Condition Books

Demystifying the Condition Book

By Tom Knust

One infamous racetrack "tale" involves a prominent trainer who was being continually pestered by an owner for a condition book. The trainer, tired of being harassed, finally broke down and sent the owner a book. There was one slight problem, though. The cover had over 200 staples in it, making it impossible to open.

The story illustrates historical attitudes trainers have with giving owners access to the condition book. Why? Because some owners had a tendency to over-simplify the game. Many did not understand how to prepare a horse for a race, nor did they have the slightest understanding of how the condition book related to their horse(s). Placing a condition book in their hands meant certain frustration for the trainer.

Times have changed. Now, more than ever, owners are learning more about "the game" and want to be more active. Although the training of a racehorse is an art in itself, requiring a trainer's attention seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, there are certain aspects that an owner can and should be involved in.

One of them is working with your trainer to determine in which race to enter your horse. To do this, an understanding of the condition book is required. Keep an open mind with regards to your trainer's advice. Remember, you've hired him to train your horse-thus, the trainer probably knows where to run your horse.

As the Daily Racing Form is the Bible to the bettor, the condition book is essential to all horsemen. There are a lot of factors that the condition book addresses, so no matter how adept you get in reading a condition book, be sure to listen to your trainer, so that you can adapt.

Although the over-simplification of anything can be hazardous, the following illustration should help you demystify the condition book.

"Conditions win races." "When your horse is right, find a spot and run him." It is the balance of these two philosophies that makes a trainer successful in placing his horses.

For claiming races, you'll want to find the level at which your horse is competitive. Claiming races work like the free market at its best. If you run a horse beneath his level, so that you can win a race, you are more likely to lose him via the claim box. If you run the horse over his head, so that no one will claim him, he'll seldom win.

In Southern California we usually write claiming races at levels in which there is an increase of 25% from one to another. For example, $10,000, $12,500, $16,000, $20,000, $25,000, $32,000, $40,000, $50,000, $62,5000, $80,000, and $100,000. For 30 days after a horse is claimed, the horse is in "jail" and must run for a claiming price of 25% higher than the price at which the horse was claimed.

Another expression commonly used is "a horse running through his conditions." Often, a horse breaks his maiden, then wins a non-winners of two races, then a non-winners of three races, and so on. There are allowance races designed for that purpose. Hopefully, it allows a horse to find his level. (An explanation of conditions appears at the end of this article.)

The owner and trainer must take into account the competition at each level. For instance, how does the race set up for the horse? Who is the speed in the race? Knowing the peculiarities of your racehorse and the others likely to enter can help when placing your horse. And again, the trainer can take your horse's strong and weak points in considering the level to run in.

In California, condition books cover two to three weeks of the meet, and are available approximately a week in advance of the days it covers. If you would like to receive a condition book directly, please contact the track's racing office and have them mail one directly to you. Some tracks also have their condition books available on their web site.

The condition book is a roadmap-a "Thomas Guide" for trainers and owners. If you don't understand certain parts, don't hesitate to ask for an explanation from your trainer or the racing secretary.

Tom Knust was the racing secretary for Santa Anita, Oak Tree, and Del Mar. He later became Kent Desormeaux's jockey agent.

Kinds of Races

Claiming: A race in which every horse entered is for sale for the price stated in the condition book. The claiming price is the factor that keeps a "level playing field" in these races.

Allowance: A race with conditions, but without a claiming price. The conditions specified in these races determine a horse's eligibility for the race and are the factors that keep the field "even."

Classified Allowance: Designed for a horse that has run through his conditions. The next level of race beyond a classified allowance is a stakes race. Horses are restricted based upon their past race wins within a given time period.

Starter: An allowance race in which the basic condition is that the horse has raced for a certain claiming price within a specified period of time, or since a certain date. It is intended to give those horses competing in the claiming ranks an opportunity to race without being "risked" via a claim.

Maiden: Restricted to those horses that have yet to win a race, or "break their maiden."

Maiden Claiming: Horses that have yet to break their maiden and are running in a race from which they may be claimed, or purchased.

Stakes Race: A race in which the owners of the entered horses contribute to the purse, usually through a nominating and entry fee. Nominations to these races close 72 hours or more before the race is run.

Handicap Race: A race in which the racing secretary sets conditions and, with a staff committee, assigns weights to each horse individually based upon an evaluation of its race record and past earnings. The racing secretary's goal is to have all entrants cross the finish line at the same time. The weights are used as an "equalizer" for this purpose.

Graded Race: Top-of-the-line races that are internationally recognized as such, with Grade III being the lowest and Grade I being the top.

