Have you ever wondered how a trainer or owner decides which race is best for their horse? Read on to learn more about classes in harness racing!
Non-winners and winners:
- Restricted to non-winners of a set number of races lifetime
- Can be non-winners of a given amount of money in a given amount of recent starts
- Certain races can have additional conditions as well, such as “non-winners of a set number of races OR a set number of dollars lifetime”.
- Once graduated, a horse can compete in conditions for winners of a given number of races in a given number of time
Claiming:
- Straight claimers: As they sound, simply a claiming race without conditions
- Claiming handicaps: Where post positions are handicapped based off of a horse’s claiming price
- Conditioned claimers: Claiming races with additional conditions, such as non-winners of a given number of races at a set claiming price
Invitationals:
- Require an invitation to compete
- Open or preferred races are restricted to top horses at a particular racetrack
- Stakes races can be invitationals
Early/Late Closing Events:
- Similar to stakes races, early and late closing events require advance payments to be eligible to run in them
- Required advance payments are made much closer to the actual date of the race compared to stakes races
- “Early” or “late” refers to the time period involved
Stakes Races:
- The highest class of race in harness racing
- Horsemen must make a series of payments well in advance of the race date to keep horses eligible to compete
- Missing one payment makes a horse ineligible
Sire Stakes:
- Vary from state to state
- Pennsylvania Sire Stakes are restricted to horses whose sires were standing in Pennsylvania in the year of conception
- Payments are made as yearlings, two-year-olds, and three-year-olds
- Points are accumulated with each round of stakes, and the year’s leading point earners have the opportunity to compete in a year-end championship event for added money
- Pennsylvania also has consolations
Tiers of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes:
- Pennsylvania Sire Stakes: for top level sire stakes horses
- Pennsylvania Stallion Series: the “B” level, below sire stakes
- Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Fairs: contested at county fairs
- “A” divisions are for top fair horses
- Points are earned for a chance to compete in fair championships
- “B” divisions are for lower level horses who do not earn points
- If a horse wins three of four starts at the B level, it must move up to the A level until it loses at least two starts
- “A” divisions are for top fair horses
