When you mention horse racing a few different things usually come to mind. Some people immediately start to talk about the Dick Francis novel they just read, while other’s immediately mention the Kentucky Derby. Still others can’t help but mention how exciting European steeple chasing is. There is one aspect of horse racing that is frequently overlooked, harness racing.
The Origins of Harness Horse Racing
Despite the fact that online horse racing has sort of become a forgotten part of horse racing, there was a time when it was a very important part of the American life. Thoroughbred racing was inaccessible to the average American. The big races were only held in the big city, and the average person could not possibly hope to own a racing Thoroughbred. Harness racing was different. Harness racing was an important part of the annual county fair and was something everyone could participate in. The horses used in the early harness races where the same horse that worked in the fields and pulled the family to the fair.
The Standardbred vs. The Thoroughbred
Eventually the horses that were used for harness horse racing evolved into what is now called the Standardbred. When compared to the Thoroughbred, the Standardbred doesn’t look or act like a typical race horse. The typical racing Thoroughbred is fine bones with an elegant head and well toned muscles. Most Thoroughbreds have what horse people call a hot personality and are prone to spooking and are sensitive to criticism. The Standard bred is sleek, has toned muscles, and fine bones, the Standardbred is thick bodied, heavy boned, and usually has course head. Most Standardbreds are laid backed and affectionate.
The Development of the Standardbred Race Horse
One of the really great things about harness horse racing is that the average owner is very involved in the horse’s life. In addition to paying the horses bills, most Standard bred owners are also the horse’s trainer and also jockey’s the horse during the races. It isn’t unusual for the owner to also be the breeder.
The great thing about having a horse that is owned and trained by the same person is that the horses well being is usually the first priority. Without an owner calling the shots, the trainer can customize the training plan for each horse. It is easier to make the decision to decide that a horse isn’t ready to race when you know you don’t have to worry about how to explain the situation to an owner. As a result most Standardbreds are better prepared, mentally and physically, to race than Thoroughbreds.
The Triple Crown
The most famous harness race is the Hambletonian. Like the Kentucky Derby, the Hambletonian is the first leg in a race for the Triple Crown. Unlike the Kentucky Derby, where the horse gets a single opportunity to win, the Hambletonian is run in heats. The results of all three heats are averaged together to determine the overall winner. After winning the Hambletonian the winner goes on to race in the next leg of the harness racing Triple Crown, the Yonkers Trot. The third leg of the Harness racing Triple Crown is the Kentucky Futurity. A total of 8 Standardbred have won the Triple Crown, the last one was Glidemaster in 2006.