Pre-Race Preparation:
Your owner license is current?
Your horseman's account with the Horsemen's Bookkeeper is opened?
At least $40 should be in your account at the racetrack with the Horsemen's Bookkeeper to cover your jockey fee. (Also, if you have your eye on another horse you might like to buy from a claiming race, you or your Designated Representative must insure that the claiming price amount is on deposit prior to putting in a claim for that horse.) In the State of Texas, the horsemen's bookkeeping system is centralized by the Texas Horsemen's Partnership, in order to better serve the horsemen running at the numerous tracks throughout the state. It is now similar to branch banking. This means that any necessary account maintenance can be done from any racetrack running a live meet in the state and through the Texas Horsemen's Partnership's main office in Austin year round. Check our Resources page for Horseman's Bookeeping information.
Your silks are in the jockey room?
Hopefully you are reading through all this information well in advance of your horse's first start as many owners take painstaking care and time in designing their silks, or "colors." Silks are the colorful shirts worn by a jockey during a race. It is one of the delightful tasks of race preparation that insures your horse's jockey will be wearing your own unique look to make your horse stand out. When your horse breaks from the starting gates among a large field of contenders, you will easily be able to spot him. And, your own colors will be proudly displayed on your jockey aboard your horse in your Winners Circle photo! If your horse wears blinkers for his race, you may also want to order a pair that match your silks. Matching helmet covers for your jockey are also a plus. Turn in your silks to the jockey room well in advance of your race. It is recommended you check in your silks at the beginning of the race meet so they can be cataloged by the jockey room attendant. The jockey room will take care of laundering your silks after each race and having them prepared for the jockey for the next race on your horse.
Your horse has his valid negative Coggins and his Health Certificate?
All horses not stabled at the racing grounds must enter the stable area with a valid negative Coggins test dated in the 12-month period before the horse's arrival, and a health certificate issued in the 45-day period preceding the horse's arrival. All horses shipping in to race must stable in the receiving barn or stakes barn. Call to the receiving barn or racing office so they are aware of your plans for arrival.
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Race Day Pre-race Veterinary Inspections:
Pre-race veterinary examinations usually begin at 3:00 p.m. on race days. Check the racetrack condition book. All ship-in horses on the Texas Furosemide program should be on the grounds at least five (5) hours prior to the scheduled post time of their race. The Commission Veterinarian will be available to examine horses in the Receiving Barn between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. You must have your horse's legs unwrapped and clean.
Once your horse's exam is over, there's nothing to do but wait for the race! Unless you are training your horse yourself, your trainer and groom will tend to these next steps. Remember, if you are not training but have an owner's license, you are welcome to go visit your horse in the stable area and escort him through these next steps. However, no alcoholic beverages are allowed on the backside. Keep your festivities confined to the grandstand!
First Call!!!
The approximate post time for your race will be noted in the racing program, and all horses must be ready to go to the pre-race holding areas at the appropriate time- generally 45 minutes or more prior to their race time. If you are not training your own horse, you will usually wait for him to show up in the saddling paddock near the grandstands area of the racetrack just after the prior race has finished. But if you are involved hands-on with your horse, the First Call announcement in the backside (stable area) will bring an adrenalin rush. By that time your horse should be impeccably groomed, have his bridle on, and any sort of vetwraps on his legs he might wear for the race. He should now be on his way to the pre-race inspection area, or Holding Barn.
Holding Barn!
All horses are walked by their trainer and groom to the holding barn. This is a special barn area with open stall areas, each marked with a number. Grooms will find an apron with the horse number hanging in their respective stall. Your groom will put this apron on over his shirt, to help fans identify the horse as he is walked into the saddling paddock. At this time, an identifier will inspect each horse to insure his markings and tatoo match his registration papers. Each horse may be asked to walk out of his stall area to inspect for any obvious signs of distress or unsoundness that might have appeared after his veterinary exam. Being late to the holding barn can mean a stiff fine and/or expulsion from the race.
Saddling Paddock!
