Optional claimers were not around much going back 25 or more years ago. They did start to become more popular into the mid to late 80's when the downturn in breeding and the horse shortage brought on by that as well as too much racing in to many states at the same time came to be. It took about 7-10 years of fighting to fill these races back in the late 70's before they started to grow in popularity. The reason they are popular is because filling a 40k or 30k claiming race became very tough to do. Filling a two other than ,three other than or non winners in a year allowance also became tougher. When the above horse shortage began, some tracks began to combine the two categories and were able to better fill the races . Eventually, everyone started doing it.
As for the starters, they were very prevalent. Especially the 5k starters, going long. These were a big draw and used to be run in a series of four, every Saturday for 4 weeks. Once that series was done, it would start again about 2-3 months later. Most would run starting at 1 1/16th miles and go to 1 1/8th, 1 3/16thand conclude at 1 1/4 miles. They ran for four Saturdays in a row. It was not uncommon to run in all four of them but as a trainer, I always tried to run in just three of them. Depending on the horse, I would try and skip #2 or #3 in the series. #2 was the best to skip because everyone tried to run in the 1st two. So because of that, most trainers tried to skip #3 . Skipping #2 allowed my horse a breather and to duck a fuller field. It was also easier because the racing secretary was not putting heavy (subtle but threatening) pressure on the trainer to enter to beef up the Saturday card to help improve the handle. It also allowed my horse to run in a much smaller field in starters 3 and 4. Unless distance was a big issue, I always opted to do this if for no other reason than it was thinking differently than all the other older trainers. Remember, back then, I was in my 20's and most trainers back then were in at least their late 40's or older. Young trainers were really rare back in the 70's.And thinking outside the box was damn near unacceptable. It was a much different world back then.
Again, it was the horse shortage from breeding and the over saturation of racing that made the starter hard to fill over time and forced it out of the condition book in plenty of places.
Charles Town used to run a starter series that started at 1 mile and went a 1/16th longer each week until it concluded on the last day of racing around the 2nd week of December at 2 miles, each year. That was when they closed down from early Dec. until early February each year. It was a huge fan favorite. I loved it when I was going there during high school and was a gambler. I will never forget seeing this girl in the infield at C.T. near the finish line holding up cards for the jockeys with how many laps were left on those 2 mile races. Lol.
What other racing forums do you visit ?
As for the starters, they were very prevalent. Especially the 5k starters, going long. These were a big draw and used to be run in a series of four, every Saturday for 4 weeks. Once that series was done, it would start again about 2-3 months later. Most would run starting at 1 1/16th miles and go to 1 1/8th, 1 3/16thand conclude at 1 1/4 miles. They ran for four Saturdays in a row. It was not uncommon to run in all four of them but as a trainer, I always tried to run in just three of them. Depending on the horse, I would try and skip #2 or #3 in the series. #2 was the best to skip because everyone tried to run in the 1st two. So because of that, most trainers tried to skip #3 . Skipping #2 allowed my horse a breather and to duck a fuller field. It was also easier because the racing secretary was not putting heavy (subtle but threatening) pressure on the trainer to enter to beef up the Saturday card to help improve the handle. It also allowed my horse to run in a much smaller field in starters 3 and 4. Unless distance was a big issue, I always opted to do this if for no other reason than it was thinking differently than all the other older trainers. Remember, back then, I was in my 20's and most trainers back then were in at least their late 40's or older. Young trainers were really rare back in the 70's.And thinking outside the box was damn near unacceptable. It was a much different world back then.
Again, it was the horse shortage from breeding and the over saturation of racing that made the starter hard to fill over time and forced it out of the condition book in plenty of places.
Charles Town used to run a starter series that started at 1 mile and went a 1/16th longer each week until it concluded on the last day of racing around the 2nd week of December at 2 miles, each year. That was when they closed down from early Dec. until early February each year. It was a huge fan favorite. I loved it when I was going there during high school and was a gambler. I will never forget seeing this girl in the infield at C.T. near the finish line holding up cards for the jockeys with how many laps were left on those 2 mile races. Lol.
What other racing forums do you visit ?
