible for? Here are three of its finest.

Phar Lap

For fans of racing, there are many ways to enjoy it. One can involve oneself by buying stakes in a syndicate or spectating from the sidelines; by betting in their local bookies or at a casino online. No matter how you choose to experience the sport, there are ways to immerse yourself in the action, with this handy casino guide talking you through some of the most reputable places to lay a bet.

Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Winning the Triple Crown is immensely difficult for any racehorse. That’s why there have been only 12 horses in history who have managed to pull off this remarkable feat.

Will there be a Triple Crown winner this year? Almost everyone will tell you that the chances of such an occurrence look slim, like always. However, if you are new to horse racing and betting, it is futile to invest your energies on this difficult question. Instead, virtual horse racing betting is something that you will likely find more suitable to your needs now.

1- Seabiscuit

Seabiscuit is one of the most famous names in horse racing. He became a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression. Surprisingly, the immensely talented horse never won any Triple Crown race. This was because he found his best strides very late in his career.

Seabiscuit, who was named the Horse of the Year in 1938, proved that his age was no hindrance for him as he went on to claim successes in some of the most prestigious races in the United States, including the Massachusetts Handicap, Santa Anita Handicap and Brooklyn Handicap. He also has the distinction of beating the 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral by four lengths at Pamlico.

The life events of the Tom Smith trained horse inspired the bestselling book Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand and the 2003 Oscar-nominated movie Seabiscuit which was written and directed by Gary Ross.

For equestrian fans, the Grand National is the best of all horse racing events. It brings together some of the finest horses and jockeys to battle for some of the biggest prizes. It also boasts a long history, with its inaugural event happening in 1839. The Grand National is enormously popular among online horse betting punters who are provided with so many lucrative betting opportunities.

1- Red Rum’s historic treble

One of the most iconic moments in the history of the Grand National came in 1977. Red Rum twice won the prestigious race and caught the imagination of the British public that he would go on to achieve the historic treble. However, the Ginger McCain trained horse tried to achieve that honour in the following two years and failed.

And when he entered the 1977 edition of the race, there were doubts that Red Rum could pull off the remarkable feat. However, the legendary racehorse stunned all the spectators at Aintree and claimed the race in an emphatic style.

2- Foinavon’s shocking win

In the long history of the Grand National, only five horses have managed to win at 100/1 odds, and Foinavon’s name became the most famous of them all. Even the 23rd fence has been named after Foinavon. In the 1967 Grand National, his chances looked so minuscule that even his owner John Kempton wasn’t present on the racing day as he had gone to watch another of his runners at Worcester.

However, something enormously unexpected happened that day and Foinavon’s fortunes were dramatically changed. At the 23rd fence, a riderless horse caused havoc by veering suddenly to his right and causing many horses to fall. This almost brought the whole race to a stop.

Equine Info Exchange — Courtesy of the EIE Editorial Team

If one is a horse racing fan, then it is very unlikely that they wouldn’t have heard about the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the American Triple Crown that is held at Churchill Downs, Louisville every year on the first Saturday in May. The racing event provides one of the greatest sporting spectacles in the United States.

Kentucky Derby is known as ‘the most exciting two minutes in sports’ as nowhere else do can one get such an amazing sporting experience. An enormous crowd gathers at Churchill Downs every year, making the atmosphere quite lively. That is the time when many start looking at the Twinspires Rhode Island review trying to decide which bet they should select.

The famous race can boast of a long and prosperous history. As a visitor, one can experience the amazing atmosphere, and get to see plenty of fascinating traditions.

1- Secretariat’s memorable victory

Secretariat is widely regarded as the greatest Triple Crown winner of all time. He was awarded Horse of the Year in 1972 when he was only two years old. Claiming such an honour at such a young age was absolutely phenomenal. However, many began to doubt his abilities when he finished third in the Wood Memorial, the last race he competed in before the 1973 Kentucky Derby.

Despite the poor performance, Secretariat still entered the race as a favourite. He pulled off a stunning performance at Churchill Downs and shocked all the spectators.

In the beginning, Secretariat was the last but his pace increased as the race deepened. He not only won the race by two and a half lengths but set a new record of 1:59:40 which stands to this day.

