Sportsbet.io Thoroughbred horse race betting guide for beginners

Sportsbet.io is the leading crypto sports betting website worldwide, offering unparalleled coverage of all kinds of professional sports for punters, including Thoroughbred horse racing. If you’re new to Thoroughbred horse racing, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the fundamentals of the sport and how to place your bets effectively. Continue reading below!

Quick overview of Thoroughbred racing as a sport

Thoroughbred racing is a premier sport centred around a breed of horses specifically bred for speed and agility. Selective breeding is integral to the sport as every foal is valued for its bloodlines and inherited traits. These all factor in the horse’s potential to perform as a racer, so horse owners, trainers, and fans eagerly await the performance of a champion’s progeny.

Is Thoroughbred the only horse breed popular for horse racing?

No. There are others, like the Arabian and Japanese races, that use draft horses, too.

Thoroughbred racing is simply the biggest industry in the world.

Thoroughbred characteristics in racing

If you’re new to horse race sports betting, you must first learn the answer to ‘What is a Thoroughbred?’. These are breeds of horses known for their typically high stature, lean body, and long legs.

Thoroughbreds can be identified by the colour and patterns of their fur, as you can see below:

White: The horse’s entire body is predominantly white.
Grey: A combination of black, white, and ash on various parts of the horse. Spotted and patchy patterns are included in this category.
Brown: The horse is predominantly brown or tan, but some body parts, like lower legs, tail, or mane, are black.
Chestnut: The horse is predominantly tan to red all over the body, including the mane and tail.
Bay: Similar to brown horses, but the coat has a reddish tint.
Black: The horse is entirely black. It’s registered as a bay or brown if it has a white spot like Contrail.
Palomino: The coat is mostly yellow or gold, while the mane and tail are flaxen.
Roan: The horse’s coat is a mix of red, white, and/or brown patches, with the mane and tail being mostly white, black, or red.

Doesn’t this seem like a rigid list to describe horse varieties?

It’s designed that way for documentation purposes. Using one word to describe a horse’s coat makes it easy to communicate with race organisers.

Different race types and rules in Thoroughbred racing

Thoroughbred horse racing comes in many forms and is identified by their categories. In Japan, the Japan Racing Association (JRA) oversees these events, which follow the graded system to separate horses by skill level.

G1: The highest level of Thoroughbred horse racing stakes. Purse prizes range from ¥65,000,000 (Hanshin Juvenile Fillies) to as high as ¥500,000,000 (Japan Cup).
G2: A tier below G1 where juveniles who performed suboptimally at their debut. Thoroughbreds in this group can still move up and down G1 and G3 based on their latest performance.
G3: Still a relatively high competition level, but the Thoroughbreds don’t have the prestige to compete at G1 early in their career. It’s possible for a horse to move up to other levels in their 3rd or 4th season but also have a chance to retire early. Studs and broodmares from this grade are valued for their bloodline.

Besides the grading system, horse races are also divided by the race format. Two categories in particular are the standard in professional Thoroughbred horse racing: flat and jump racing.

Flat racing – This is typically a short-distance sprint with the longest distance being 3,200 metres, like the Spring Tenno Sho. Flat races involve running around the track from start to finish with no obstacles.
Jump racing – This type of race includes steeplechases and hurdles scattered across the track, and horses must jump over them while they run. Tracks for jumping races have long distances, minimum being 3,200 metres to 7,200 metres. Jump racing follows the grading system, but it’s denoted as JG1, JG2, and JG3, respectively.

Famous Thoroughbreds and their achievements from Japan

The JRA has produced numerous champions who left an indelible mark on the Thoroughbred horse racing industry. To this day, many of them are remembered for their amazing feats and, eventually, their contribution to siring stronger foals for years to come.

Here are three names who remain beloved in the Japanese Thoroughbred racing community, and they’re all a part of the JRA Hall of Fame:

Deep Impact

Deep Impact is widely regarded as the most influential icon in Japanese horse racing history. Born in 2002 from two foreign Thoroughbreds, Sunday Silence from the United States (US) and Wind in Her Hair from Ireland (IRE). He is the top choice as the greatest Thoroughbred to ever debut in Japan because of his impressive track record of 12 wins out of 14 career starts.

Feats:

Triple Crown 2005 and undefeated since debut
Kikuka Sho 2005
Horse of the Year Award 2005 & 2006
Tenno Sho Spring 2006
Japan Cup 2006
JRA Hall of Fame 2008
Champion Stud 2012 to 2020

Champions are typically chosen as studs by their professional career performance, and Deep Impact remained the most popular until his eventual passing in 2019. His progeny dominated the JRA G1 scene, making him the Champion Sire for nine consecutive years (2012 to 2020). The most notable of his progeny are Contrail and Ginteldonna.

