AboutJim Johnson Expertise I can answer all questions regarding the sport of gambling on either or both thoroughbreds and greyhounds - beginning with the initial handicapping process with regard to decisions on which horse or dog to wager, through the wagering process, and ending with the results and profits or losses from those wagers. See my website at www.puppies-or-ponies.com.
Experience I have worked in thoroughbred tracks and greyhound tracks for the last 30 years and have been highly successful in making profits from my own handicapping systems, both in sales of my systems, and use of my systems in the wagering process. I publish and sell a "Tip Sheet" for any track in the continental United States and one greyhound track in Mexico.
Organizations Mutuel Clerk Guild of Arkanas
Publications "The Perfect Speed Handicapping System" for handicapping thoroughbred races and "Greyhounds - The Ultimate Speed Machine" system for handicapping greyhound races. These are books that I have written and sell on the internet.
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from East Texas College, in Commerce, Texas.
Awards and Honors "High Five" award for exceptional customer relations treatment by the Oaklawn Jockey Club.
Past/Present Clients Publishing a "Tip Sheet" in-track for sale at Oaklawn Jockey Club and "Jim's Big Three Best Bets" (also for sale at Oaklawn Jockey Club) on greyhound simulcast races. Have puplished "Tip Sheets" for greyhound and thoroughbred tracks in Arkanas, Kansas, and West Virginia.
Question How does a horse gets assigned the race number?
Answer Hi Ana:
Thanks for your question. For just everyday races, someone in the racing office writes each of the entries in a race on a separate piece of paper "called the entry slip", then a similar number of "numbered pills" are placed in a shaker box. On person in the racing office pulls an entry slip for a horse and another person in the racing office pulls a "pill" from the shaker box. The number pulled becomes the horse's post position number. The horse will also wear the saddle cloth with the post position number. In the case of coupled entries (when an owner or trainer has more than one entry in a race)- the coupled entry will be numbered 1 and 1A and will wear that saddle number, however, the horse still goes into the post position numbered gate. For instance, lets say that horses with post positions 6 and 10 are coupled in an entry - the horses will still be placed in the gate according to the number that was drawn, but the saddle cloths will be numbered 1 and 1A.
For stakes races like "The Kentucky Derby" or "The Florida Derby", the racing office does the same thing except it is witnessed by viewers in the track on that particular day. I work at Oaklawn Jockey Club and have witnessed many drawings for "The Arkansas Derby" that is feature race on the final day of each year's season.
The drawings are conducted on a podium, usually televised over the track's television network. Anyone and everyone that is at the track on that particular day can witness the event.
I hope this helps you understand how saddle cloths are determined and again, thanks for your question.
