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American Pharoah by Georgia Rush, Talk of the Track

by Marion E. Altieri

When buyers of Thoroughbreds consider a horse for purchase, one of the key considerations is conformation. Conformation is the way a horse is physically put together. The bones, muscles and proportions of the animal are the characteristics that ultimately prepare them for their job—that of running quickly with great efficiency. Human beauty is relative—every culture and every individual has standards of beauty that may not jive with those of anyone else.

Everyone is beautiful to somebody.

This is not the case in the equine world: each breed has standards of beauty. That beauty is not superficial, but rather tied directly at the unconscious level to expectations for the jobs of horses within said breed. Draft horses work hard for a living: they are stocky and muscular, with thick legs and strong backs. Thoroughbreds must be able to run fast, with grace, for grace of movement actually is a factor in the science of winning races. Long, elegant strides are the domain of those who win purses, while jackrabbit runners are far-less likely to take the day. This is a most egalitarian concept: a Thoroughbred doesn't win a race because s/he is liked better by the stewards or race announcer. No one votes on who should win—or the Triple Crown would be achieved every year.

A Thoroughbred must cross the finish line first to win a race.

And just as Fasig-Tipton's elegant, renovated facilities are both magnificently lovely and serve a very practical purpose—the two concepts are inextricably bound up together—concern for equine conformation also is a matter of form follows function.

Whether a horse's main function is to run fast in order to win a race or to escape predators in the wild west—its form has been "fearfully and wonderfully made" to accommodate that most basic of instincts.

The machinery that gives a Thoroughbred his locomotion—the self-powered, patterned motion of limbs or other anatomical parts—is vitally essential, from the core. A horse may be appealing to the eye, but if the parts aren't hung together in a way that facilitates smooth action and a long stride—beauty means nothing.

The legs, hind end, neck, withers and abdomen all must work together like a machine, creating a rhythm that is easily maintained, right 'til the end of the race. The runners may speed up in the stretch, but the original stride and way of moving of each horse remains essentially the same.

Many factors go into the study of conformation: yes, it's about musculature; skeletal structure and mass. But it's the way those physical attributes come together with the spirit of the horse—that one unquantifiable factor—that determines the horse's chances of becoming a champion. Energy must overcome drag, inertia and gravity, and that is achieved by the mechanical workings of the biological attributes of the horse. Even the fact that horses are unguligrade—they are of a class of animals who walk and run on their toes—is a contributor to the relative perfection of the animal.

Of course, horses lacking excellent conformation have made monster names for themselves in the sport: Seabiscuit was small, somewhat boney and was over at the knees. The mighty Seattle Slew actually was slew-footed: when he walked, his right-front hoof turned out. He ran straight as a string, but as soon as he walked back off the track, that right hoof turned and faced East. Both Seabiscuit and Seattle Slew established themselves in the Pantheon of Thoroughbred racing, their conformational flaws notwithstanding.

Secretariat, the mighty warrior who won the Belmont—and therefore, the Triple Crown—by an otherworldly 31 lengths—is considered by most to be the most perfectly-conformed Thoroughbred.

(The measuring stick for conformation: a perfect square should be formed by its legs, back and distance between the hooves. A distasteful thought, but if you can envision a Thoroughbred with its head cut off at the neck—that squareness, or lack thereof, will be revealed. Secretariat formed a perfect square, to the naked eye using that yardstick.)

Indeed, Secretariat was as perfect as possible, and no doubt, our recent Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah, also will be discussed for his conformation for decades to come. His 5 ½ margin of victory in the Belmont Stakes (by which he won the Triple Crown) made it look easy, and his beautiful conformation had a great deal to do with the Pharoah taking his rightful place in horse racing history books.

American Pharoah’s body had to be built to facilitate acceleration, speed, and ability to defy drag and gravity. These things must work together in harmony—and then, these mechanics of his biology had to work together with his focus, drive and will to win.

Conformation photos aren’t taken of horses until they enter the breeding shed, but Equicurean has acquired this gorgeous, “informal” conformation shot through which we see the mighty warrior in all his buff glory. The depth and breadth of his chest; his long, straight legs and round hind end (the engine) all work together with his straight back, high withers (shoulders) and long, perfect neck to make a running machine that obviously propels him forward with power and authority.

Horse sales and races will continue in the months and years to follow American Pharoah’s Triple Crown win precisely because this is the sport in which hope springs eternal. There may be another horse out there whose conformation comes together with pedigree and attitude to create another Triple Crown winner—and maybe this time, we won’t have to wait 37 years.

Conformation will be studied and respected as a key factor as long as horsepeople keep hope in their hearts, and science on their minds. Conformation is not the only determining factor, but it's the first that buyers and sellers notice—and the one that has the most clout when doing the mathematics of physics, that sweet science that aids and abets the quest to win at this sport that offers more intangible rewards than any athletic endeavour on Earth.

