The Future(?) of Horse Racing?

[For The Lead]

As you all know, race conditions are a means of further breaking down the class of the race. As an example, a $5,000 claiming race can be “open”, meaning there is no further condition and ANY horse can enter, or there can be further conditions such as NW?X, NW?6M, NW?Y and so on. The same is true for Allowance races or Optional Claiming races where the condition may be NW?L, NW?X, NW$X and etc.

So the real point to offering the above condition is, where does it fit since it has nothing to do with the horse?

At some point in the future, these horses will be running back and the worst part will be, this condition will not show in the PP’s. Obviously, the quality of this race is considerable lower than some of the other conditions for the same claiming price. I have no idea how this will show in the PP line when these horses run back.

If anyone out there can shed some light on this, please feel free to do so.

Although the following condition is “restricted” to “greys and roans” at least the condition is based on the horse not the trainer. Nevertheless, the quality of the race compared to other SH fields that are “open” is less. These races are generally noted in the PP line with an “r” to indicate it was a restricted race, but it doesn’t tell you “what” the restriction was.

Parx Racing - October 31, 2011

Race 7 - 2:56 PM First Half Daily Double / Pick 3 (Races 7-8-9) Exacta / Trifecta

STARTER HANDICAP $16,000

Purse $50,000. (plus Up To 40% Pabf) For Greys And Roans, Three Year Olds And Upward Which Have Started For A Claiming Price Of $16,000 Or Less In 2010-2011. Free nominations close Monday, October 17, 2011. Weights: Monday, October 24, 2011. Starters to be named through the entry box by the usual time of closing on Friday, October 28, 2011. Highweights on the scale preferred. Seven Furlongs.