Deep Impact’s legacy is undeniable. He has many progenies that dominate every major race.

My favourite among them is Ginteldonna. She’s probably the most successful mare sired by Deep Impact!

I loved Contrail, one of Deep Impact’s youngest progenies today. He had a great 2020 season before his retirement the following year.

Almond Eye

Almond Eye is a mare born in 2015 from two Japanese champions, Lord Kanaloa and Fusaichi Pandora. She made headlines worldwide for breaking the seven G1 win record held by multiple JRA horses, including Symboli Kris S and T.M. Opera O.

Feats:

Triple Crown Fillies 2018
Dubai Turf 2019
Japan Cup 2018 & 2020
Tenno Sho autumn back-to-back 2019 and 2020
Japanese Horse of the Year 2018 & 2020
JRA Record of 9 G1 victories
JRA Hall of Fame 2023

Her 8th victory was the Tenno Sho autumn of 2020, when she was already set for retirement, but won again at the Japan Cup later that year. What’s even more impressive is that her final race, Japan Cup 2020, has Contrail and Daring Tact. It was a race of the century between two Japan Triple Crown winners (colt and filly) and Almond Eye, the G1 victory record holder.

Almond Eye continued her planned retirement after the Japan Cup with 9 G1 races on her record. She is also a two-time Horse of the Year winner (2018, 2020) and was crowned the 35th Hall of Famer in 2023. Among her most impressive awards is being the Global Rankings Champion of 2020 at the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary (TRC).

Contrail and Daring tact had a more impressive pedigree, but Almond Eye still prevailed!

King Kanaloa may not be as notable as Deep Impact or Epiphanea, but his lineage is still great. He’s the foal of King Kamehameha!

Here's more interesting trivia. Contrail, Daring Tact, and Almond Eye trace their lineage to the legendary Northern Dancer!

Equinox

Kitasan Black soon replaced Deep Impact as the leading stud after the latter’s passing, and among the best of his progeny is Equinox. He was foaled in 2019 to dam Chateau Blanche and dominated the JRA Thoroughbred scene in his 3-year-long campaign.

Feats:

Tenno Sho Autumn (2022 & 2023)
Arima Kinen (2022)
Dubai Sheema Classic (2023)
Japan Cup (2023)
Horse of the Year (2022 & 2023)
World’s Best Race Horse (2023)
Timeform Leading Male 3 years old and up (2023)
World’s Best Racehorse (2023)

Equinox currently holds the highest first-year sire service fee at ¥20,000,000, surpassing Deep Impact’s ¥12,000,000 record. This makes him the most sought-after stud in the JRA.

Thoroughbred betting features at Sportsbet.io

Sportsbet.io provides a robust bet horse racing platform covering all major events and their markets to cater to all fans of the sport. Gain essential insights into the variety of bet types, functionality of the user interface, and the platform's security measures:

Types of bets

You can make three main types of bets at Thoroughbred sports betting at Sportsbet.io. Here’s what they are and what they mean:

Win → The bet wins if the horse ends the race at the number 1 spot.
Top 2 → This bet wins only if the horse ends the race no more or less than 2nd place.
Place → You win this bet if the horse finishes the race with a placement, regardless of rank.

Sportsbet.io’s bet slip has a multibet feature where you can combine different predictions under the same wager. These need to be predictions made from different races. Likewise, the betslip also has a single bet feature that allows you to manage separate tickets rather than combining them.

User interface

Sportsbet.io’s user interface for Thoroughbred betting is designed for optimal usability, ensuring that all important details are covered. All events are categorised into five tabs based on their schedule:

Yesterday → The race is already done, but you can see the results. Events under this list will be gone after 24 hours.
Next to Jump → The race is starting soon. The list of events is between the next second to 15 minutes later.
Today → Events listed under this tab are scheduled to start from 15 minutes up to 24 hours later.
Tomorrow → Races under this tab are scheduled within 24 to 48 hours.
Upcoming → All other scheduled events within the week.

Most days, you can host many races and view or bet on all of them using the Sportsbet.io menu. Just click on the stadium name and then the time of the event to bring up the roster of horses and betting markets.

You can place your bets early, too, for events under the Tomorrow and Upcoming tabs. They also come complete with the statistics chart for every participant, giving you all the features you need in online horse racing betting.

Support and security

Sportsbet.io operates under the Curaçao eGaming licence, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and regular audits for fair gameplay. The platform boasts a great track record of sponsors and partners, ensuring that all services the bookmaker provides are reliable and secure.

Sportsbet.io prioritises security by implementing strong measures to ensure the safety of your personal information and your funds.

