Racing FAQ's

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• Overview of harness racing

  Click here for a brief overview of harness racing

• What are some typical Harness Racing terms?

  Click here for a list of Harness Racing Terms.

• How do you wager on Harness Racing?

  Click here for information on how to wager.

• How fast is a harness horse?

  Races usually are contested at speeds averaging 25-30 miles per hour for the mile distance. When leaving the starting gate, top horses reach speeds close to 35 miles an hour.

• What does breaking stride mean?

  Any trotter or pacer who “breaks” into a canter or gallop during a race must be pulled back to its correct gait and lose ground to its competitors or be disqualified from the race.

• What causes horses to break stride?

  Several factors can cause breaks. A horse may be going too fast to maintain his gait. He may be tired. He may be interfered with. He may also be lame.

• How often does a horse race?

  Once a week is considered the ideal. The number of horses present in a particular class usually affects the number of racing opportunities he may have.

• Why do drivers sometimes hold their horses back?

  If a horse can go a mile in 2:05 and no more, a driver may pull back on him to “rate” him if the pace is too fast. Coming down the stretch, a driver may hold firmly to the lines to prevent a tired horse from breaking.

• Why do some horses have their legs bandaged?

  For the same reason that human athletes frequently wear tape and other bandages to help support their legs and provide protection.

• Is a driver permitted to bet?

  Yes, but only on his own horse.

• Does a driver’s weight make a difference in driving?

  For years the experts have been saying no, except under muddy conditions. Some observers have noticed, however, that a majority of the sports leading drivers have tended to be on the small and light side.

• Is driving dangerous?

  A certain amount of danger is inherent in any activity that combines great speed and split second timing decisions. Harness racing contains both speed and the need for quick decisions.

• Is it better for a horse to race along the rail?

  Definitely. Mathematicians have figured that a horse racing five feet from the rail will travel 62 feet farther than the horse at the rail at the mile distance over a half-mile.

• Are there age limits for racehorses?

  A horse may not race until he reaches 2 years old or race beyond his 15 th birthday

• What is Net Pool Pricing?

  Saratoga Raceway uses Net Pool Pricing. For more information on Net Pool Pricing click here.

• What is the difference between a TROTTER and PACER?

  Trotters move with a diagonal gait; the left front and right rear legs move in unison, as do the right front and left rear. It requires much skill by the trainer to get a trotter to move perfectly at high speeds, even though the trotting gait is a natural one in the animal world.

  

  Pacers move the legs on one side of their body in tandem: left front and rear and right front and rear. This action shows why pacers are often called “side-wheelers”. Pacers, which account for about 80 percent of the performers in harness racing and are the faster of the two gaits, are aided in maintaining their gait by plastic loops called hobbles, which keep their legs moving in synchronization