Richard Mandella on the basics that make racing work

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella is not in his tack room office between sets at Del Mar this morning. Instead, the son of a blacksmith is at the end of the long indoor barn, artfully sweeping a rasp across a back hoof of a two-year-old Storm Cat filly. When prompted, he says, simply, “The basics are what make this game work. Believe me, basic horsemanship will hold you in good stead. It's the most important thing. Knowing that a horse is shod as correct as he can be, that the blacksmith's doing a good job You? Embarrassed, he downplays his handiwork. No, I tinker around, that's all. I don't do it every day. And it doesn't make me any better than anybody else.

Frances J Karon
 (14 October 2008 - Issue Number: 10)

The Gate Crew - behind-the-scenes but in full view

On Blue Grass Day in 2008, roughly 26,000 people in the stands went crazy as Visionaire, the last to load into the starting gate, took his place in the lineup. When the doors shut behind him, it was the signal that the feature race of Keeneland’s spring meet was only seconds away, and the crowd cheered, wild with anticipation. Everything fell perfectly into place, and head starter Robert “Spec” Alexander released the field: the shrill clang and sharp burst of the metal gate springing open gets the blood flowing like no other thrill associated with horseracing.

Frances J Karon
 (14 October 2008 - Issue Number 10)

Picky Eaters - a common problem in horses in training

Poor appetite in horses in training is not uncommon, whether this is a transient problem following racing, or, more regularly, during training in particular horses. In some situations, ‘failure to clean up’ may simply be explained by horses being offered more feed than they require and so they are being overfed, whilst in other instances, where it is accompanied with poor condition, the causes may be more complicated. Certainly, physiological mechanisms exist in horses to match energy and nutrient intake to daily requirements and these systems form the basis for self regulation of feed intake in horses in the wild or at grass.

Catherine Dunnett (14 October 2008 - Issue Number: 10)

The Role Vitamins Play in the Diet

Vitamins are a key part of the diet for racehorses and although the clinical signs associated with an overt deficiency or excess of one vitamin or another are rare, we should not presume that the level of vitamins provided in the diet is optimized for performance. Horses are, generally speaking, quite tolerant of sub-clinical deficiency or excess with regards to vitamins, and the margin of acceptable intake to prevent health issues is therefore relatively wide in most cases. However, maintenance of health is a separate issue compared to optimal performance, which is the ultimate target for horses in training.

Catherine Dunnett
 (14 October 2008 - Issue Number: 10)

Nationalizing the Rulebook - can it be done?

The Autumn 2008 issue of our sister publication European Trainer includes an article on Worldwide Rules, in which Katherine Ford examines European efforts to establish a worldwide ruling system for governing horseracing. When we looked at running the same article in this issue we realized that America had to first look at coordinating their own rules of racing at a national level before joining in the international debate. 
Frances J Karon
 (14 October 2008 - Issue Number: 10)

Peter Schiergen - we profile the leading German racehorse trainer

The number of champion jockeys who went on to become champion trainers afterwards can be counted on the fingers of one hand. In German racing history, only the great Hein Bollow scaled the heights in both professions, winning more than 1,000 races both as trainer and jockey. However, he will shortly be joined by Peter Schiergen, who was German champion jockey for five successive years in the 1990s, setting a European record of 273 winners in his best season of 1995, and retiring at the end of 1997 with 1451 winners to his credit.

David Conolly-Smith (European Trainer - issue 23 - Autumn 2008)

The role vitamins play in the diet of a racehorse

Vitamins are a key part of the diet for racehorses and although the clinical signs associated with an overt deficiency or excess of one vitamin or another are rare, we should not presume that the level of vitamins provided in the diet is optimised for performance.

Catherine Dunnett (Trainer Magazine - issue 23 - Autumn 2008)

TRM Trainer of the Quarter - Tony Martin

The TRM Trainer of the Quarter goes to Tony Martin. Bookmakers know where to look when they are preparing for a big race. If it's a big handicap - whether on the flat or over jumps - then the name of Tony Martin will always be at the forefront of calculations.

James Crispe (European Trainer - Issue 23 / Autumn 2008)