A large percentage of both thoroughbred and harness races are claiming races. A brilliant concept by someone in racing history (if anyone know who “invented” the claiming race, please comment) that is elegantly simple. Set a price for race entrants using natural economic forces and rationality that result in competitive fields. Cool! Horses that are really “worth” $25,000 can enter a $15,000 claimer and win, but the horse will be lost to a new owner. You can race your beloved gelding that is “worth” $15,000 in the open market in a $25,000 claiming race and you will be able to sleep at night knowing you won’t lose him. The only thing you lose is your shirt as he will have little chance to turn a profit for you racing over its head.

So let’s accept the economic brilliance of the concept, and not debate here the merits of the race or knocks against this type of race, which typically include the “rent a horse” arguments (which, by the way, hold water especially in slot-subsidized harness racing).

I would like to hear YOUR VIEWS on some twists and nuances of the claiming race. So consider the following and please, comment below.

1) Announcement of Claims. Should claims be announced before the race or after? Some tracks do it, some don’t. In either case, should such announcement include how many claims were entered and who entered them? Should this data then be added to the historical records so such data appears later in the Past Performance record of the horse? Please chime in on all of these questions.

2) Shakes (when there are 2 or more claims entered on one horse). If there is “excess value” in the horse, the buyer gets it. By that I mean, if two $25,000 claims are entered, and one of the two claimants would have paid $27,000 and the other the $25,000, if the $27,000 wins the shake, then he keeps $2,000 that he otherwise would have gladly given the owner if the horse were sold privately. Here’s an idea. In addition to entering the basic claim, claimants enter a secondary “bid” in case of a shake. If there is more than one claim in, the judges open up the secondary “bid” envelopes and the highest gets the horse. If there is still a tie, then a traditional shake takes place between the tied high “bidders”. So, the question for you: Are sealed “secondary bids” a good idea rather than the traditional shake?

3) Sales Taxes. Some states (like California) charges sales tax on claims. Most states do not. New Jersey charge sales tax on the initial claim in a calendar year, then only charges again on any amounts over the amount of the first claim through the rest of the year. Sound a little crazy? It is. Some folks think sales tax is a good idea, as it is a disincentive to claiming and “jamming” (keeping a horse at the same class). Others think it inhibits that natural economic process of claiming. Still others think it is wrong, as technically speaking, if the horses stay in the claiming ranks, they really are being held for re-sale, and as such it could be argued, should be exempt from sales tax. [Note, this is an interesting, and likely untested argument as the horse IS held for re-sale, but is also being used, where typical re-sale items are inventoried and not otherwise used.] So, the question for you: Is sales tax on claims a good idea or bad idea?

4) Jail Time. Nearly every state and/or track has “jail time” associated with a claim. Typically between 30 and 60 days or the end of the meet, whichever comes first, a claimant cannot move the horse to another track (other than for stakes races). This too is very inconsistent across the county. New York has a 30-day jail-time rule, but Saratoga Harness has a 45-day rule that trumps the state. Pennsylvania has a 60-day rule but allows you to move within the state before the 60 days are up. California used to have the most protectionist rule, 60 days after the end of the meet! Now, due to some threatened litigation, California has no jail time at all. So, the question for you: Is jail time a good idea or bad idea and if good, what is the ideal amount of time?

5) Forced Class Change. Some jurisdictions for claimants to move their horses up in the claming ranks for some prescribed period or number of starts. This is done to lessing “jamming” as described earlier. The question for you: Are forced class movements following a claim a good idea or bad idea?

Claiming races often have the most competitive fields due to the economic rationality effectively forced upon their entrants. But given the above five items, the races do have some nuances of differences from state-to-state. I would really like to hear your thoughts on the points above so please chime in!

David Siegel
President – TrackMaster

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TrackMaster, an Equibase company, is your complete source for Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse and Harness Racing information. Products ranging from Thoroughbred Past Performances, Harness Racing Programs, and Thoroughbred Handicapping software to Horse Racing Picks from our experts, are provided for all levels of handicapping sophistication.

Only one Grade II event this week, the Mrs. Revere Stakes from Churchill Downs on Saturday. The $175,000 turf test at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies is fully subscribed with Miss World and Hot Cha Cha the tepid morning line favorites at 4-1 and 3-1 respectively. The race look up for grabs.

Here’s a brief recap of all 14 Breeders’ Cup races...

BREEDERS’ CUP MARATHON

The winner, Man of Iron was tough to get by normal handicapping processes. Big run from 9-year-old Cloudy’s Knight, winner of the Grade 1 Canadian International two years ago.  Betting favorite Mastery made a late move but couldn’t keep up with the top two in the final stages.

BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF

The two fancied Europeans Lillie Langtry (IRE) and Junia Tepzia (IRE) both failed to fire, turning this race into a high priced Allowance event. The winner Tapitsfly wore down the stubborn pace setter Rose Catherine, who had only won a  maiden race, and took three tries to do that. It was later reported that Lillie Langtry (IRE) was injured in the race and will be out of training until next season.

BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES

She Be Wild wrapped up the 2-year-old filly championship with a strong win here. Biofuel was making a nice move late in the stretch but was interefered with by Negligee and lost her action. Biofuel might be one to keep an eye on. Blind Luck was forced to go wide in the stretch that seemed to not be the place to be. Ran on but was no match for the winner, also another who may have a bright future.

