Horse Racing Forms

Horse Racing Forms

A horse race form is a printed program that displays all of the necessary information about a horse race. It will usually list the scheduled races, the names of the horses, and other pertinent race information. A horse race card helps bettors make an informed betting choice. There is a lot of very valuable information on the forms that betters really should know such as the time that each race will be starting.

It will provide information about the purse which is the prize money that must be split between the owner, trainer and jockey. Prize money is also distributed, on a sliding scale, to those finishing in the first few places. The form also provides detail on the distance of the race which is very important. Flat races are usually run at distances from 5 to 12 furlongs. A furlong is one eighth of a mile or 0.2 km. It will also give all of the race details, the horse's odds at the beginning of the day and will keep you notified of the changes that occur with that horse during the day.

The form will tell you the color of the saddle cloths that the horses are wearing so that you can tell them apart basically. You will need to know the post position which tells you which position is assigned to the horse in the starting gate. Of course you will want to know the name of the horses too, which is listed on the forms. Owners often use a name that stands out and is easily recalled by bettors. Actually, some bettors bet on name alone.

The major colors are bay, chestnut, black, brown, white, gray, pinto (patches of brown, white and black), buckskin, dun, and roan. The color of each horse is also listed on the form as well as abbreviations of the horse and its sex. Some of the abbreviations are c=colt, f=filly, h=thoroughbred aged 5 or older, and g= gelding. All of this information is very important to know before betting.

You should also know the horse’s age because most horses reach mental maturity at around seven or eight years old, when their behavior generally becomes calmer and more accepting but of course your forms will tell you this information as well. People often want to know who the parent's of the horse are and their names. This information is usually, but not always included. This data is useful for bettors to determine possible horse performance through lineage.

It is valuable to know who handled the horse's upbringing, the amount of weight, including the jockey that the horse will be carrying. Obvious other facts of importance are who the trainer is, who the owner is, certainly the jockey who has a huge part to play in a big race. His ability to guide the horse in the race often spells the difference between victory and defeat.

There are other sections on the forms as well but the summary of past results is very important. These are crucial to viewers who want to distinguish which horse they have backed.