Optimal Age for Racehorses: Exploring the Triple Crown and Horse Racing Performance

Question
Hi--

The most-reknowned American horse races are the triple-crown races for three-year olds.

Is the age of three the prime for a race horse? Put another way: are most track and world records held by three-year-olds.

Many thanks,

Steve
nighttrain@nyc.rr.com

Answer
It all depends on the horse. Many trainers won't consider starting a horse as a two-year old. And most trainers believe that four and five are the best ages for a horse. There is no question that the triple crown horses still have some maturing to do. In a lot of cases we never know how good they can be because a lot of them are retired from racing after their three-year-old year.