Vaal Lower Ability Races

Very good to see this type of meeting in operation. Let's be honest a fair wack of these horses have found their place in racing and will battle to earn their keep on the track in the future. I wonder if it is not time to consider having a Claiming Clause available to entrants of all these types of races? Perhaps an owner that wishes to retire his horse can set a price for the horse(with a proviso that the horse may/may not be used to race under NHRA rules if bought) - available for everyone to see.
Any interested parties can then equal or better the price or there could be traditional claims on the horses. If a jump school/individual or polo cross yard wishes to buy the horse they have an opportunity to see it's action and conformation and the owner now has an outlet to retire the horse without having to source a buyer (the NHRA should be forced to become involved to check out the credentials of buyers as they have a duty to protect the horse - there is also an opportunity here for the Horse Racing Trust to garner some type of income as they could perhaps be afforded the rights to grant an Adoption Certificate to individual buyers) - knowing that when the horse retired it was in racing fit condition.

Morning Mr H, what do you think of Claiming Races?

A claiming race in thoroughbred horse racing is one in which the horses are all for sale for more or less the same price (the "claiming price") up until shortly before the race. Race types form a hierarchy in terms of the quality of horse they attract, with handicap races and graded stakes races attracting the "best" horses and maiden races the most unseasoned. Claiming races fall at the bottom of this hierarchy, below maiden races, and make up the bulk of races run at most tracks.[1]. For example in Kentucky in 1999, 54% of all races run were claiming races, but had only 20% of the purse dollar value, the lowest average purse among race types.[2]

The mechanics of claiming vary based on jurisdiction but in most cases almost anyone, or possibly anyone who is licensed to own racehorses, may claim. For example, the Illinois Racing Board stipulates that any horse may be claimed for its entered price by any licensed owner or agent or anyone who has filed an application and been granted a claiming license.[3] Title to the horse typically transfers just before the start of the race[4], but the previous owner is entitled to the purse, if any, that results from the horse's performance in the race.[3] Usually related parties such as the trainer or employees, or relatives, are prohibited from claiming, as are reciprocal agreements between owners to "protect" each other's horses.[4] If a horse is purchased, a track official tags it (often with a red tag[1]) after the race, and it goes to its new owner, assuming the new owner had sufficient funds on deposit.[3][4]

Claiming races have claim amounts which vary, and higher amounts tend to have richer purses. The intent of this is to even the race; if a better-than-class horse is entered (with the expectation of an easy purse win), it might be lost for the claiming price, which is likely less than the horse is worth. Someone may wish to claim a horse if they think the horse has not been trained to its fullest potential under another trainer.

Claiming races serve several purposes. They are a quality classification, as well as a way of ensuring racing outcomes are less predictable, which in turn increases the handle, or amount of parimutuel betting, and a way to bring liquidity to the racehorse marketplace.[2]. Although many horses never rise above claiming races, some do. For example Stymie, a USD 1500 claimer, went on to earn over 900,000 USD winning many storied grade 1 stakes and handicap races in the 1940s, and General Quarters, a USD 20,000 claimer won the grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes and ran in the 2009 Kentucky Derby.

Was good to see the Vaal being raided by Flamingo yesterday

Very good suggestion imo, mr H; not sure why this concept has never been introduced into SA racing

Dave I think traditional claiming races have a place but i'd rather have no restriction and grant the owner the right to to sell in any of the races on the card without the label of "Claiming Race" attached as you may not have to wait ages to find the correct type of claiming race to enter your horse into. In the interm the horse is still kept in training while you wait for a race that suites your horse when all you and the trainer want to do is sell the horse in 'peak condition'. I think the idea of publishing that you want 5k for your horse after the race will encourage buyers - they want a horse, like what they see - realse that it cannot be used for racing purposes again(or can) and conclude the deal after the race. Try to keep it simple as claiming races were tried here and did not get off the ground if i remember correctly.

Claiming races are fantastic. I bought my first winner from one, as it happens.

Imagine if you had 40 horses in training to pick from once a month Magic - or if you had an owner that wanted to get involved immediately - partnerships disolved at a set price and "you see what you get without the wait".

100%, Mr H. How can a continuous trade in horses not be a good thing?