Race classifications are typically listed as race conditions. You can learn what age, sex, distance, importance and purse amount of a particular racing event with classifications.
Stakes Races:
Kentucky Derby (G1) – Grade 1 stakes
Fountain of Youth S. (G2) – Grade 2 stakes
Falls City S. (G3) – Grade 3 stakes
Suburban H. (G2) – The “H” stands for handicap and means that the amount of weight each horse carries in the race is assigned by the Racing Secretary or Track Handicapper.
Aristides S. 200k – Listed stakes
Handicap 75k – Overnight handicap. Weights are assigned by the Racing Secretary or Track Handicapper.
Allowance Races:
Alw90000nc – Allowance race with no conditions and a purse of $90,000.
Alw90000c – Allowance race with multiple conditions or restrictions.
Alw90000n1x – Allowance race for horses who have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) race(s) other than those described in the conditions of the race.
Alw90000n2l – Allowance race for horses that have not won two (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) races in their career.
Alw90000n1y – Allowance race for horses that have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) race(s) in or since a specified time period.
Alw90000n$y – Allowance race for horses who have not won a specific amount of money in a specified time period.
Alw90000n1m – Allowance race for horses who have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) race(s) at a mile or over in a specified time period.
Alw90000n$my – Allowance race for horses who have not won a specific amount of money or races at a mile or over in, or since, a specified time period.
Alw90000n1t – Allowance race for horses who have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) turf race(s) in their career.
Alw90000nmt – Allowance race for horses that have not won one or more turf races at a mile or more in their career.
Alw90000n1s – Allowance race for horses who have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) stakes race(s) in their career.
Alw90000r – Indicates an allowance race with other types of restrictions attached.
Starter Races:
Alw25000s – Starter allowance for horses that have run in claiming races. The number indicates the minimum claiming price a horse must have started for to be eligible for this race but horses in this race are not eligible to be claimed.
Hcp25000s – Starter handicap for horses that have run in claiming races. The number indicates the minimum claiming price a horse must have started for to be eligible for this race but horses in this race are not eligible to be claimed. Weights are assigned by the Racing Secretary or Track Handicapper.
Optional Claiming:
OC40000/n1x-N – Optional claiming race which serves as an Allowance for horses not entered for the stated claiming price. This example is for horses who have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) race(s) other than those described in the conditions of the race. Please consult allowance classification list above for various allowance conditions.
OC40000/n1x – Optional claiming/allowance race in which the horse raced for the stated claiming price.
OC50000 – Optional claiming race where the horse was entered to be claimed for $50,000.
OC50000N – Optional claiming race where the horse was NOT entered to be claimed and therefore had to meet the conditions of the race.
OClm50000 – Optional claiming race in which horses not running entered to be claimed are generally competing under starter allowance conditions.
OC50000-c – Optional claiming race where the horse was claimed from the race for the $50,000 price tag. The small “c” at the end of any claiming race indicates that the horse was claimed out of the race.
Claiming Races:
Clm25000 – A claiming race with no conditions. The claiming price of the horses that are entered is $25,000.
Clm25000n1x – A claiming race for horses who have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) race(s) other than those described in the conditions of the race.
Clm25000n2l – A claiming race for horses who have not won two (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) races in their career.
Clm25000n1y – A claiming race for horses who have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) race(s) in or since a specified time period.
Clm25000n$y – A claiming race for horses who have not won a specific amount of money is a specified time period.
Clm25000n1m – A claiming race for horses who have not won one (or more, depending on the number after the “n”) race(s) at a mile or over in a specified time period.
Clm25000n$my – A claiming race for horses who have not won a specific amount of money or races at a mile or over in or since a specified time period.
Clm25000b – A conditioned claiming race open to horses three-years-old and up but where the conditions of the race (e.g. non-winners of three races lifetime) do not apply to the three- year-olds.
Clm25000-c – A claiming race where the horse was claimed out of the race for the $25,000 price tag. Whenever a small “c” appears after the claiming race condition, it indicates that the horse was claimed out of the race.
Clm14000/12 – Whenever a claiming race has the claiming price followed by a back slash then another number; the first number is the top end claiming price for the race and the second number is the actual claiming price (in thousands) that this horse was entered for.
Maiden Races:
Mdn 85k – Maiden Special Weight race for horses that have never won. The purse for the race is $85,000.
MC40000 – Maiden claiming race for horses who have never won. The claiming price for the horses entered is $40,000.
Moc50000 – A maiden race with an optional claiming price of $50,000. Horses not running for a claiming price often are running under restrictions (e.g. state-bred company).
MC40000-v – A maiden claiming race where the horse was claimed for $40,000, but the claim was subsequently voided.
MC4000-W – A maiden claiming race where the horse is ineligible to be claimed, usually due to an extended absence from competition.
MC40000-c – A maiden claiming race where the horse was claimed out of the race for the $40,000 price tag. Whenever a small “c” appears after the claiming race condition, it indicates that the horse was claimed out of the race.
Other Symbols Seen in Race Conditions:
™ indicates a race restricted to fillies and/or mares (females).
‘ indicates a race restricted to state-breds.
’ indicates a race with some sort of other restriction attached to it.
Note: If the condition of the race is too long, allowance races may be denoted within the condition with an “A” only and claiming races with a “C” only.
