Small Fields

I have read a couple of articles today about the abundance of small fields. Not only are the stakes races having short fields, but claiming races are suffering as well. The solutiuon I am hearing (from industry people) is to decrease the number of races per card and to decrease the number of races days during the week. Here are some interesting numbers. The average horse makes 6.45 starts per year. This is the lowest number ever recorded by the Jockeys Club. In 1995, horses made an average of 7.94 per year. The average number of starts per horse has decreased in each year since 1995. To compare different eras, in 1960 the average number of starts was 11.31. To me decreasing the number of racing days per week coupled with a decrease in the number of races per card is a start. But I think the problem is much more complex. I think breeding unsound horses contributes to the small fields, as well as trainers being able to pick their spots. But one factor that I think is the new medication laws. This point is very well made in the courier journal today and I agree 100%. It used to be that a trainer could make a last minute decision to run a horse in a race that might have come up weak, but now with the new medication laws they dont have that luxury. I do think racing needs to do something about the problem of small fields, but decreasing the number of race days and number of races on a card isnt going to solve the problem.

This is just my opinion--anyone else care to chime in!!!

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

I have read a couple of articles today about the abundance of small fields. Not only are the stakes races having short fields, but claiming races are suffering as well. The solutiuon I am hearing (from industry people) is to decrease the number of races per card and to decrease the number of races days during the week. Here are some interesting numbers. The average horse makes 6.45 starts per year. This is the lowest number ever recorded by the Jockeys Club. In 1995, horses made an average of 7.94 per year. The average number of starts per horse has decreased in each year since 1995. To compare different eras, in 1960 the average number of starts was 11.31. To me decreasing the number of racing days per week coupled with a decrease in the number of races per card is a start. But I think the problem is much more complex. I think breeding unsound horses contributes to the small fields, as well as trainers being able to pick their spots. But one factor that I think is the new medication laws. This point is very well made in the courier journal today and I agree 100%. It used to be that a trainer could make a last minute decision to run a horse in a race that might have come up weak, but now with the new medication laws they dont have that luxury. I do think racing needs to do something about the problem of small fields, but decreasing the number of race days and number of races on a card isnt going to solve the problem.

This is just my opinion--anyone else care to chime in!!!

I'll tell you one thing. I know I'm in the minority, but I don't have any problem with small fields. Don't get me wrong. Those two races at Hollywood this weekend are a joke. I don't like 4 and 5 horse fields but I have no problem with 7-8 horse fields and occasionally even 6 horse fields. There is way less chance of my horse getting into trouble in smaller fields. I'm always looking for a price and believe it or not I find them all the time in those small fields. Over the last year, excluding the last 6 weeks where I've been ice-cold, I can't even tell you all the great price horses I've had in small fileds. A few that come to mind are Your Tent or Mine who went off at 6-1 in a 6 horse field. Wanna Runner who went off at 7-1 in a 6 horse field was another one. Don't get me wrong, you need to be selective. If every race was a 6 or 7 horse field, I wouldn't find a ton of bets but I may find 1-2 bets on a card. That's fine since I am often times handicapping multiple tracks. Big fields are often times too tough. I don't play exotics. I'm happy if I can find a 4-1 shot that I like in a 7 horse field. That's the kind of bet I'm looking for. Too many things can go wrong in 12 horse fields.

[paisjpq]

I was b*tching about this on the fourth when the Tremont had 4 runners but a MSW two races later had 12 entries...there was a time when trainers would have thrown a horse in a stake even if it was a maiden or if it had to run against a 1-9 from a top trainer...ducking top conditioners or top horses does nothing to help the game, and it gets me steamed--It is also why we constantly hear the phrase 'well he beat nothing'

Originally Posted by paisjpq

I was b*tching about this on the fourth when the Tremont had 4 runners but a MSW two races later had 12 entries...there was a time when trainers would have thrown a horse in a stake even if it was a maiden or if it had to run against a 1-9 from a top trainer...ducking top conditioners or top horses does nothing to help the game, and it gets me steamed--It is also why we constantly hear the phrase 'well he beat nothing'

Well this makes me think of two things:

1) The new medication rules doesnt allow for trainers to do a last minute adjustment. A trainer doesnt want to get fined or suspended if their horse runs in a race and has a positive test. Say you gave your horse some meds two weeks before the Tremont...well the Tremont comes up short and you would love to run your horse in the race. However, you know you are going to test positive because it has only been 14 days since the horse took the drug.

2) There are so many races for horses these days that the trainer can pick the sports for the horse. If you have a borderline Grade III/Allowace horse, you can ship that horse to Delaware or West Virginia and catch a weak field for a nice purse. There are too many options for the number of horses that are racing.

This is a total mess and there is no easy fix.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Well this makes me think of two things:

1) The new medication rules doesnt allow for trainers to do a last minute adjustment. A trainer doesnt want to get fined or suspended if their horse runs in a race and has a positive test. Say you gave your horse some meds two weeks before the Tremont...well the Tremont comes up short and you would love to run your horse in the race. However, you know you are going to test positive because it has only been 14 days since the horse took the drug.

2) There are so many races for horses these days that the trainer can pick the sports for the horse. If you have a borderline Grade III/Allowace horse, you can ship that horse to Delaware or West Virginia and catch a weak field for a nice purse. There are too many options for the number of horses that are racing.

This is a total mess and there is no easy fix.

you make good points except that my complaint was taht the two races were on the same card--one was a 4 horse field and one was filled. In the 4 horse field one horse/trainer completely dominated the field and was the winner--but I can't understand why no one even wanted to try to beat him, (well, actually I can understand it but I hate it). The focus today is so bent on a horse's residual value that they never truly compete against each other except once a year on Breeder's cup day.

[slotdirt]

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Well this makes me think of two things:

1) The new medication rules doesnt allow for trainers to do a last minute adjustment. A trainer doesnt want to get fined or suspended if their horse runs in a race and has a positive test. Say you gave your horse some meds two weeks before the Tremont...well the Tremont comes up short and you would love to run your horse in the race. However, you know you are going to test positive because it has only been 14 days since the horse took the drug.

2) There are so many races for horses these days that the trainer can pick the sports for the horse. If you have a borderline Grade III/Allowace horse, you can ship that horse to Delaware or West Virginia and catch a weak field for a nice purse. There are too many options for the number of horses that are racing.

This is a total mess and there is no easy fix.

This reminds me of old Golden Man having a go at Sun King the day after running up at Monmouth last year.

[Nostradamus]

Match race today at Belmont. 2 horse field. What a joke.