Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 43 · column 1 of 5 · from the scan, no model involved
Ian. 1, regardless of whether they were born Jan. 1 or Dec. 31.
The earliest a steeplechase horse will start its racing career is as a 3 year old, and usually in the fall of its 3-year-old year. An up and coming 2 year old might race on the flat the fall of its juvenile year, but a trainer would not risk probable breakdown by running an immature horse over fences. A 3 year old will most often race against other horses of its age group, unless it has shown exceptional performance and ability in earlier races or training.
Retirement age for steeplechasers varies depending on fitness and ability. But, a good healthy jumper can keep going until he is 13 or 14, older if he is exceptionally good. Older steeplechasers usually are geldings. Few stallions are raced over fences because of their fiery temperaments and their future value at stud. Mares often are retired for breeding or some other purpose when they are 8 or 9.
Many metropolitan flat race tracks fill their programs with claiming races. They are the “bread and butter” races for those tracks. Not too many steeplechase horses are claimers, but there is usually one claiming race at most steeplechase meets.
Horses entered in a claiming race run for a certain price, or value, determined by the owner or trainer which satisfies the conditions of the race. If another trainer or owner running a horse at that meet likes someone else’s horse in a claiming race, he can claim it by informing the race secretary or stewards at the meet. Usually that is done by dropping a form in a specially
90.2%