Bob, males and females regularly run against each other in quarter horses, usually with no weight advantage. A couple of years back, the biggest price in quarter horses, The All-American Futurity, was one by a filly, ridden by my buddy, Tami Purcell, and trained by a woman. The females regularly win these races. One of the most famous, if not the most famous, quarter horses of all time, Strawberry Roan, was a mare who shut the boys down nearly every time.
I think it has to do with the sprint distance. At a mile and a quarter, the weaker sex usually shows its flaws. But at 350 yards of giddyup, the better training habits of the female and the less willingness to be distracted by outside disturbances helps them keep pace.
Another point is that the big quarter horse races tend to be for younger horses, and the females mature a bit more quickly.
I know as a handicapper, I rarely give gender any consideration up to 440 yards. At 550 and above, and 4 years old and up, I do.
We get Sarah's Toga out here and it is fun to bet it. I won some money on upstate dummy's not betting Pat Day on Sunday. True, Jerry Bailey be the man at Saratoga, but when you get 6-1 on Pat da Cat, you have to put him in your exactas. |