"Invitational" Stakes Race: The racing association of the current meet "invites" individual horses to compete in a given race, without requiring the owners to contribute to the purse.

Overnight Stakes Race: These stakes are not part of the track's official stakes program, but are developed during the course of the meet. These stakes are usually of a lesser caliber than regular stakes.

Substitute Race: A race, described in the condition book for a particular day, that might be used to replace a regular race should any of the "listed" races fail to fill.

Extra Race: The racing secretary writes "extras" for those horses that don't fit races listed in the condition book. They are written so as to not conflict with races listed in the book and take the place of a race in the book that doesn't fill. Extras are written the day before entries are taken, and are posted on the overnight sheet and announced over the public address system during morning workouts.

Conditions
By Laura Grubb

Conditions are used to "level the playing field" in allowance races. They are somewhat akin to claiming prices in claiming races.

1st Condition: "non-winners of either $3,000 other than maiden, claiming, or starter (1)" or "non-winners of two (2)."

Conditions have two "subparts," as noted above and explained below. A horse needs only to meet the requirements of one of these parts in order to be eligible for this race-"either $3,000. . ." or "non-winners of two."

(1) "Non-winners of either $3,000 other than maiden, claiming, or starter"

A horse cannot have won a race where the winner's share of the purse was more than $3,000 and be eligible for this race under this subpart. He may have earned more than $3,000 finishing second through fifth in a single race and still be eligible. For example, a horse may have run second in the Kentucky Derby and still be eligible for this condition, as only the winner's share of the purse counts when determining eligibility. However, the winner's share of a purse won in a maiden, claiming, or starter race is disregarded-as in "other than maiden, claiming, or starter."

or

(2) "non-winners of two"

A horse cannot have won two races, of any type, during its lifetime and still be eligible for this race based upon this subpart.

However, if he has won two races, neither of which winner's share of the purse was more than $3,000, he is still eligible for the race under the first subpart. A horse need only to fit one of the above parts in order to be eligible for this race, not both.

Owners of California-bred horses, please take note of the following "special" condition:

Cal-bred "once other than" rule: A horse which wins a Cal-bred "once other than. . .or non-winners of two" (1st condition) shall remain eligible for that comparable open allowance race, provided that the horse did not win an allowance or stakes race following the Cal-bred win.

Once a Cal-bred has won its 1st condition in both Cal-bred and open allowance races, then the Cal-bred win will be disregarded for future eligibility purposes. This allows a Cal-bred winning both a Cal-bred and an open allowance race to still be eligible for its 2nd condition.

This special condition was designed to make owning Cal-breds more lucrative, and thus increase their value.

2nd Condition: "Non-winners of either $3,000 twice other than maiden, claiming, or starter," or "non-winners of three."

As in the 1st condition, a horse may be eligible for this race if he meets one of the following requirements:

"Non-winners of either $3,000 twice other than maiden, claiming, or starter"

Same as the 1st condition, except that a horse cannot have won two races where the winner's share of the purse was more than $3,000 per race and still be eligible, under this subpart. Once again, the winner's share of the purse won in maiden, claiming, or starter races is not counted.

or

"non-winners of three"

A horse cannot have won three races, of any type, during its lifetime and be eligible for this race under this subpart.

3rd Condition: "Non-winners of either $3,000 three times other than maiden, claiming, starter," or "non-winners of four."

Same as the 1st and 2nd conditions, except that a horse cannot have won $3,000 on three separate occasions, or have won four races, of any type, during its lifetime. As in the above conditions, a horse can fit either one of these subparts and be eligible for this race.

Purse Contracts

A Peek Inside a Purse Contract
By Laura Grubb

Powerful pieces of paper they are, those purse contracts, which outline California's racing programs, spell out how millions of dollars will be spent in stakes schedules, and grant approval for the simulcasting of California's races.

Purse contracts originated to provide for an orderly and uniform method of distributing purses to both overnight and stakes races. They have since evolved to cover a multitude of items, and to provide a clear written understanding between the tracks and horsemen in order to avoid controversies that could interfere with the conduct of race meetings.

Negotiated on behalf of owners by TOC's Don I. Johnson and John Van de Kamp, and overseen by members of TOC's Purse Committee, TOC's purse contracts are officially known as "Race Meet Agreements," and are hammered out between TOC and individual track's management prior to the start of a meet. These agreements cover not only purses, but also simulcasting, stall assignments, and owners' proprietary rights.
While purse contracts weren't written to keep you entertained, they do contain many provisions affecting your racing stable. So take a minute to "peek inside" a purse contract.

