The Thoroughbred is a specific breed of horse which is best known for its use in horse racing. Breeding of Thoroughbreds in the United Stated has been in existence since the 18th century and is bred primarily for the purpose of racing under saddle and at the gallop. In North America, approximately 37,000 foals are registered every year. Kentucky, Florida and California have the largest number of registered foals.
Regardless of the actual date of the foal, all Thoroughbreds in North America are given an official birthday of January 1st. This helps keep all of the age groups easily defined for the sole purpose of racing. The owners have one year to register the foal with the Jockey Club and all foals are subjected to DNA testing in order to prove their parentage. Additionally, all owners must submit six names to the Jockey Club who ultimately decide which name the foal can have. All Thoroughbreds are required to be named by February of its’ two-year-old year.
The horses’ breeding determines whether it will compete in sprint or distance races. Sprints races are run at distances of a mile or less while distance races are more than a mile in length. Typically, sprint horses are well muscled while distance horses are smaller and more slender. The size of the horse is one of the considerations of buyers and trainers. Thoroughbreds range in size from 15.2 to 17.0 hands (62 to 68 inches). While there have been famous Thoroughbreds at both end of the spectrum, the more successful race horses are normally of average size, 16.0 hands or 64 inches. Larger horses typically take longer to mature and have more stress on their legs which makes them more susceptible to illness while smaller horses may be deemed to be at a disadvantage because of their shorter stride and the potential of being bumped by larger horses.
Although Thoroughbreds do not fully develop until they reach six or seven years of age, those yearlings which show the least bit of potential are sent for training. Just because a horse is sent to train, there is no guarantee they will ever race. In fact, only a very small percentage actually make it onto the track. This can be attributed to several factors such as, the horse’s inability to take to training, injury or other factors.
In 2010 there were 68,235 horses who started in races in the United States, with each horse averaging a total of six starts for the year. Statistically, only fifty percent of all horses ever win a race during their career. Further, as few as one percent of all horses ever win a stakes race, which are the highest level of horse races. With such a bleak chance for success, it would be easy for those involved in the breeding and training of Thoroughbreds to simply throw in the towel. But with their being a remote chance to own the next Triple Crown winner, most people might say it’s well worth the risk.
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