A harness-racing primer

Last update: October 13, 2007 - 8:17 PM

THE RACES

Standardbred racing is contested on two gaits, the trot and the pace. Trotters use a diagonal gait -- the left front and right rear legs move together and vice versa. Pacers move the legs on one side of their body in tandem. Pacers account for about 80 percent of harness-racing performers.

BASIC RULE

Any trotter or pacer that breaks the required gait must be pulled back to the correct gait and lose ground. If not, the horse will be disqualified from the race.

THE SULKY

Also called the race bike, the sulky carries the driver. The light two-wheeled carriage is attached to the harness.

THE HORSE

The horses used in the sport are standardbreds, which are generally more muscular and longer in the body than thoroughbreds, but not as tall. Standardbreds are known for their docile personalities and willing temperaments.

Handhold

Shaft

Shin boot

Knee boot

Blinker

SPEED

Most horses average speeds of 30 miles per hour, with some reaching 40 mph.

HISTORY

Dan Patch was Minnesota's first sports hero. The horse, undefeated in harness racing in the early 1900s, drew a reported 93,000 fans to a race in 1906 at the State Fair.

Backstrap

Source: Associated Press, Shutterstock

Star Tribune

Sulky

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