could someone explain why...

[3nutmeg]

Could someone explain why a trainer would start a horse in maiden clm?

I've noticed some horses start out doing well in allowance races then end up running endless claiming races. What are some reasons for this?

Have there been any horses that have outbred their claimer status?

Do you find that a lot of horses fail because they are not placed in the right distance race? Or rushed because the money is in shorter races?

Thanks

[LB]

Trainers get a sense of a horse's potential from working with them in the mornings. If they don't think that the horse has the talent to run in maiden special weight, they will opt for maiden claiming for two reasons: first because the competition is easier so there's more chance of a win (or a placement). And second because they don't want a young horse to get discouraged by being overfaced (and thoroughly trounced) by better horses in his first race.

Horses that run in allowance company, then drop into the claiming ranks do so either because they stop being competitive in allowance company and need easier competition in order to run successfully, or because they have run through their conditions, meaning that they have won races for non-winners of 1, 2, and 3 and now must either go up or down: stakes company or claiming company.

It's not unusual for horses that have run in claiming races to produce well after they're retired (usually mares as they will be the ones who get the opportunity.) Ken Ramsey claimed a whole stable full of mares to breed to Kitten's Joy and produced a boatload of stakes winners out of them.

[3nutmeg]

Thanks so much LB, your explanation was very helpful and easy for me to understand. It makes more sense now.

[LB]

You're welcome.