Cross Breeds

Are Arabian Horses The Only Horses that Race in the Kentucky Derby?

Hey Guys I'm new to the world of horses and I was pretty much just wondering what type of horses race in Derbys! Also what are your opinions on the best horses ( top 5)? Do quarter horses or Palaminos do any type of racing still? How do you know if your horse is a pure bred? does it really matter? Could your horse be AHA registered if it wasn't? If your horse was a gelding would it make the value go down? I'm really excited, sorry for all the questions =) -Deba

Public Comments

1. Thoroughbreds are the breed of horses used in the kentucky derby and the other derby's. Also there are quarter horse races. I prefer a quarter horse myself. It does not really matter if your horse is a pure bread as long as you don't take him to any Quarter horse or morgan etc shows. To me a gelding is more valuable. They don't come into heat and more or less are the same every day. Hope this helps.
2. no
3. Arabians don't race in the Kentucky Derby. Thoroughbreds do. In the US there is also Quarter Horse racing, Arabian racing, Standardbred (harness) racing, mule races, and probably other breed races that I haven't heard about. Some horses have papers indicating registration with a particular breed organization, or brands or tatoos. Gelding a horse will only make his value go down if he were a proven stallion, with very good bloodlines, and that's what his intended purpose was.
4. To answer your questions: " I was pretty much just wondering what type of horses race in Derbys!" The Kentucky Derby and its counterparts the Epsom Derby, and the Irish Derby, and the Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby), as well as the Queen's Plate (Canada's equivalent of the Derby), are all Thoroughbred races, only open to registered Thoroughbreds that are three years old. Arabians do race, and the Arabian Jockey Club governs the rules under which Arabs race: http://www.arabianracing.org/ "Do quarter horses or Palaminos do any type of racing still?" Quarter Horses do race. This is the web page at the AQHA site that is the portal for Quarter Horse racing: http://racing.aqha.com/racing/ With regard to Palomino (please note the correct spelling) horses, while there is a registry for Palominos (http://www.palominohorseassoc.com/), palomino horses are not a specific breed. The genetics of the palomino color make it impossible to breed true for the color. However, there are palomino Quarter Horses that have raced very successfully. One I particularly remember was the great champion Kaweah Bar: http://quarterhorselegends.googlepages.com/home422222 I saw this horse race at Los Alamitos, and he could RUN, no doubt about it. There are also palomino Thoroughbreds, although to date none have been successful racehorses. They're bred more as sporthorses and show horses. Here are websites that feature some Thoroughbred palominos: http://www.hollywoodranch.com/ http://www.norsirefarms.com/ "How do you know if your horse is a pure bred?" First, some definitions: a purebred is a horse whose sire and dam are both from the same breed, and so all ancestors belong to the same breed. A REGISTERED purebred is a horse that has official registration papers from the organization that governs the breed registrations. A horse can be a purebred but not be registered; many horses that are purebreds are never registered, or lose their registration papers sometime during their lives. That doesn't change their genetics: they are still purebreds of whatever breed they belong to. However, without the registration papers, they cannot take part in breed-sanctioned shows or activities, including racing, and their offspring cannot be registered with the breed registry. You know for sure that a horse is a purebred if it has registration papers. If having a purebred horse is important to you because you want to breed registered horses, or you want to show or race in breed-sanctioned shows or racemeets, then you need to have a registered purebred. So if you're buying a horse, you ask the seller if the horse is registered, and if so, do they have the papers. If they answer anything other than "Yes, he/she is registered, and here are the papers," then you do not want to buy the horse. If a horse has a lip tattoo, then you can be reasonably certain that he is a purebred of one of the racing breeds: Thoroughbred, Standardbred (harness racers), Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, Arabians, all are tattooed prior to racing: http://www.equinerescue.info/tattoos.txt FWIW, many retired racehorses become riding horses, but their registration papers get lost. If you can read the tattoo, you can usually find out the horse's registered name and so learn his race record, but you may not be able to get his registration papers. If having registration papers is important to you, never buy a horse unless the seller shows you he/she has them. Assurance that a horse is purebred, or "was registered," or "can be registered," or "maybe you can get the papers," are meaningless. "does it really matter?" Only if you want to breed registered horses or participate in breed-specific sanctioned or sponsored activities. "Could your horse be AHA registered if it wasn't?" Yes. Unregistered horses can participate in AHA open events, no problem. It's only breed-specific events that require papers. "If your horse was a gelding would it make the value go down?" Again, it depends on whether you (or potential buyers) want to participate in breed-sponsored shows and events. If the answer is "no," then it doesn't affect the value. If the answer is "yes, I want the horse for showing in breed shows," then an unregistered gelding has no value to you. If you want a horse just for pleasure riding, then breed doesn't matter at all. I hope that helps.
5. lol this made me laugh. I've never seen Arabs run on tracks period. lol. But your new to horses so its no biggy. Thoroughbreds are the best for the track, all tho I think quarter horses are faster then them in short distances. So quarter horses are my fav! Pure bred horses have papers showing there history. It does matter if your planning on showing, competitively. The better the bloodlines are, the better the chance of the horse being good is. NOT saying any horse can be amazingg because i know a lot of grade(not pure) horses that are very good! Geldings are the same price as any other horse! Hope this helps!! Good luck and welcome to the world of HORSES!!!! :)
6. 1.actually thoroughbreds are the one and only horse that can run in the kentucky derby. arabians are a different racing league(i guess thats what u could call it haha) 2.my opinion of the best horse, well it depends on the person and what they want the horse for but i like the horse to be quiet and safe, and trusting of its handlers. 3.quarter horses do really good in barrel racing but they also have thier own type of racing as well as arabians, their racing is just less popular but its still there. palominos and other breeds do barrel racing, which is open to any breed. this is a barrel race: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dfU8DcWDX8U 4.if your horse is purebred it should come with papers when you buy it, unless of course someone lost them! haha no it doesn't really matter. there are some big shows that do require that your horse is purebred/registered but if you don't care about that stuff than it doesn't matter. 5.depends on the horse most colts price goes up when they are gelded but than again adult studs (stallions intended for breeding) can be wayyyy more expensive than a gelding but they are also more difficult to handle than a gelding so most ppl go for a mare or gelding as a riding horse and a stallion is definatly not a good first horse either. i love answering questions! :) hope i answered all of yours:)