Harness Racing Explained: Trotters, Pacers and Wagering Basics

Harness racing uses distinct gaits and race dynamics: trotters and pacers compete while pulling a sulky, and breaking gait can materially affect position or eligibility under local rules.

The readers of EZ Horse Betting may be particularly familiar with thoroughbred racing which is conducted on a flat track where each horse is ridden by a jockey. There is another popular form of racing, however, that also offers exciting betting opportunities at your online racebook. It is called harness or standardbred racing and online betting may be available where a provider carries those races and the wager is permitted in your location. Here is a brief introduction.

What is Harness Racing?

In harness racing the horses used are referred to as standardbreds. Standardbreds are bred for their gait and harness-racing performance; do not use a blanket size comparison with Thoroughbreds as the definition. They wear a harness in the race which is attached to something called a sulky. The sulky is a lightweight two-wheeled vehicle pulled by the horse, with the driver seated behind. The horses compete with one another to see which horse can pull its rider across the finish line first.

Harness racing is conducted on an oval track just like the one used in thoroughbred racing. Many races are conducted at a mile or more in distance. Unlike thoroughbred racing there are some notable differences in how harness racing is conducted. It has a very strict set of rules which determine how the horses competing are allowed to run.

Standardbreds in harness racing must maintain a certain type of gait when they run. A horse that breaks gait must be handled under the meeting’s breaking rules. Those can address regaining gait, interference, ground gained or lost and the official placing; a break is not simply an automatic instruction to move outside and re-enter. As you can imagine, breaking stride as it is called usually spells disaster for a harness racer. They lose valuable ground and position in the race which they may not be able to recover.

There are two types of races in harness racing and each of them requires a horse to have a specific gait. These are called pace and trot. Pacers and trotters race very differently from one another. The manner in which they travel is noticeably different.

It is also worth mentioning here that these two types of animals are not permitted to compete against one another for the purposes of a betting race. Pacers only compete against pacers and trotters only compete against trotters. There are many stakes events held each year for each kind of standardbred. There are also bloodlines which specialize in either style, just like there are thoroughbred specialists. There are also races for horses in different age groups, and harness racing even has something that is very much like the Triple Crown.

The Running Start in Harness Racing

A mobile starting gate is used in many harness races, rather than the individual stalls associated with Thoroughbred Flat racing. Other starting methods are used in some jurisdictions. As you can imagine, it would be very difficult for a sulky to be stuffed inside a starting gate. Also the horses would be compromised if they did not have an opportunity to establish their stride before the race began. So, instead of a starting gate the horses in a harness race will eventually line up behind a car which has two long wings on either side. These wings function as a starting mechanism.

Once the horses have established their stride for the race and the place on the track where the race begins is reached, the wings on the side of the car begin to be drawn in. This allows the horses behind the gate to move forward and begin the race in earnest. Like thoroughbred racing, one will see harness racers attempt to save ground and establish position by moving to the inside of the track.

After the race is started the car moves beyond the reach of the horses and then off the track where it cannot interfere with the running of the race. A starting malfunction can require action by the officials. Wait for their ruling and the applicable wagering treatment rather than assuming every malfunction produces the same result.

Drivers in Harness Racing

In harness racing the individual who steers the horse along the race track is appropriately called a driver. The driver sits in the sulky and uses a set of long reins to control the horse’s movement and forward progress.

Something you will immediately notice is the vast difference between harness drivers and traditional thoroughbred jockeys. Driver requirements differ from jockey weighing procedures and must be checked in the governing rules. Do not infer an automatic advantage from a driver’s apparent size. Compare the driver’s decisions, horse familiarity, post position and recent trips rather than treating body weight as a complete prediction.

Whip design and use are regulated by the relevant authority. Do not copy a description of one driver’s technique into a claim about what is permitted everywhere. The USTA regulatory page explains the role of its rules and the state bodies governing pari-mutuel meetings.

You already know that thoroughbred racing is filled with danger. A jockey can be severely injured while riding in a race. It is also so in harness racing. Some of the most violent collisions have occurred on the harness racing track. This usually happens when one sulky collides with another. A sulky can easily flip and become a catapult, tossing the driver high into the air.

How to Bet on Harness Racing

Check whether your racebook carries the particular harness meeting and permits your chosen market. You can select the track from the menu of venues you are given when you log in. Once you have chose a track to wager on, then all that remains is to decide how you want to make your bets.

Many familiar pools can be offered on harness races, but the actual menu, minimums and multi-race sequence are meeting-specific. You can make straight Win, Place, and Show wagers on each race. If you are feeling especially lucky you can make an exotic wager like a Daily Double or an Exacta. The type of bet you make will determine the type of return you will receive in exchange for your winning bet.

The horses in a harness race are all given numbers just like they are in a thoroughbred race. You simply identify the number of the horse you would like to bet on and then choose which type of wager you would like to make and the dollar amount you are willing to bet. It’s a very simple process.

Compare the Bovada, TwinSpires and BetAmerica reviews through our racebook guide when researching coverage. Account eligibility, verification, race replays, form access and promotions vary. Confirm the operator’s current information rather than assuming every registration gives immediate betting access and the same welcome package.

Read more….:

• Trotters & Pacers in Harness Racing
• What is a Stakes Race in Horse Racing?
• What Is A Listed Race In Horse Racing?
• What Is The Difference Between Point To Point And Horse Racing?
• What is a Bumper Race?
• What is a racecard? What does C&D mean?
• Are Big Purses Fair In Horse Racing?

Handicap the Specific Code

Review gait, post position, starting method, driver, recent breaks and track configuration. Do not transfer thoroughbred assumptions without adjustment. Confirm the meeting’s rules, betting minimums and official results, because inquiries or gait violations can affect settlement.

Suppose a trotter breaks early, loses position and finishes behind the field. The running line may look poor, but the replay can show where the problem occurred. That does not prove the horse will stay on gait next time. Compare its earlier starts and today’s setup, including whether a different post or start creates another challenge.

A horse that saves ground behind a leader has a different trip from one working outside without cover. Final time alone cannot describe those differences. Note the quarter-mile sections where available and the point at which the horse had to make its effort. Keep the official finish separate from your interpretation of the trip.