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Pick Pony | March 25, 2024, 4:07 p.m.
The subjectivity of time in relation to racehorses lies in the fact that it only measures the speed of the horse, not the manner of its travel. Workout timings add to the complexity because we do not know the trainers intent and cannot be assured the horse is being pushed to its maximum effort.
There are countless factors that can impact how fast or slow a horse works in the morning. One of the most crucial factors is the horse's running style. For instance, if your horse is a closer (one that comes from off the pace), it may run the first half to 5/8th of a mile slowly and then speed up for the final 1/8th. If your horse is a sprinter, each 1/8th of a mile could be a second faster than an average horse. Trainers may choose to focus on a specific aspect of the horse’s pace and thus the workout time may be strong in one part of the course and weaker in another.
The horse’s preferences impact workout training times too. Horses working in company (with more than one horse) tend to exert more energy than those working alone, potentially leading to faster workout times. Conversely, horses training alone may not have incentive to push for faster times.
Workouts are listed in past performance sheets, typically listed after the race lines. The workout section tends to be one of the more cryptic parts of the datasheet. In horse workout terminology, an "H" following a workout indicates that the work was completed in a handy fashion. This means the horse essentially did it on their own with mild encouragement from the rider. A "B" symbol after a workout means the horse was breezing, moving very easily and possibly even under a hold during the workout. If a fast workout is accomplished while breezing, it is generally a better performance than one completed handily. A less common "D" symbol indicates the horse was driving or exerting full effort under strong encouragement during the workout.
A bullet symbol before a workout indicates the workout was the fastest at that track and distance that morning. A (d) following the "H", "B", or "D" symbol means the horse was working well out on the track or around the dogs, which are pylons set up on the track to keep horses off the rail. Workouts around the dogs are usually slower than regular workouts because the horse must cover more ground around the turns. A "g" following the "H", "B", or "D" indicates the horse worked from the starting gate.
Some racetracks have different courses, like training tracks and turf tracks, where horses can work in the morning. If a horse works over a training track, it may be noted as "tr.t".
An example workout line in the past performances might appear as follows:
On June 13, this horse trained at Fair Meadows (Fmt) on a fast trrack (ft), covering three furlongs (3f) in thirty nine seconds, handily (H) from the gate (g). Two horses worked that day (2/2) and this horse had the slowest time of the two.
Five days later (June 18), the horse again worked at Fair Meadows at the same distance and conditions. The horse was again worked handily but this time had the fast time of five horses that day clocked at thirty-six and four-fifths seconds.
Since horse workout times can be influenced in a wide variety of ways, there are many factors to consider when evaluating the horse’s workout times.
- Horse's energy at the finish line: Was the horse laboring or still full of energy?
- In-company vs. solo workouts: Some horses might be lazy when training alone and perform better with another horse. Others may remain more relaxed when they train in a group.
- Gate vs. pole workouts: A horse could start slowly but still breeze nicely.
- Workaround the dogs: Did they work around the cones used to protect the inside of the turf course, causing them to go wide around the turn?
- Horse’s tendencies: Some horses are just lazy in the mornings. This doesn't necessarily mean they won't perform well in the afternoon races.
- The horse's speed at the pole: Did they start slow, or were they already breezing past the pole?
- Trainer’s philosophy towards speedwork: Some trainers don't believe in fast workouts for their horses, while others prefer bullet workouts.
- Control over the horse: Were they running off and uncontrollable when breaking away from the pole?
- Rider's hand movements: Pay attention to how much the rider moves their hands during the breeze, especially down the stretch.
- Rider's efforts: Was the rider whipping and driving to get the horse to finish well?
- Horse's stride: Was it comfortable or choppy?
- Energy in the gallop out: Did they work fast but then pull up quickly past the wire?
- Lead changes: Did the horse change leads on cue?
- Margin of error: Keep in mind that all workouts are hand-timed by clockers and trainers, who are on the opposite side of the track when the workout begins. It's not uncommon for different clockers or trainers to have varying times for a workout. Sometimes, clockers might miss the workout entirely and will publish the time given to them by the trainer.