BREEDERS’ CUP FILLY AND MARE SPRINT

Defending champion Ventura was outfinished by Informed Decision and those two were clearly best of the rest. Ventura was likely compromised by a perceived early speed bias but take nothing away from the winner who has now won 11 of 13 lifetime.

BREEDERS’ CUP LADIES TURF

Forced to move early on pace setter Visit, who was on the lead and uncontested Jockey John Murtaugh on Midday (GB) moved his 3-year old filly early and made a powerful run from the half mile pole and held off a late challenge by Pure Clan who ran the race of her life. Just a monster effort my Midday (IRE) to beat a pretty strong field that looked evenly matched on paper.

BREEDERS’ CUP LADIES CLASSIC

In an oddly run race, Careless Jewel ran off with jockey Robert Landry literally sprinting to a 9-length lead before tiring badly on the turn. Many will fault Landry for the ride but it wasn’t his fault – the filly just wouldn’t relax. Life Is Sweet had been chasing her stablemate Zenyatta all year, made a last to first dash down the stretch and won going away leaving some pretty nice fillies and mares behind.

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BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF

Apparent speed bias on the Santa Anita turf course continued here. Big run from Bridgetown who set moderate fractions then held on stubbornly, getting outfinished by Pounced and Frankie Dettori. A brilliant ride by Dettori who won this race last year with Donatavum. Interactif, the 2nd betting choice held on for 3rd.

BREEDERS’ CUP TURF SPRINT

California Flag was a well-beaten 10th in last year’s running of this same race, forced to go very fast early and fading badly late. This year it was a different story as with a decided lack of early speed in the race jockey Joe Talamo was able to put California Flag on a comfortable lead through a 21.2 first quarter. Once the field crossed the dirt the race was over as he opened up three lengths on the field and finished strong while there was little action from the back of the pack. The mare Gotta Have Her ran huge to get 2nd to make it 1-2 for the California based runners. It seems that horse, rider and trainer all learned something from the experience in 2008 and it was the first Breeders’ Cup victory for all three.

BREEDERS’ CUP SPRINT

This was one of the most talked about races on the weekend card. Much was made of 7-5 morning line favorite Zensational’s penchant for breaking a little slow, with many public “handicappers” opting to choose Gayego, who had a race over the track. He went off at 2-1 offering little value in a race where if you threw out the favorite offered a wealth of value. As if almost on cue, Zensational broke slow and was unable to make the lead, effectively ending his hopes of winning. Jockey Eurebio DeSilva on Fatal Bullet kept Zensational boxed in but in doing so used his horse up on the pace and may have cost him any chance of winning. In a thrilling finish, one of the best in recent Breeders’ Cup memory, Cal-bred Dancing in Silks made it two in a row for the California contingent, out-bobbing another Cal-bred Cost of Freedom and an unlucky Gayego.

BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE

Another thrilling finish as Goldolphin finally wins one with Vale of York (GB) over a very unlucky Lookin At Lucky. The difference was the brilliant ride by Dubai jockey Ahmed Ajtani. Lookin At Lucky lost nothing in defeat, expect him to move forward and be one of the early favorites for next year’s Kentucky Derby.

BREEDERS’ CUP MILE

Pretty much as expected, Goldikova repeated as the Mile champion. Nice patient ride by jockey Olivier Peslier. Trained by Freddie Head, who was the jockey on the great Miesque, also a two time winner of the Mile, Goldikova’s two Cup wins were nearly mirror images of those of Miesque. Last year Goldikova won the Mile with a breathtaking acceleration, similar to Miesque’s dash up the rail in the 1987 Mile. This year, parked outside early, Goldikova had to bide her time and circle the field, similar to the way Miesque won the 1988 Mile.

BREEDERS’ CUP DIRT MILE

Betting favorite Mastercraftsman had a nightmare of a trip, still appeared to have a chance while making a move on the rail but refused and stopped running when asked to move through a hole between the rail and eventual winner Furthest Land.  The winner was claimed by his current connections for $35,000 just over a year ago is now 3 for 3 on synthetic surfaces and brings new meaning to the term horse-for-course.

BREEDERS’ CUP TURF

In the smallest field in Breeders’ Cup Turf history, the only questions were how many lengths Presious Passion would open up, and which of the European horses would run catch him. As expected, ‘Passion opened up a 10 length lead, and jockey Elvis Trujillo was able to get him to relax. When the real running started, he had plenty left in the tank and put up a game effort but in the end was outfinished by Conduit, who duplicated his 2008 Breeders’ Cup turf victory.

BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC

Zenyatta…wow. Let’s leave it at that.  Unless, of course, you’d like to open the debate about Horse of the Year.  Should she win out over Rachel Alexandra?  Post a comment and let us know your opinion.

We want to hear from you! Leave a comment by clicking the “Comment” link directly below.

TrackMaster, an Equibase company, is your complete source for Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse and Harness Racing information. Products ranging from Thoroughbred Past Performances, Harness Racing Programs, and Thoroughbred Handicapping software to Horse Racing Picks from our experts, are provided for all levels of handicapping sophistication.