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| | I i j ] , j Past Performance Data Offers New Information Types of Races Defined for Daily Racing Form Readers Pursuant to its established practice of improving the contents of Daily Racing Pom wherever possible, the publishers hereafter will offer an innovation in the past performances that will materially aid all readers. It will enable both the experienced handicapper and the most casual follower of the sport to differentiate among the various types of races. At a glance the student of form can determine without difficulty the exact quality of the thoroughbreds engaged. A race is a race, but they fall into several categories, each of which embraces contests designed, as to conditions, to attract certain classes of horses. For example, there are different types of handicaps, allowance races and races for maidens. The new designations in Daily Racing Form will point out these variations to a degree that will eliminate all possibility of confusion. Generally speaking there are four types of races for maidens. One is governed by claiming conditions. Another stipulates a certain fixed weight, usually below the scale. Then there is a maiden allowance race in which certain starters are conceded certain weight allowances. A straight allowance w* b*1ng3 into competition win-Continued on Page Nine ! i - i B . . s I % s r !. f " - s d • i n d r» A. of »f Past Performance Data Offers New Information Types of Races Defined for Daily Racing Form Readers Continued from Page One ners and non-winners, the latter getting weight from the former. in addition to the allowance races cited! above, there also ax*e graded allowance numbers for horses graded by the track handicapper or secretary and allowance stakes. For the handicap division there are three classes of races, overnight, graded and stakes. Overnight and stake handicaps are determined by the* time entries or nominations close. These requirements are specified by the racing regulations of the racing commissions and these periods vary in various states.. Like graded allowance races, graded handicaps are for horses arbitrarily rated classes "A," *B" and "C" by the track handicapper or racing secretary. As a general rule only horses in class "A" CMB start in a class "A" graded handicap. There are two weight-for-age races — overnight and stakes. In these, horses are required to carry weights specified in the scale of weights, according to their age, distance of race and month in which the event is run. There are also scale-weight events, such as the Derby, Preakness and Belmont. In races exclusively for three-year-olds or four-year-olds the weight is 126 pounds, and in races exclusively for two-year-olds it is 122 pounds, fillies getting their sex allowance. These weights are fixed, regardless of the distance of the race or when it is run. A combination race is one in which the horses may or may not be claimed. Other events are special-weight races, in which the poundage is set below scale, and match races. In Daily Racing Form past performances hereafter all of these various types of races and also steeplechases and hurdle races will be so plainly labeled that there can be no question as to whether a stake is of the allowance, handicap, or weight-for-age type, or whether an allowance race is for maidens or stake horses. Following is a list of the new abbrevia- tions, with the type of race they denote: Mdn — Maidens. AlwM — Maiden allowance. Alw — Allowance. AlwA — Graded allowance, Class "A." AlwS — Allowance stake. HcpO — Overnight handicap. HcpA — Graded handicap, Class "A." HcpS — Handicap stake. Wfa — Weight-for-age. WfaS — Weight-for-age stake. ScwS — Scale weight stake. Comb — Combination. SplW — Special weights. Mtch — Match race. All claiming events, whether purse, stake, handicap, etc., or whether flat, steeplechase or hurdle races, are denoted by price for which the horse is entered. In combination races the claiming price is given if the horse is entered to be claimed. If the horse is not liable to claim the term "Comb" is used. Some of the above designations are used for steeplechase and hurdle races. In such instances an IS in a single bracket denotes a steeplechase and an H in single bracket denotes hurdle races. | j j i I 1 1 | j I ; , j j I I , I ! j I I j ! J j | i ; 1 ; ! i ! j 1 ; i j I [ ; ; , I j I ! e ! r I ! t t I e j t a a