Contract Determines How a Purse Under or Overpayment Will Be Made

While not rocket science, determining the purse money available for a race meet is not the easiest of tasks, either. Daily purse distributions are usually based upon figures from the previous year's meet, with adjustments to the distribution usually being made at meet's end in the form of "over" or "under" payments. Calculating over or underpayments can take months, due to the intricacies of modern simulcasting and the complex tallying of figures involved.

TOC personnel constantly monitor purse distributions to see if an underpayment is building, or if an overpayment is looming. The purse contract spells out how such over and underpayments should be made. If at the meet's end the racetrack has made an overpayment, meaning that it paid out more purse money than was generated for purses, the amount overpaid is deducted from the purse account in the succeeding year.

However, if the track has underpaid purses in an amount greater than $ 150,000 - $ 250,000, (this amount will vary from track to track), the track is bound by terms of the purse contract to issue a retroactive payment to those owners earning money at their meet. Such underpayments are issued to owners in proportion to the amount of overnight purse money the owner earned. If the track has made insufficient payments to the purse account in an amount less than $ 150,000 - $ 250,000, the deficiency is carried forward and added to the succeeding year's purse account.

Unfortunately, purse reductions are occasionally warranted during a racemeet when the wagering handle is depressed and purse revenues are lower than expected. With written consent from TOC, tracks can reduce purses as long as the reduction is uniformly applied to both overnight and stakes races. Likewise, occasionally purses may be increased during the meet when the amounts handled continue to exceed projected expectations. Such increases must be applied both retroactively and prospectively to the meet's purses, and are usually applied solely to overnight races. The purse contract also requires that all monies available for purses be held in a separate account for the benefit of horsemen, and not commingled with the monies belonging to the tracks. The track retains a Paymaster of Purses to manage these monies, which accrue reasonable interest. This interest can be substantial, and 50% of it is returned to owners in the form of purses for a series of starter allowance races at the race meet where the interest is generated. The track retains the remaining 50%.

Stakes Schedule and Overnight Racing Programs are Outlined

The purse contract covers both the stakes and overnight racing programs' content, and TOC's Purse Committee is heavily involved in these programs' design. In Southern California, between 25-28% of
total purse money is usually allocated to a racemeet's stakes program. This 28% can be substantial, as at Santa Anita's 2000 meet it amounted to $10.4 million. (The TOC Purse Committee has consistently attempted to reduce the total purse money allocated to stakes.) In Northern California, not more than 15% of the purse distribution is generally allocated to stakes. The remaining percentage is allocated to overnight races, and divided up into claiming, allowance, and overnight stakes races. While the track's racing secretary develops the daily racing card depending upon the local horse inventory, the purse contract outlines the racemeet's minimum claiming price, along with minimum purse levels for the various race categories.

In an effort to make those races listed in the condition book go, and thus give owners and trainers definitive races to point towards, the purse contract also states that when six horses are entered in an allowance or overnight stakes race under separate wagering interests, the race is considered filled and will be run. For all other overnight races, when seven horses enter separately the race is considered filled and will run. This provision was implemented in order to give owners and trainers confidence that those races listed in the condition book will be contested and allows them to
plan their training schedules accordingly.

Stall Assignments & Training Facilities Also Addressed

In order to provide owners with adequate stalls and training facilities, the purse contract also outlines the minimum number of stalls that the track will provide, and requires that they be in good condition for stabling of horses. In an attempt to be fair and not allow individual trainers to dominate a racemeet, the contract also sets a maximum number of stalls that any one trainer can have. Those trainers needing additional stalls usually find excess stabling at an auxiliary training facility approved by the CHRB and the track.

The purse contract also requires that a track open their main track and training track (if one exists) for a definitive period of time before and after the meet's running for training purposes (without cost to owners), and requires that the track maintain their training facilities in a safe condition. The purse contract also establishes minimum workouts that first-time starters or horses coming off of a layoff must complete before entering races. Furthermore, the contract requires that ambulances for both horses and humans be fully manned and operational during both training and racing hours.

Owners' Proprietary Rights Set Forth

Should a track desire to use the name, image, or likeness of a particular horse for promotional or commercial purposes (other than the promotion of live racing, simulcasting, or wagering) the track is obligated to contact the individual owner(s) to obtain permission to do so. However, owners need to be cognizant that the nomination of or entry of a horse into a race shall be deemed to be authorization for the track to use the name, image, or likeness of that horses for promotion of that race.
In the context of simulcasting or broadcasting races, the proprietary rights created by the collective image of the race belong to all owners participating in the given race meeting. The tracks negotiate exclusively with TOC for the consensual use of this image for purposes of simulcasting and televising. However, if a track receives compensation for a race sold to television or an interactive wagering service, or for other commercial purposes, then TOC's prior consent must be obtained before doing so, and a reasonable contribution to overnight purses must be negotiated.

