Article by K Cummings
In Australia, horse racing tracks are measured in terms of speed. The drier and firmer the track, the faster that horses can run. These measurements range from Fast, Good and Dead and then Slow to Heavy. They are now also measured on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is dry and hard, to 10 which are very muddy. For example, you will see track ratings of Good 3 for example, meaning that the track is in good condition, but may have a heavy cover of grass making it a little softer for horses to gallop on. Dry tracks are considered to be rated from Fast to Good, while Wet tracks are noted as Dead, Slow or Heavy.
Often track ratings will include a penetrometer reading. The penetrometer is an instrument that measures how firm the track is, and readings are taken at a range of points around the circuit to see how consistent the track is. A race track can cover a large amount of ground, and different conditions can exist in different areas of the track. Ratings are averaged over the number of readings taken.
These ratings are used on grass tracks, but we are also seeing the advent of all weather tracks, in addition to the dirt tracks that are used in some countries in Australia. All weather tracks are artificial surfaces that are becoming more popular as they reduce the need for watering in many instances.
As you can imagine, the surface that a horse races on can make a big difference. Horses also have a range of physical characteristics that can affect the way they run in different conditions on differemt tracks. Some horses have small hooves or feet, and these are often associated with horses bred to run on dirt tracks. Different galloping actions can also influence the way that a horse runs on different surfaces. Horses can be seen to lift their knees very high when they run, and sometimes this can help them on heavy tracks.
With horses though, no single factor can be definitive in the end result of a race. However, as some of these characteristics can be hereditary, it is often a good idea to see how the progeny of certain stallions go under various track conditions. Most good form guides will tell of a horse’s previous runs on differing track conditions.
While this can be a very good guide to their chance of handling the track today, it definitely does not take into account differences in weight, barrier, jockey, quality of the race, distance or any of the other variables that need to be considered when wagering pm a race.
About the Author
To read more about Australian Horse Racing, Jockeys Premiership, Horse Racing Tips, Bookmakers, Racecourses and more, go to Pro Group Racing and receive your free E-Book on How to Win at Horse Racing. ==> http://www.progroupracing.com.au
In this video, Betty and her husband, Rick, go to Keeneland Horse Race track in Lexington, Kentucky, about 30 miles from our home. There are four restaurants at Keeneland, three of which are open to the public. We obtained a reservation to the Equestrian Room, which has a very nice atmosphere for watching the horse races. It also has very good food! We had a wide variety of foods to choose from for our lunch. Rick settled on a cup of burgoo soup and a reuben sandwich with potato salad. I ordered the chicken salad, which was served with green and purple lettuce leaves, nestled in a ring of fresh fruit, including strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and grapes. All of the food was delicious! We had a great time betting on the horses. We placed small bets on three of the races, and picked the winner in all three races. We threw in one small bet on a long shot (81:1), and lost on that horse, decreasing our winnings a bit. Altogether, we came out ahead about .00. Its a good thing we didnt plan to make money on our bets—just have a little fun! All in all, the day was a lot of fun, and we were able to show you a little bit of the race track atmosphere, a look behind the scenes, and some terrific food. I will choose one of the items from the Keeneland menu, and prepare it according to Keenelands recipe, and upload it in the next few days!