What is a G1 race?
Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. To attain or maintain a Group One status, the average rating for the first four finishers in the race must be 115 or higher over a three-year period.
What is the difference between a grade 1 and grade 2 horse race?
Grade 2 races are directly below Grade 1 (surprisingly). The weight a horse carries here is decided either by Weight-For-Age, but there are minor penalties for previous wins, or the handicaps carry a very limited weight range.
What is a stakes race in USA?
A graded stakes race is a thoroughbred horse race in the United States that meets the criteria of the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA).
What’s an allowance race?
An allowance race is one in which the runners run for a higher purse than in a maiden race. These races usually involve conditions such as “non-winner of three lifetime.” They usually are for a horse which has broken its maiden but is not ready for stakes company.
How does a claiming race work?
In the simplest terms, a claiming race is a race in which all horses entered can be purchased (i.e., “claimed”) out of the race. But a buyer must offer to purchase a horse before the race starts, not after it might enter the winner’s circle.
What is the difference between a derby and a stakes race?
Graded stakes are the upper echelon in horse racing, the major leagues. They are further divided into Grade 3s (the lowest level), Grade 2s and Grade 1s (the highest level). The Kentucky Derby is, of course, a Grade 1, as are the other two races making up the Triple Crown.
What is a starter allowance?
Similar to an allowance race, a horse entered in a starter allowance race cannot be claimed. A starter allowance can bring together a wide range of claiming and allowance horses. If the race is a handicap, then the Racing Secretary assigns weight to each horse similar to a stakes handicap.