How may years can a racehorse race? What is the career life?

Question

How may years can a racehorse race? What is the career life?

Answer 1

I gave a thumbs-up to the 1st 2 answers - they're both right, but I'd say those are the best case scenerios.

Many Thoroughbreds develop physical problems that prevent them from being successful race horses. The horse's leg is a very delicate thing and so many things can go wrong with it.

Horses CAN run past the age of 10. Each race track has an age limit in their rule books (my home track's age limit was 12 years old), but most Thoroughbreds never race when they are that old.

Answer 2

The maximum age a race horse can race is 12.  But most race horses don't race past the age of 6 or 7.  The career life of a race horse varies with each horse.

Answer 3

Most Racing Associations have an upper limit of from 12 to 15 years for racing Thoroughbreds.  In practice, most Thoroughbreds who race on the flat (i.e., not over jumps) are unlikely to be racing much past the age of 6 or 7.  

There is no denying that racing is tough on a horse's legs, and most Thoroughbreds that start racing at age 2 and continue racing through three or four seasons are no longer serviceably sound for racing by the time they are 6 or 7.  Generally a horse that has races through three or four seasons is going to have some arthritis starting in the knees or ankles, possibly some bone chips, or problems with tendons or ligaments.  It is very, very rare to find a racehorse that is completely clean-legged after a full racing career.

Also, at the very top of the sport, a horse becomes more valuable for breeding purposes than for racing if it is successful.  As an example, Curlin and Street Sense are probably worth $10-15 million each now.  With a likely stud fee of $30,000-50,000 for their first year at stud, and a "freshman" book of 90-100 mares, the revenue they can generate at stud is around $3 million per year to start with, increasing to possibly as much as $30,000,000 per year if their foals do well enough on the racetrack to put them in the top five leading sires.

There are exceptions, though.  Some outstanding specimens of longevity at the race track that are running right now:  The Tin Man, a 9-year-old gelded son of Affirmed who is a Grade I winner this year;  Lava Man, a 6-year-old gelded son of Slew City Slew who has gotten better as he get older and who looks to be in line to win a ton of money here in California now that his connections have finally gotten it through their thick skulls that the horse does not like to travel;  and several other geldings that are being babied by their trainers and look to be around for a while longer.

In the world of steeplechasing, most 'chasers don't even begin to get good until they're six or older.  The immortal Red Rum,  three time winner of the Aintree Grand National (and twice second) made 110 starts, winning his third National at the age of 12.  ('Chasers tend to last longer than flat racers for a number of reasons:  first, although steeplechases are longer than flat races and include jumps, they are run at a slower pace which is less taxing to joints and tendons than flat races.  Second, 'chases are turf races, run on softer going, which is easier on the legs.  Third, 'chasing is truly seasonal, which means that 'chasers get a break between seasons to rest and heal.  Fourth, because 'chasers start racing later, they are spared the pounding on joints and bones at two that most flat racers endure.)

Many of our champion flat racers that retired sound could have raced longer.  Secretariat is one prime example.  But the financial pressures for top horses are to retire them early and send them to stud, so it's mostly the great geldings that race on into their later years.

Answer 4

THOROUGHBREDS AND QUARTER HORSES RUN UNTIL THEY ARE 10 IN MOST STATES, AND THEY HAVE SOME STATES THAT RUN THEM OVER THAT, ONE TRACK BACK-EAST HAS A OVER 10 RACE WITH A VERY NICE PURSE FOR THE GRANDPA RACE HORSES, I SAW A HARNESS HORSE NAMED WINDY WAY RUN AT LOS ALAMITOS WITH GLASSES, AND PACED THE MILE IN : 157-4

BACK IN THE DAY....THERE THEY GOOOOOOO....

Answer 5

Usually about 9 years.  The first three years it is in the development stages and training.  If it is good enough it can have a promising career and maybe be put out to breed in later life.

Answer 6

The usual racehorse runs for about 5-6 years. If they get injured, that will end their racing career. The gelding can run up to 9-10 years. John Henry was one of the most famous geldings! He was born in 1975  and ran until 1984. The latest popular gelding is Funny Cide who won the 2003 Derby.

Answer 7

There is no upper age limit for racehorses in GB, I have seen horses running aged 14/15.  At the end of the day as long as they are fit and sound and enjoying their job they should be allowed to keep running.

Most top-class colts are retired at the end of their 3 year old season, but Sheikh Mohammed started the trend for keeping them in training till 5 or 6 years old - look at Daylami, Singspiel, etc - and others are now following suit.

Most fillies are retired to the paddocks by the age of 4 or 5 to start their new career as a broodmare.

Answer 8

Dont listen to the guys above a horse can race until its had enough and lost its heart for racing.  The first year of a race horses life is just about finding its feet. The second year it starts racing in juvenile races as a two year old were they show wot they can do and wether they will be good enough to race in the big 3 year old races e.g the derby. If they win a big race at 3 and have a good year then they are usually put to stud for profit or occasionally they might race at 4 and then retire. Sometime thou a horse does not grow in to his/her frame until later on in life  e.g 4,5,6. Then if you have a horse that is quite a bit bigger than other flat racing horses national hunt trainers and owners will come in and buy them and they can race for them until 12-13 years of age because the emphasis is not on speed but on stamina. I hope u find this usefull.