Horse Racing Reference
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Scope: this page covers the sport and handicapping of Canadian Standardbred racing. The separate Standardbred Canada page profiles the national organization, while the Canada racing hub covers the country’s broader Thoroughbred and harness landscape.
Some fans of EZ Horse Betting may not be familiar with standardbred horse racing. Also known as harness racing, standardbred horse racing is very popular in Canada. These thrilling races can offer many Canadian horse racing betting opportunities. The races are often available on the betting menu of most major online racebooks.
Here are a few things to know about this type of horse racing in Canada. You will see that many aspects of betting these races is the same. It is the horse and how the races are conducted which is different.
Standardbred Vs. Thoroughbred Horse Racing in Canada
The type of horses that compete in Canadian horse racing are of different breeds. Thoroughbreds compete in the traditional form of horse racing with which most Americans are familiar. This style of racing involves only the animal and the jockey.
In standardbred horse racing, things are a little bit different. The jockey rides in a type of cart called a sulkey. The sulkey is attached to the horse with a harness. Because the horse is pulling a jockey and a harness, the horse used is a standardbred. This type of horse is larger than the thoroughbred and built to handle a heavy work load. Harness racing jockeys in Canada are not required to maintain the same weights as thoroughbred jockeys.
In standardbred horse racing, all horses are required to maintain a specific gait. There are races for trotters and for pacers. When a horse breaks its required gait, the horse must move to the outside of the track where it can resume its gait before being allowed to rejoin the other horses.
The manner in which standardbred horse races are started in Canada is also different. There is no starting gate. Instead, the horses follow behind a pace vehicle which has gates attached to each side. The horses take their place behind the moving gate and then the gates are withdrawn into the sides of the vehicle. The car then exits the raceway so that the race can proceed.
Betting Standardbred Canada Horse Racing
Most of the online racebooks that serve bettors in the US and abroad offer betting on standardbred racing. You will find that the types of wagers offered are much the same as those offered in thoroughbred horse racing.
Bettors can make wagers to win, place, or show. These are called straight wagers. The minimum bet is usually $2, just as it is in thoroughbred racing.
In addition to the straight racing wagers, there are also exotics. Bettors can make bets on the exacta, trifecta, superfecta, and more. These exotic bets are often a better proposition. They allow the bettor to risk a small sum in exchange for a large profit. The downside is that exotic bets in horse racing are usually harder to hit than straight wagers.
How Canadian Standardbred Racing Compares Internationally
Canadian standardbred racing holds a respected position in the international harness racing community, producing horses and drivers that compete successfully in major events across North America and occasionally in Europe. The Woodbine Mohawk Park facility near Toronto is the flagship venue, hosting some of the continent’s richest harness races and serving as the primary hub for the sport’s professional community in Canada. The quality of racing at Mohawk is consistently high, attracting top horses from across Canada and the United States for its feature events.
Canadian breeders have played a significant role in shaping the modern standardbred through the development of influential bloodlines that have spread throughout North America and beyond. The Northern Dancer bloodline — so dominant in thoroughbred racing — has its standardbred parallels in Canadian-bred families that have produced champion trotters and pacers across multiple generations. This breeding heritage gives Canadian standardbred racing a depth of quality that underpins the competitive fields at Mohawk and the other tracks that make up the Canadian harness racing circuit.
Wagering on Canadian Standardbred Racing Online
For bettors interested in accessing Canadian harness racing from outside the country, several online platforms offer wagering on Woodbine Mohawk Park and other Canadian standardbred venues. The wagering menu covers all standard harness racing bet types including win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and multi-race exotics, with the same pari-mutuel pool structure that governs thoroughbred racing in Canada. For more on harness racing betting fundamentals, our articles on what is harness racing and trotters and pacers in harness racing provide the essential background.
The Risks in Standardbred Horse Racing
Anyone that has ever taken the time to watch a horse racing event in Canada that involves standardbred horses knows that there is a huge element of risk involved. The horses are moving at a rapid speed within inches of one another. Sometimes collisions occur between the sulkeys in the race.
A collision of sulkeys can often send the drivers into the air as the harness becomes a sort of catapult. Some harness racing drivers have died while harness racing. The same can be said for horses that compete in the events.
We also mentioned earlier that horses are required to maintain a certain gait as they race. There is a risk that a talented horse will lose its gait and be unable to once more move into contention. This is very depressing when it happens to the horse that you have wagered on in a race.
Why Do Canadians Love Standardbred Horse Racing?
Before we conclude this look at standard bred horse racing in Canada, we should explore its popularity among the handicappers in the provinces. Why do bettors north of the US seem to prefer harness racing over thoroughbred racing?
Hardcore bettors will try to tell you that picking winners in harness racing is easier than it is in regular horse racing. They claim that standardbred horses run truer to form that their thoroughbred counterparts.
You can understand that this is a matter of opinion. In truth, the betting public still only identifies the favorite one out of every three times. You still have to put in the work when you are picking winners in standardbred racing.
Harness racing may also be better suited to cold temperatures. There are many nights when snow is banked on the sides of the race track. The standard bred horses don’t seem to have a problem with the cold weather, but it is really the bettor that benefits. Being able to race in cold temperatures means that there are racing opportunities year round in Canada.
Are you ready to try your luck at Canada harness racing? Sign up today with one of our recommended online racebooks and you will be able to watch and wager right from the comfort of home. You will even get a nice welcome bonus when you create and make a deposit to your account.
Related Posts:
- Horse Racing In Canada
- Live Horse Racing Canada
- Harness Racing In Canada
- Race Tracks In Canada
- Online Horse Racing Betting Canada
- Northern Dancer – Champion Canada Race Horse
- Horse Racing Questions Everyone Is Embarrassed To Ask
- The Sovereign Awards for Canadian Horse Racing
- Standardbred Canada
A Standardbred Handicapper’s Race-Day Process
Start with gait, class and current form. Confirm whether the race is for pacers or trotters, then review recent breaks in stride, qualifying lines, post position, driver changes and the size and shape of the track. A strong final time earned behind an easy trip is not automatically better than a slower line produced while racing parked or recovering from interference.
On smaller ovals, early position and post can matter because the first turn arrives quickly. On larger tracks, sustained speed and the ability to race uncovered may receive more weight. Compare each horse with today’s class and likely trip rather than ranking raw times from different tracks as if conditions were identical.
Use the Tote Price
A well-known driver or recent fast mile can attract excessive support. Estimate the horse’s chance before looking at the live odds and require a price that compensates for uncertainty. If the market is shorter than the estimate, pass or use a different pool; do not force a bet because the race is available.
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