Two weeks ago, the headlines in the daily newspapers revealed that the impending day's races was intended for the lowest class of horses in T&T. The most remarkable aspect of that headline is that it was unremarkable.
The lowest class of horses in Trinidad has been the focus of the Arima Race Club for the longest while and it seems, based on their approach to the framing of races and the cancellation of framed races, that they are quite comfortable in the sport settling down at a level that might, one day if not already today, be considered to be even lower than that of our neighbour Guyana.
Let us look at some statistics. Based on the ratings as at April 15, the upper rating bands contained the following number of horses. (See box)
Over the three months, 13 races have been framed for horses in these categories though the imported three-year -old maidens had another five races for which they were eligible going against 70 to 55 West Indian bred. Of the 13 framed races, the first two have already been cancelled, allegedly as a result of receiving insufficient entries. Going forward, for transparency, it is suggested that the Arima Race Club (as done by their counterparts in Jamaica) disclose the names/details of all of the horses entered for the races that have been cancelled.
At the same time, the club needs to decide whether it wants owners to invest in imported quality animals or restrict themselves to locally or Jamaican bred horses and run off races in the favoured 0 to 20 and 0 to 25 classes, which are the races that tend to be most filled. It is an ironic twist of fate that the higher quality horses tend to get injured with a greater degree of frequency than the lower quality horses.
As such, even though we have 43 horses rated 71 and over, most, if not all of these horses would have some sort of niggling injury that limits their ability to compete for various swaths of time. This makes it all the more important that when these horses are ready to race, and a race has been framed (as irregularly as it currently is) that those races not be cancelled because it does not afford the club a sufficient betting opportunity. This is a very myopic thinking by the club since they have not factored in the crowd appear associated with an appearance by those horses which would increase the turnover in the other races. Can one imagine the appeal of an 1100 metres sprint event featuring Control Unit and Indian Medicine? Throw in Danube Waltz and Holy Man and a lot of interest would be generated by a four horse field. The race itself may not be much of a betting proposition but it would be a crowd puller and that is what the Club is currently failing to appreciate. A 15 horse field does not necessarily make for a great betting proposition.
Then there is the obvious lack of thought that would frame two races of the same ilk for the higher rated horses. Imagine on April 23, a 1750 metres race for 70 and over and a 1600 metres turf race for 80 to 50 are framed. Either one of those races, if framed alone, would have difficulty in meeting the ARC's undeclared criteria of eight horses to run off, let alone, both on the same race day.
Then on May 30, you have the ARC Cup over 1800 metres and a 1600 metres turf race for the 80 to 50. On the June 20, you have the Santa Rosa Dash (1200 metres) and a 1350 metres event for the 80 to 50. Can anyone decipher the logic in that? If the intention was sincere in having a separate event on the turf for the 80 to 50 group, place it over a different distance for heaven's sake. On the 23, it should have been an 1100 metres turf race, likewise on May 30, while on June 20, it should have been a 1750 metres event for the 80 to 50. Any decent 70+ stayer or sprinter will target the ARC Cup and Santa Rosa Dash respectively, limiting the 80 to 50 races to really 70 to 50, but maybe that was the intention? Who knows?
Underlying all of this is the fact that in the absence of a Racing Authority, which is the only body authorised to approve a racing programme in this country, all of the races being run off from April 1 (when the secretary to the TTRA retired) are ultra vires. Maybe this lack of oversight and authorisation is what we are really paying the price for? Or perhaps it is just the way, we like it so!
Statistics
100+: Two including Bigman In Town whose status remains unknown
90s: Six
80s: Eight including Clermont County who has not raced in almost 12 months
76�79: Four including Indian Medicine who is a known turf specialist
71-75: 23 including nine USA three year olds, seven of which are maidens
In total, we have 43 horses rated 71 and above of which eleven are West Indian bred who would have been promoted into those categories over time.
Races framed for these horses over the three-month period
April to June 2016:
April Final Index
April 9: 1200 metres for 80 to 50–cancelled
April 16: 1100 metres (turf) for 100 to 70: cancelled
April 23: 1750 metres for 70 and over and 1600 metres (turf) for 80 to 50 and Sugar Mike Stakes (1100 metres (turf) for imported and west indian bred three year olds)
May Final Index
May 7: 1350 metres for 100 to 70
May 14: 1200 metres for 80 to 50
May 21: 1100 metres (turf) for 90 to 60
May 30: 1800 metres (ARC Cup) and 1600 metres (turf) for 80 to 50
June Final Index
June 4: none
June 11: 1200 metres for 90 to 60
June 20: 1200 metres (Santa Rosa Dash) and 1350 metres for 80 to 50.