The Right to Simulcast Included

As simulcasting today (both inter and intrastate) accounts for approximately 75% of the handle, the purse contract gets quite specific as to how tracks may simulcast California's races. In accordance with the Federal Interstate Horse Racing Act of 1978, TOC's consent must be obtained before the track exports California's racing signal. To do so, the track submits to TOC a list of simulcast outlets to which it wishes to send the racing signal, along with the amounts which the guest racing association is willing to pay for this signal. Upon review, during which adjustments to the amount paid for the signal are occasionally made, TOC usually issues letters of consent, although this consent can later be revoked by TOC with 48 hours' written notice. Additional simulcast outlets and races can be added to the contract subsequent to its execution, once again with TOC's written consent. For simulcast imports, the track notifies TOC of the interstate and international simulcast races that will be shown, and provides copies of written agreements from those locations from which the track wishes to import.
Purse monies and commissions generated by all simulcasting are divided in accordance with California horse racing law, and are usually shared equally between purses and track commissions.

Other Provisions

Other purse contract provisions of interest include the requirement that an owner's valid CHRB license allow them free admittance to the track's clubhouse, that owners silks be washed after being worn in a race, a prohibition against the track limiting the free enterprise marketplace providing backstretch supplies to trainers, and a provision that covers stabling and vanning from auxiliary training facilities.
Of special interest to owners is a "fire and disaster insurance" clause that requires the track to acquire and pay for Fire and Disaster insurance. This coverage protects owners against the loss, in part, of their horses due to fire or disaster.

Contracts Negotiated in a Spirit of Cooperation

Horse racing by nature is synergistic, with its various members working in an interdependent manner. While the industry can be fractious and fragmented at times, its leaders realize that no one component, be it the track, owners, trainers, or breeders, can singularly exist. Thus TOC and California's tracks negotiate purse contracts in a spirit of cooperation. As the purse contracts state, both parties "are mutually interested in the continuance, maintenance, and improvement of Thoroughbred racing in the State of California." The purse contract is also an instrument to this end.

Time & Class

Time - It's All Relative

Time is of the essence. At least that's what some people think. Racehorses, however, are not as conscious of time as their human counterparts. How fast a horse goes depends a little bit on training, a little on luck, and a lot on class. While it is important to understand how horses are timed on the track, both during the races and morning workouts, understanding your horse's class and running style will tell you much more about a workout or race than your stopwatch.

Let's say your trainer calls to report on your horse's morning workout. "He worked six furlongs in 1:13 1/5", your trainer states. Your first question should be, 'How did he do it?' Knowing how easily your horse traveled will tell more about his ability than the actual time. At least that's what some trainers say. There are others who don't bother to carry a stopwatch and only check time fractions during a race to determine the pace for their horse. Everyone looks for something different when asked about time, so be sure to find out from your trainer what is important.

Time is frequently used as a measure of how a horse is preparing for a race or has performed in the past. To some, results from a stopwatch indicate when a horse is ready to run, while others prefer to use workout times along with visual impressions to determine preparedness for racing. What makes time, as it relates to racehorses, so subjective is that time only measures how fast the horse is running, not the manner in which he is traveling. The factors that contribute to how fast or slow a horse works during the morning are limitless. Probably the most important factor is your horse's running style. If your horse is a closer (comes from off the pace), he may work the first 1/2 mile to 5/8th slowly and then work the final 1/8th a second or two faster. If your horse is a sprinter, each 1/8th of a mile may be a second faster than the work of an average horse. Horses that work in company (with more than one horse) exert more energy than those working alone, which could contribute to a faster workout.

Horses, on average, run 1/8th of a mile in 12 to 13 seconds. At six furlongs, a fast workout may be between 1:11 and 1:12, while a slow workout may be between 1:15 and 1:17. During the afternoon races, a fast time for the same distance may be between 1:08 and 1:09, while a slow time would be between 1:12 and 1:13. When analyzing time, don't forget the pace of a race usually determines the outcome. For example, if the first quarter is too fast the leading horses will get tired and not be able to finish. If it is too slow, the pacesetters will not get as tired and therefore may not be as easily caught at the wire.

Additionally, the surfaces on which your horse works and runs and track conditions contribute to the time of a workout or race. Dirt races are typically faster than turf (grass) races and dry tracks are usually faster than muddy tracks. As the morning turns into afternoon, final times take on an added significance, especially to fans in the grandstand and owners in the box seats. A maiden winner who runs six furlongs in 1:09 may turn out to be a future stakes winner, while the maiden horse that finishes in 1:13 is definitely for sale.