The horses are walked from the barn to the paddock area, where fans can watch the horses being saddled. The horses are once again identified and inspected by officials. The trainer saddles the horse along with an official provided by the track, and the number badge is attached to the horse's bridle. The jockey appears and often chats with the trainer for last minute instructions for the race. The horses are then paraded along a walking ring as the jockeys mount them, and led out to the track by the trainer or groom.
Post Parade!
"The horses have come onto the track for the race" booms over the loudspeaker, echoing off the grandstands. If your heart was not pounding before, it will be now! The horses' lead ropes are handed over to the Pony horse riders. The Pony will now escort your horse to the gates, as he is first paraded in front of the grandstands for fans to see. Some horses will be trotted alongside their Pony, others galloped, others will prefer to walk, and still other horses may go without a Pony-- all depending on the trainer's instruction. "The horses have reached the starting gate" now booms over the loudspeaker.
The Start!
"They're all in line." The announcer comments to the fans when the horses have all been successfully loaded into the gates. "And THEY'RE OFF." The starting bell sounds loudly and your heart jumps into your throat! You may choose to watch your horse from high up in the grandstands with a clear view of the entire track, or stand close to the track by the rail for a close-up view of the finish. Many owners, fans and trainers also prefer to watch the live video screens located all over the racetrack grandstands which give a great close-up view of the race even on the far side of the track. From whatever perspective, the race is the culmination of months (sometimes years!) of hard work, hopes and anticipation. This is when dreams come true.
The Finish!
No one is happier than the winner, and the ecstacy is certainly catching as friends and fans rush to join in the winner's circle for the photo. As the horses are slowed past the finish line and trotted back in front of the grandstands, trainers and grooms meet their horse and jockey on the track with a halter and lead. With exception of the winner, the horses are immediately unsaddled and led to the clerk of scales where the jockey "weighs in." Then the horses are led off the track, with the 2nd place horse (and often another random pick from the field) escorted by an official to the Test Barn. The winning owner and his friends are oblivious to all this, as their horse makes his way to the winner's circle with jockey on board. Once the photos are taken, the jockey leaps off, unsaddles the horse, much congratulating is made, and the winning jockey does his weigh in. The winning horse is then led to the Test Barn, accompanied by an official.
Test Barn:
Exhilaration and relief all at the same time is the atmosphere in the test barn. The winning horses are quite proud and know they've done a great job, too. However, the serious professionalism of highly regulated processes in this building keep celebration postponed. Most owners will enjoy themselves in the grandstands as the trainer and groom attend to the horse with much praise. Since the horse is required to submit a urine specimen, the time spent in the test barn can be long. The horse is first bathed and his bridle replaced with a halter. As he is walked inside the large monitored room, he is offered drinks of water from buckets specifically labelled for his use. When he appears to be ready, he is led to a clean stall full of deep fluffy shavings or straw. Usually the first thing he will do is sniff around and roll. A vet technician is present in the room with a long handled catch cup. After he's had his fun rolling, the horse will urinate in the cup. The trainer and vet tech will whistle to encourage him to do his job. Once the specimen is collected, the vet will take a blood sample. Both the urine and blood samples are sealed in front of the trainer, and paperwork must be signed by the trainer as well as initialing the containers with the samples. Then the horse is free to go to his regular barn.
Afterwards:
Back in the barns all the horses have been bathed and groomed, walked out, checked for health issues, made comfortable in their stalls, and usually offered an evening meal. Trainers and owners alike join in the camaradarie of the post race activity, either rehashing the race in the grandstands or on the backside. The winner is full of jubilee, some of the other finishers also quite happy with their accomplishments. And some of the finishers are just plain disappointed, but there is always next time. No time like the present to plan for the next race, and all are looking forward to it with renewed anticipation.
Ordering Photos and Videos:
Every winner is proud of their accomplishments, and (besides money won) a win photo and video are mementos that most owners enjoy. Owners and trainers of non-winning horses are also prone to order videos as a way to review their races and develop strategies to win the next one. Contact the track photographer the morning after your race to order.
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