The platform’s commitment to security is one of the reasons why they have a great reputation worldwide.

All about betting on Thoroughbred races on Sportsbet.io

Betting on Thoroughbred races is easy with Sportsbet.io, which is designed to be user-friendly for novice and experienced bettors. Here’s everything you need to know to place your bookmaker horse racing bets:

How to bet

Placing bets in horse racing bookmaker follows these steps:

Create an account at Sportsbet.io. You only need to provide a username, email address, and phone number.

Deposit funds into your wallet. Use any third-party wallet that mutually supports blockchains for transferring crypto. You can buy crypto using credit card and bank transfer payment options.

Navigate to the Sportsbet.io horse racing tab, select a race, and predict how it will go in the market you want to bet on.

Manage your bet at the Betslip menu. Every outcome selected is listed as an individual ticket on the Betslip menu. Input the bet amount, then click ‘place bet’ to finalise your wager.

Wait until the race ends to claim your prize. A bet resolves after the race, and all payouts are sent directly to your Sportsbet.io account as cashable funds.

You may withdraw your Sportsbet.io horse racing winnings at any time once it’s in your wallet using the same payment method used to make your deposit.

How to choose a race

If you’re new to Thoroughbred horse race betting, you may not be familiar with your options yet. Here are some factors to consider:

Find races with big media coverage

Start focusing on highly anticipated G1 events. The main advantage these have is media coverage, meaning plenty of news outlets will talk about the events. These can include experts’ analysis and updates on the Thoroughbred’s condition before the race.

Follow specific horses and their career

Keeping track of horses’ activities can give you a strong edge in making accurate predictions. Among the most important details you should look into include their track records and that of their trainer and jockey. For example, a Tenno Sho champion is a strong contender at the Japan Cup of the same year.

Pick races held with conditions you’re familiar with

Every Thoroughbred has its strengths and weaknesses, making certain track conditions advantageous to them. For example, horses with better endurance have the best chance on long-distance tracks, but those who sprint faster have better odds at short distances.

There’s also the surface (dirt/turf) and handicap that can have a subtle but otherwise impactful influence on every Thoroughbred. Being familiar with the conditions helps you understand which Thoroughbred has the best odds of winning. This is why many bettors who follow flat racing exclusively don’t particularly follow jumping races and vice versa.

While betting on races featuring your favourite horses is tempting, exploring other events can broaden your horizons and add more fun to your betting experience.

Absolutely! Reading news and blogs about various races can provide valuable insights and help you find new names and potential winners.

Strategy to win in Thoroughbred horse race betting

To increase your chances of winning your bets, make sure you take advantage of Sportsbet.io horse racing features, like the following:

Refer to the Sportsbet.io statistics chart for each horse

Sportsbet.io provides a statistics chart indicating all the horse’s past races, their jockey for each instance, and the track details for every event. Analysing this information can help you assess the horse’s strength and then compare them with the rest of the roster. You can open this chart by going to the race and then clicking on the expand button (looks like a downward arrow under the horse’s silk icon).

Boost your payout using the Multibet feature

You can bet on multiple predictions using the Multibet feature at Sportsbet.io, but only if you’re betting on different races. That means you are guessing who would win, reach the top 2, or place in either 1st or 2nd place in more than one event. Doing so boosts your potential payout for one wager. This only pays if you get all bets correctly at the end of the races.

Bet on the ‘place’ market for the top three favourites

You can make separate ticket bets for different horses in the same race. Doing so gives you more chances to win, and the payout is typically big enough to cover all stakes while still giving you profit. This strategy, called ‘Dutching’, involves spreading your bet across many horses. However, the top three favourites are often enough if you want to play it safe.

Bet on Thoroughbred horse races using crypto at Sportsbet.io

Sportsbet.io is the best crypto sports betting website in Japan and aims to offer its services to fans of Thoroughbred racing. Everything you ever need in a bookmaker is right here, ready to offer you convenience and fun! Make Sportsbet.io your default horse racing bookmaker so you always have the best service in Thoroughbred betting.

Frequently asked questions

Here are frequently asked questions about Thoroughbred horse racing:

What is a Thoroughbred?

A Thoroughbred is a breed of horse specifically bred for racing. They are the main breed of choice for the highest level of horse racing around the world. It’s considered better than the Arabian because Thoroughbreds are much easier to train, thanks to their milder temperament.

What are the types of bets on Sportsbet.io?

Sportsbet.io offers you three main types of bets: winner, top 2, and place. You can choose any of these for any horse in the race roster to place your bet.

What are the characteristics of Thoroughbreds?

They are tall, have slender bodies, and have strong limbs for sprinting. Thoroughbreds are hot-blooded horses with great agility and a natural propensity for sprinting long distances with high escalation.