Condition Sheet
Quote from Lonnie on January 7, 2025, 10:54 AMHave you ever seen anything more confusing than the conditions on races nowadays? It's a royal mess. No wonder new fans aren't attracted, and old ones are getting disgusted.
It's a hodgepodge of conditions stacked upon conditions to try to get races filled. As a result, the fields are a mixture of horses that should not even be in the same race as others. I forgot which track I was looking at the other day and noticed that the percentage of winning favorites was almost 50%. That's unacceptable. Back in the day, the percentage was around 30% and we thought that was too high.
Back in the good old days, we had a letter classification that was easy for the fans and trainers (though they didn't always agree with what classification the Race Secretary assigned to them, but eventually the horse rose or fell to the appropriate class.
This is how races were classified back in the day.
From Low to High:
C3 - C2 - C1 - B3 - B2 - B1 - A3 - A2 - A1 - JFA - FFA
When you won the race secretary moved you up in class. When you lost a few (I forget the exact rules surrounding this), you were moved down in class. Simple as pie. Everyone can understand it. Especially the fans.
There were also Maiden, NW2, NW3, and Claiming races too. If trainers didn't like how the Race Secretary classified their horses, they always had the option to "classify" them themselves by entering them into claiming races.
@amac : Do you think going back to classification racing makes sense?
Have you ever seen anything more confusing than the conditions on races nowadays? It's a royal mess. No wonder new fans aren't attracted, and old ones are getting disgusted.
It's a hodgepodge of conditions stacked upon conditions to try to get races filled. As a result, the fields are a mixture of horses that should not even be in the same race as others. I forgot which track I was looking at the other day and noticed that the percentage of winning favorites was almost 50%. That's unacceptable. Back in the day, the percentage was around 30% and we thought that was too high.
Back in the good old days, we had a letter classification that was easy for the fans and trainers (though they didn't always agree with what classification the Race Secretary assigned to them, but eventually the horse rose or fell to the appropriate class.
This is how races were classified back in the day.
From Low to High:
C3 - C2 - C1 - B3 - B2 - B1 - A3 - A2 - A1 - JFA - FFA
When you won the race secretary moved you up in class. When you lost a few (I forget the exact rules surrounding this), you were moved down in class. Simple as pie. Everyone can understand it. Especially the fans.
There were also Maiden, NW2, NW3, and Claiming races too. If trainers didn't like how the Race Secretary classified their horses, they always had the option to "classify" them themselves by entering them into claiming races.
@amac : Do you think going back to classification racing makes sense?
Quote from SC Upstate on January 7, 2025, 11:45 AMLonnie, you're on point today! Totally agree on the clarifications. Testing my memory but I think if you didn't hit the board in three races the horse was moved down. I could be wrong on that. The Meadowlands used to (back in the eighties, no idea since) used to classify by money earned in the last six races. Basically in increments of $2000. NW$6000L6, NW$8000L6, etc.. Super easy to follow. That leads to another problem, not enough horses and small stables. It's all about the having the best and being the best now. There used to be countless horseman with stables of 8-10-12 raceway horses, each racing 30-40 times.
Lonnie, you're on point today! Totally agree on the clarifications. Testing my memory but I think if you didn't hit the board in three races the horse was moved down. I could be wrong on that. The Meadowlands used to (back in the eighties, no idea since) used to classify by money earned in the last six races. Basically in increments of $2000. NW$6000L6, NW$8000L6, etc.. Super easy to follow. That leads to another problem, not enough horses and small stables. It's all about the having the best and being the best now. There used to be countless horseman with stables of 8-10-12 raceway horses, each racing 30-40 times.
