Day before a race

Question
Dear Mr Crocker,

do You give a rest to Your horses a day before a race? (like walking, grazing etc...), and how does look like a last training before a race (for an average horse, not to one who need something special)?
Thank You, best regards!

Answer
I consider jogging, a rest or a day off. I graze my horses just about everyday after training. I sometimes even 2 min lick a horse down the lane the morning of the race, but usually jog or gallop the morning of. I jog or walk a horse the day before a race and if they are, in fact, walked the day before. I still jog or gallop them, the morning of. This is typical for me, but I do not always do this for every horse. I like to make sure they do more than just walk the morning of to relax the horse and take some edge off before the race. I usually deal with horses who run a distance opposed to sprinting. I do not do this for my sprinters unless they are exceptionally nervous horses in the pre race hours. If I have a young horse sprinting 6f then I usually train them in similar fashion as my older route horses. "Taking the edge off" seems contrary to what makes sense to most people when you would think "edge" is what you need. I find the horses run more relaxed or pace themselves better when they have been out for some light exercise the morning of.

I will typically breeze a horse 3 to 6 days out from the race. Walk or jog the next day and following days leading up to the race.

Christopher Crocker

http://CrockerRacingStable.com

Crocker Racing Stable and Thoroughbred Horse Racing Partnerships