Harness Racing Today is also Trotting or Standardbred Tips, Odds, Picks and Races
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race in a specified gait. They also usually pull two-wheeled carts called sulkies, although races to saddle are still occasionally conducted.
In most jurisdictions harness races are restricted to standard standardbred horses although cold-blooded horses are raced in Scandinavia. Standardbreds are so called because in the early years of the Standardbred stud book only horses who could trot or pace a mile in a standard time, or whose progeny could do so, were entered into the book.
Standardbreds have proportionally shorter legs than thoroughbreds and longer bodies. They also are of more placid dispositions, as suits horses whose races involve more strategy and more re-acceleration than do thoroughbred races.
The founding sire of today's Standardbred horse was Messenger, a gray Thoroughbred brought to America in 1788 and then purchased by Henry Astor, brother of John Jacob Astor.
From Messenger, came a great-grandson, Hambletonian 10 (1849-1876), who gained a wide following for his racing prowess. However, it is his breed line that he is most remembered for. From Hambletonian 10's four sons, the lineage of virtually all American Standardbred race horses can be traced.
2008 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park
The 2008 Breeders' Cup, thoroughbred racing's most prestigious event, consisting of 14 Breeders' Cup races and $25.5 million in purses, will be held on October 24-25, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
But before that, Belmont Stakes winner Da'Tara is going to race in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course while Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown will be racing in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
Find out the Breeders' Cup schedule, see the 2008 Breeders' Cup odds or take a look back in time in last year's Breeders' Cup entries and the previous Breeders' Cup winners.
Plus get free Breeders' Cup racing picks and betting tips from handicappers in the horse racing forums!