Quote from Lonnie on January 7, 2025, 12:06 PMQuote from SC Upstate on January 7, 2025, 11:45 AMLonnie, you're on point today! Totally agree on the clarifications. Testing my memory but I think if you didn't hit the board in three races the horse was moved down. I could be wrong on that. The Meadowlands used to (back in the eighties, no idea since) used to classify by money earned in the last six races. Basically in increments of $2000. NW$6000L6, NW$8000L6, etc.. Super easy to follow. That leads to another problem, not enough horses and small stables. It's all about the having the best and being the best now. There used to be countless horseman with stables of 8-10-12 raceway horses, each racing 30-40 times.
Thank you!
When the Meadowlands opened back in the day that's how they carded races. Briefly, I forget when, they went to the letter classification only to go back a short time later.
And I do believe you were right that horses would drop a class after finishing out of the money three straight races (there might have been some other conditions as well to drop a horse).
Quote from SC Upstate on January 7, 2025, 11:45 AMLonnie, you're on point today! Totally agree on the clarifications. Testing my memory but I think if you didn't hit the board in three races the horse was moved down. I could be wrong on that. The Meadowlands used to (back in the eighties, no idea since) used to classify by money earned in the last six races. Basically in increments of $2000. NW$6000L6, NW$8000L6, etc.. Super easy to follow. That leads to another problem, not enough horses and small stables. It's all about the having the best and being the best now. There used to be countless horseman with stables of 8-10-12 raceway horses, each racing 30-40 times.
Thank you!
When the Meadowlands opened back in the day that's how they carded races. Briefly, I forget when, they went to the letter classification only to go back a short time later.
And I do believe you were right that horses would drop a class after finishing out of the money three straight races (there might have been some other conditions as well to drop a horse).
Quote from MaywoodAl on January 7, 2025, 4:03 PMMy memory a bit foggy. But back in late 80's thru 90's, Chicago area, I think about half the races were claiming. Then the NW of $x last y races. Plus nw1 , nw2, etc. The FFAs ( I guess opens these days) Handicaps.
Plus only 10 races. The five hour time frame these days is too long in my opinion.
Many promotions also. The only reason I first went to a harness track was the free beer and appetizers pre-race parties that Maywood held on Friday nights.
Back then big crowds every weekend.
Still big crowds on big race nights/days these days but pretty dead otherwise. ( I get to Ind, KY, OH and PA a few times a year)
My memory a bit foggy. But back in late 80's thru 90's, Chicago area, I think about half the races were claiming. Then the NW of $x last y races. Plus nw1 , nw2, etc. The FFAs ( I guess opens these days) Handicaps.
Plus only 10 races. The five hour time frame these days is too long in my opinion.
Many promotions also. The only reason I first went to a harness track was the free beer and appetizers pre-race parties that Maywood held on Friday nights.
Back then big crowds every weekend.
Still big crowds on big race nights/days these days but pretty dead otherwise. ( I get to Ind, KY, OH and PA a few times a year)
Quote from Bgtolex25 on January 7, 2025, 4:57 PMQuote from MaywoodAl on January 7, 2025, 4:03 PMPlus only 10 races. The five hour time frame these days is too long in my opinion.
Many promotions also. The only reason I first went to a harness track was the free beer and appetizers pre-race parties that Maywood held on Friday nights.
Back then big crowds every weekend.
Other sports recognize the time issue as well. MLB with the pitch clock. NFL and NCAA with various clock stoppage reductions.
And would it be too hard to recognize that tracks need a special area for the gamblers (not that they are restricted to those areas but set aside specific amenities in those areas for gamblers). Have anther family friendly area, an area for dates, etc.
Quote from MaywoodAl on January 7, 2025, 4:03 PMPlus only 10 races. The five hour time frame these days is too long in my opinion.
Many promotions also. The only reason I first went to a harness track was the free beer and appetizers pre-race parties that Maywood held on Friday nights.
Back then big crowds every weekend.
Other sports recognize the time issue as well. MLB with the pitch clock. NFL and NCAA with various clock stoppage reductions.
And would it be too hard to recognize that tracks need a special area for the gamblers (not that they are restricted to those areas but set aside specific amenities in those areas for gamblers). Have anther family friendly area, an area for dates, etc.