Written by Lucinda Mandella, TOC's Owners' Liaison

Claiming

The Art of Claiming
By Jerry Hollendorfer

Everyone hopes to own a stakes horse, or better yet, a Graded Stakes horse. However, the reality is that most of us own claiming stock. Despite that fact, it seems that in terms of personal satisfaction, we jump just as high and smile just as broadly when one of our claimers wins a race as those owners lucky enough to own a stakes winner.

While some owners are consumed by the desire to find and race only stakes horses, there is a significant number of horsemen who prefer to devote their time and energies to developing a powerful and lucrative stable of claiming horses. Sometimes this "preference" is driven by a personal desire to compete as often as possible, but in most instances it is purely a question of economics, i.e., what is most affordable to the particular owner.

In addition to financial considerations, and given the predominance of claiming races and the relative "abundance" of claiming stock, a prudent owner should always consider the inherent advantages and disadvantages of any claim. These considerations apply equally to both individual claims and to the claiming process in general.

General Advantages
It is widely accepted that claiming horses have established values. In other words, their performance on the track and the levels at which they are competitive are clear objective indications of a horse's value.

Purely from an investment standpoint, this makes the claiming horse a "less risky" investment; the speculative nature of assessing and establishing a horse's value is significantly reduced.

General Disadvantages
It is commonly recognized in the industry that there is a shortage of quality racing stock. In the claiming business this fact translates into more and more competition at the claiming box. Consequently, "getting outshook" is a fact of life.

Owners must also keep in mind that, as the competition for quality horses becomes keener and the available horse inventory more heavily scrutinized, it is in this environment that more "bad claims" are likely to occur. The heightened competition for good horses coupled with better purses makes all of us more willing to make riskier claims.

Opportunity to Invest
In comparison to equine purchases made at auction sales, in the claiming game there is a ready supply of horses available for purchase everyday. Accordingly, an owner can essentially change his/her stable's inventory on any given day.

Likewise, there are so many varied claiming levels that the average owner enjoys a diverse "menu" from which to select. If one is willing to look for horses to claim at racetracks other than the closest track, your opportunity to find a useful horse could be improved.

Points to Keep in Mind
A. Common mistakes to avoid

Don't make desperation claims. Each horse must be fairly and reasonably evaluated as to performance, available conditions, pedigree, and demonstrated earnings. Spend only as much as the evaluation indicates the horse is worth. Try to claim only horses at or near that price, and, above all, make certain they are as sound as possible.

B. Relying on "gut instincts"

To some extent, every claim represents some level of intuition or "gut instinct." However, that does not imply that the decision is in reality nothing more than a guess. To the contrary, in this context, intuition represents experience and innate skill.

No claim should be made unless the basic questions regarding value, condition, pedigree, etc. have been addressed. However, from that point forward, intuition is about as valuable as any other factor.

C. Building your stable through claiming

Only you and you alone should decide if this is your preferred method of operation. However, many horsemen, owner and trainer alike, have built successful stables on the athletic prowess and ability of the claiming horse. It is the most affordable means of developing or expanding one's stable.

Conclusion

Luck and skill are essential to the success of just about every business. However, the success of any claim relies primarily on the skill of the individual making the claim.

There is no simple means to teach one how to become adept in the claiming game. What must be taught is that there is no substitute for study and learned evaluation of a horse's potential and actual performance. As with any science or art, those who experience success and recognition are generally the hardest workers.

Factors to consider when claiming a horse.
By Gary Burke

Even though most of the news in horse racing is about the high-profile horses, most of the races are for claiming stock. I have been claiming horses for more than fifteen years and find it to be a preferred strategy for many owners and trainers.

While claiming is sometimes called a lesser way to participate, it helps owners because the value of the horse has been more clearly established. Additionally, the majority of these horses are ready to race within three weeks after they are claimed.

Following is a partial list of factors to consider when claiming a horse:

1. Can an equipment change improve the horse?
2. How about a surface change (i.e., dirt to turf)?
3. Will a different distance work?
4. How about different training techniques?
5. Are there any obvious physical problems?
6. What is the age of the horse?
7. Does the horse appear to be in good condition?
8. Do you like the way he or she walks?
9. What race conditions is the horse eligible for?

As you can readily conclude, it is very important to have a professional point of view to help make these decisions. Hence, the quality of the owner/trainer relationship will insure long- term involvement and success.

There is nothing more exciting and gratifying than claiming a horse, moving it up in class, and winning a race. For one brief moment the thought goes through your mind, "You clever devil."