Two Year Old Races?

You would think that at this time of the year - 8 weeks to the end of the season. There would be an increase in the number of 2yr old races carded. Especially as the distances they can run, means an even bigger 'pool' of potential Horses that can run.

Imvho at least one for Fillies and one for Colts @Turffontein in order to let the 'Hundreds' of babies sold this past year at the various sales (let alone Home Bred) a chance to get a race under there belt's before they turn 3.

Even if said races were carded the most that could race would be around 100 - so I'd think that they would be well subscribed - no?

Again, imvho the 'industry' is driven by the babies - yearly/2yr old sales, it's what gets us excited/involved (even from 6,000 miles away - lol!).

But I have to sincerely ask what's the point if those that card said meetings don't support and follow through that logic and card races accordingly?

Yes I am talking about something that has just directly affected me. BUT although it's too late to be of benefit to me now - it is something that needs to be addressed, so as to improve the problem going forward for the majority.

Most sincerely, Jim.

The loss of Newmarket - when 2yo's generally began to race as early as 1 November - appears to have been part of the cause for this slow start.
In Gauteng this season, 2yo races only began in December.

Franklin good morning - it's not the early part of the season that worries me - although maybe more could be done.

It's this time of the year. 8 weeks until they turn 3 - you would have thought the 2 yr old races were coming thick and fast! More distances, more Horses trying to get a run into them before turning 3 wetc. etc.

But no - a Fillies race only on the 21st June - 6 weeks before end of season!

Now as I stated, this thread was started as it's something that's directly affected me. However the more I've thought about it the more I've realised that it in fact affects us all.

So let's see if more 2yr old races can be carded - too me it makes perfect sense in terms of the way the industry is set-up toward keeping the machine well-oiled and the babies rolling out.

It has to be in the long term interests of us all - I mean, we'll wait the 9 - 10 months for a runner, but please let's have a race to run in at the end of it - lol!

Cheers guys - ouzo, Jim.

i agree with you Jim - we need more two-year-old races over 1400m-1600m

Gold Circle have had to scrap over 10 juvenile races (sprints) so far this season because of a lack of runners. No one is sure why trainers are so reluctant to race 2yos and is the subject of a study which will probably prove inconclusive.
Any ideas?
There seem to be a hell of a lot of 3yo making their debuts just before the major yearling sales.
Are we going backwards?
Questions, questions

Two points here, I think: Would GC have had to scrap the races if they were over 1400-1600?; also in Gauteng, I believe there is a couple of trainers on the programming committee, so one would think that they would know if there was a need to program races for 2 yr olds over a bit of ground; or not?

i'll tell you why - the yearling's cost so much that they are afraid to race them and expose them as being useless - rather pretend that they need time and that they might be classic material - those with speed pedigree should run while those that need ground you should send to a spelling farm instead of boxing them for two years (Trainers fav story "he'll be a nice three-year-old but it makes no sense to send him to a spelling farm for a year as i like to keep my eye on my babies and get them into a racing steup early on!!You never know what they do on spelling farms!!!")

Thanks for your input guys, I was a bit peeved earlier, and have calmed down now somewhat - lol!

I think next year if the R100k p/race for 2yr olds come to fruition there will most certainly be a truck load of Horses looking to race and this will no doubt be a mute point - time will tell.

Nite-Nite, Jim.

Maybe if they converted some juvenile plates into juvenile handicaps (what are called Nurseries in the UK) they would get better support. The problem with running all juvenile non-maiden races (except the Langerman) at set weights is that inevitably there are only a small handful of horses that can realistically win.

The introduction of 2yo handicaps would make it vastly easier in theory to win with a horse with some, but not a lot of, ability. Even a lot of maidens would find it easier to win against winners in a handicap than against other maidens at level weights. I find the programming of races in South Africa to be sorely lacking in imagination, but if there was just one thing that I could add to the schedule it would be regular 2yo handicaps, say from April onwards.

Such races would provide an incentive to win early season maiden juvenile plates. At the moment, most winners of an early maiden 2yo race are royally f**ked for the rest of the season. It would also offer an incentive to buy inexpensive early-type yearlings at the various smaller sales.

I would be much more inclined to buy yearlings in the 30/60k bracket if I knew there was a steady supply of 2yo handicaps on offer. The thought of buying a fair horse that has to spend most of its two-year-old career running at level weights with vastly superior million rand and Aus $ purchases is not exactly an incentive.

I agree with Matthew 100%.

You make your point, Magic.

But then you also find decent horses trying again and again with high MR's to win while inferior horses whip by carrying nothing and rewarded for being shite. Forms gets muddled and then thats how we go into the 3yo classic season.

When MR handicapping started, the handicapper defended the system by saying only 20% of races are handicaps. Must be double that now.

There was a MR65 handicap the other day at the Vaal. I doubt a horse with a rating of 65 could win a maiden.

Jack Dash - decent horses with high MR's shouldn't be piddling about in handicaps. They are the horses that plate or set weights races are there for. The problem right now, at least with juveniles, is that good and ordinary horses are forced to mix on terms which give the latter next to no chance of being seriously competitive. We may not have the horse population of the UK, but it is surely big enough to allow for some alternative programming. The size of the various yearling sales catalogues gives a fair idea of how many okay-but-not-so-great horses could be earning cash as 2yos, given the right races to try and do it in.

2yo handicaps should have little bearing on the 3yo classics. I'm not suggesting at all that all 2yo winners' races should be run as handicaps. I am saying that a balance needs to be found, in the interests of getting bigger fields (which is all our Racing Operators care about anyway, so why are they not doing it?) and helping to pay the bills for those horses that at present are forced to either be rested or take part in races they cannot possibly win.