Secretariat went on to win the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes that season and thus became the 9th Triple Crown winner.

Enduring heartfelt disappointment at the cancellation of the 2020 edition of the Grand National, coronavirus put a stop to festivities, but the world-renowned races are back at Aintree to the delight of the entire industry. A virtual event was held instead, but that’s hardly the same, is it?

The cancellation robbed Tiger Roll of a three- year hat trick on the famous course, and sadly the Gigginstown owners have withdrawn the beloved horse from the races this year due to an ‘unfair weight burden’. However, there’s still a remarkable force of runners who are looking to make their name on 10 April.

Favourites to watch in 2021 Grand National

Bookies’ favourites can have the tendency to change throughout the run-up to the main event, however early indications taking in to account the departure of Tiger Roll say a current betting favourite is Cloth Cap.

Trained by Jonjo O’Neill and owned by Trevor Hemmings, Cloth Cap is a winner for the Ladbrokes Trophy, and has showcased an improved performance. Certainly, placing them a solid foothold to remain in the favourites at least.

Close behind Cloth Cap other runners to pay attention to for Aintree include Any Second Now and Burrows Saint.

As for history in the making, one participant to watch is Rachael Blackmore who will be riding Minella Times, Blackmore has continually been pushing to the limits in a bid to be the first ever female jockey to win the Grand National.

If you have always been a fan of sport but never made as a pro, then maybe the answer to making money from the one hobby you most enjoy is sports betting. Although it is not easy becoming a professional sports bettor, there are opportunities and ways to make a living from sports betting. In this article, we look at 4 available options.

It is not easy becoming a successful sport betting pro, but as with anything in life, if you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything! We also encourage you to look into investing in sports betting stocks which is not making money out of sports betting per say, but it is a connected subject.

Offering Odds on Sports Exchange Markets Online

Exchange markets are where you can become the bookie or poach out of the ordinary odds provided by individuals on the exchange. We are going to talk about becoming an online bookie. Some of the most well-known sports betting exchanges are BetFair and Bet365. Both of these websites give you the opportunity to open an account and offer other people odds on sports events.

If you understand horse racing or greyhound racing, then these are some of the most profitable markets to offer odds on. However, if you want to become a pro, you need to be careful how you use the sports betting exchanges. You could just as easily end up losing.

Jockey Tom Scudamore has said Cloth Cap is a worthy favorite of the Grand National at Aintree next month.

The extremely brilliant and impressive Newbury and Kelso victor, trained by Jonjo O'Neill in Gloucestershire, is as low as 4-1 for the 10 April big horse race.

Victory for Cloth Cap at the event next month would be a record fourth success in the competition for owner Trevor Hemmings.

According to 38-year-old Scudamore, it is a lovely privileged position to be on the favorite for the April Grand National at Aintree.

It is worthy of note that a total of 77 horses are left, after the most recent National entry stage, with the French duo of Easy land and Ajas the notable absentees. About 40 runners are expected to line up on the day, with the lowest-rated horses pruned out.

Cloth Cap was given 10st 5lb when the weights for the handicap were revealed in February, but the nine-year-old horse has since won a National Hunt Racecourse in Kelso, and his National rating is about 14lb lower than his present official mark.

Scudamore said, "He's been a tremendous ride who's going from strength to strength and is a worthy favorite”.

"It's up to the bookmakers to decide what is a fair price and what isn't but I'm hoping that come that Saturday evening, he'll be looking like he was a massive price."

It is worthy to note that Scudamore’s grandfather Michael landed the race back in the year 1959 on Oxo The owner of Preston North End FC, Hemmings, has in the past, won the National, riding with Hedgehunter in 2005, with Ballabriggsin 2011, and Many Clouds in 2015, with their NAP for today is proving to be tempting for the punters recently.

Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, Tiger Roll, is the 4-1 favorite and was the shortest-priced victor for 100 years when claiming a second victory in the last running in 2019.

With the 2-time victor absent this year, Cloth Cap is the same odds for the contest next month, which was called off in 2020 and is set to take place in April this year without spectators because of the Coronavirus pandemic.