Many workouts don't start from a stationary position, often resulting in the horse galloping before the timing begins. This gives the horse a running start before the actual timing starts. When the workout starts from the gate, the timings are more meaningful because the horse starts from a standstill. However, keep in mind that even these workouts may not represent the horse’s true potential.
No sensible trainer would push a horse to its limit during workouts. Doing so risks the horse peaking on the training track, potentially leaving it underprepared for the actual race. You should always look for patterns in the horse’s workouts. Look at the correlation between the workout date and the date of the horse's last race. Consider the results of races in between workouts. The horse's recent races and workouts shape its overall training pattern. Look for patterns in the Pick Pony workout heatmaps. For instance, you might see a horse that trains lightly after a race and then gradually increases in intensity until the day of the next race.
Few claiming horses can be brought into winning form through workouts alone. Cheaper horses need to be conditioned through actual races. They must be raced into condition, meaning approximately one-third of the races the average claimer runs are conditioning races under actual racing conditions. In these races, the horse is not expected to win or even finish in the money. Thus workouts times may not be as relevant. However, a cyclical level of intensity in the training cycle is a given.
Horses quickly learn the difference between a morning workout and an actual race. Most do not enjoy their morning workouts as they typically run against a stopwatch rather than compete against other horses. This is why trainers sometimes work their horses in pairs or even in threes. This tactic is necessary when some horses refuse to exert themselves satisfactorily when running alone.
A "workout race" indicates a horse’s true condition better than its morning workouts. Despite this, trainers continue morning workouts. They help keep a sharp horse on edge and of course, horses need exercise to maintain conditioning. A trainer cannot let his horse stand in its stall for days between races as it would negatively affect the horse’s health and physical condition.
Every race a horse runs either contributes to its condition or detracts from it if the race is too strenuous. Thus, there is a relationship between a horse’s race and its workouts. For instance, two recent races and a few workouts provide good evidence of soundness, which is critical to the handicapper as unsound horses are inconsistent performers.
Look for the workout that occurred no more than three days before the horse’s last race. If the horse performs well and is re-entered within 28 days, it may not need a workout after its last race to maintain its sharp condition.
Another pattern to look for is when a horse had a workout some days before its last race and then another workout afterward.
Look at the time in which the horse’s last race was run compared to its previous race. If the horse's last race resulted in a faster final time, the horse is likely sharp, regardless of its beaten lengths.
Finally, forget about things like the distance the horse trained at. This is up to the trainer. If you try to outguess the trainer, you’re going to lose.
This is a typical program for an injury-free, experienced horse returning from a standard 6-8-week break.
Weeks 1-3: The horse will start with "slow work" to build muscular strength, which may also include some swimming. Slow work includes trotting and cantering around two laps of the Kembla sand track, as well as being ridden to and from the track.
Weeks 4-6: Horses will begin "pace work." This will initially be at "half pace," a moderate hand gallop rated at around 18 seconds per 200m. Later, this will increase to a “three-quarter" pace, starting with the last bit of work and gradually extending. Three-quarter pace work is rated at around 14 or 15 seconds per 200m. Pace work will typically be on the Polytrack, with the distance covered gradually increasing over time.
Weeks 7-10: Depending on progress, the horse may begin to have some gallops or fast work during this period. This will initially be a brush home over the final 200m of the work at about the 12-second rate. The horse may initially work "5+1" on fast mornings, i.e., 5 furlongs or 1000m at ¾ pace work and 1 furlong or 200m gallop at the end. This will typically build to "5+2" as fitness improves. Fast work may be on the Polytrack or the grass and can be done solo or with a mate. During this period, the horse is also likely to have one or sometimes two jump outs.
Weeks 11-14: Fast work will continue and be extended. The horse may typically have a second jump out in this period before having its first race start.
Below is a table which shows the relationship between time and distance and how the intensity of the workout is graded.