Effects of Year, Sex, Age and Breed on Annually Summarized Race Records for Trotters in Finland

Abstract

Abstract Annually summarized race records from the nine years 1977 through 1985 were available on 3421, 5062 and 4870 three-, four- and five-year-old Standardbred trotters and 3606, 4078 and 3886 four-, five- and six-year-old Finnish trotters. The objectives of the study were to determine the statistical significance and to quantify the magnitude for the effects of year, sex, and year×sex interaction on these five traits: square root of percentage of first placings in a year, percentage of first to third placings in a year, fourth root of annual earnings per start, a horse's best annual racing time on volt-start and a horse's best annual racing time on autostart. Year×sex interaction did not have a statistically significant effect on any of the traits. Statistical significance of the effects of year and sex on the traits studied was not consistent in the three age groups in the two breeds. Males were superior to females in all traits. Judged by a horse's best annual racing time on volt-start, males were 1...