About the Author

Marion Altieri first rode Quarter Horses at age four. That same year (1960), her Mother took her to the races at Saratoga for the first time, and thus began the love affair. In 2003, Penny Chenery and Marion met; Penny became her Mentor and encouraged her media dreams. This year, Marion is launching FillyMedia.net, and resurrecting "View from a Broad" on Filly Racing Radio. (The radio show aired originally in July, 2013 on WJKE The Jockey, and was sponsored exclusively by NYRA--The New York Racing Association.) She's thrilled to see her name and work on the pages of EquineInfoExchange.com, which she considers to be THE Best (Most-Beautiful, and Most-Comprehensive) horse-centric Website in the Universe. She's available for writing and editing gigs at ThoroughbredWriter@yahoo.com (859) 940-0568.

Re-launching Tuesday, 14 September 2021 View from a Broad, on f!lly Racing Radio: Thoroughbred and Arabian Horse Racing Online Radio by ThoroughbredWriter

You can find more interesting articles in our sections on Horse Racing and Health & Education.

Betting Over the Centuries - Photo Courtesy of the Saratoga History Museum — Photo Courtesy of the Saratoga History Museum

by William G. Gotimer, Jr.

Betting on horses has been a favorite pastime for centuries in many places around the world. Despite changes in almost every facet of life - betting on horses has remained largely the same. Determining the order of finish in a race of spirited horses has always been the pursuit. What has changed over the years is the mechanics of placing a wager.

Younger race fans have grown up with numerous ways to place a bet; multi-bet teller windows, self-service machines, telephone bets, internet wagering, wagering aps on phones – all modern methods. Most people are even aware of the old fashion bookmaker models highlighted in shows such as Peaky Blinders where bets are transmitted through a series of calls, hand signals and chalk boards (hence the term “chalk” for a race favorite). But what about the period between the chalk period and the computer period? Not many remember placing bets in those days from the mid-1930s to the mid-1970s but placing bets required some determination. It was not for the faint hearted.

Much of the routine was driven by technological limitation. Placing bets and cashing bets needed to be done at separate windows and in fact were done on separate sides of the building. Placing bets was done on the windows facing the racetrack while cashing was done around the back facing away from the track. A bettor having a losing day without cashing a ticket was said to “never make it the other side”. Winners could be seen rounding the corner to cash tickets while losers remained in place on the front side. Cashing tickets was done manually as was the math needed to determine your return. Bettors needed to know exactly how much they were due lest an “error” intentional or accidental saw them leave some of their winnings behind at the window.

Double Trigger. Bronze statue at Doncaster Racecourse (photo credit Helena, CC BY-SA 2.0)

In just a few weeks’ time, the St Leger Stakes horse race will be held at Doncaster racecourse in the English county of Yorkshire. The race is the oldest, longest and last of the five English Classic held every year and forms part of the English Triple Crown, following the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby.

If you are looking for a horse race with true heritage, the St Leger fits the bill. It was first held 245 years ago in 1776 and was named after Anthony St Leger, a local politician, and army officer. The first Derby–St Leger double was achieved by Champion in 1800, while West Australian recorded the first Triple Crown success in 1853.

This Year’s Contenders

Top contenders for this year's race include Hurricane Lane who has won five of his six races so far and is currently priced at 5/4 (+125) in the latest horse racing odds. He finished third in the Derby and followed that defeat with a win in the Irish Derby before landing the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris in July.

Also in the running is Epsom Derby winner Adayar who was victorious in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting in July. He was sired by the unbeaten legend of the track, Frankel, and will be aiming to be the first Derby winner to win the St Leger since Reference Point in 1987. In the ante-post horse racing betting tips, he is well-fancied and priced at 7/1 (+700) to complete the double.

There is no better feeling than watching your favourite horse cross the finish line before all the other competitors. Some people can afford to visit a physical racetrack to experience all this. But for many people, it is not convenient and so enjoying betting through horse racing in Tennessee is the next best thing for them.

1- Arkle

Arkle is widely regarded as one of the best horses of all time. He was ruthless at the top of his career and went on winning one competition after another.

His biggest rival Mill House was a more famous name than his in the 1964 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Mill House was the defending champion of the famous race and had also triumphed over Arkle in the 1963 Hennessy Gold Cup.

But Arkle surprised everyone when the race began. He gave a stunning display of his skills and won the prestigious competition by five lengths. The two amazing horses locked horns with each other in the following year, and the Tom Dreaper-trained horse once again blew the competition away. His winning margin that time was an incredible 20 lengths.

Arkle recorded his name in history books when he claimed one more Gold Cup to win a historic treble in 1966. Not only that, he won the race by an unbelievable 30 lengths.

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.