Comparison of the performance and precocity of winners of the most important European classic races

Abstract

Racing performance of winners of European classic races and of two-year-old horses was compared on the basis of two classic races: 1 600-1 609 m (one mile) and 2 100-2 414 m (Derby). The horses included in our comparisons were winners of classic races held in England, France and Ireland in 1993-2002. The performance of the winners of classic races was based on the international classification of the performance of three-year-old horses (Classifications internationales) in kg and lb (rating) and used as the characteristics of performance. Comparisons of the correlations between the performance of winners of the most important classic races and their performance rating as two-year-olds were based on the results of 126 winners of 13 classic races. We calculated Pearson's correlation. The correlation coefficients of all the groups concerned were low (r = 0.109-0.325). The correlation coefficient of racing performances was significant (P < 0.05) only in the classic mile mare race.