5 - Dog or Bitch
In this section, I explain how to read the formlines to find the gender, colour and breeding of a greyhound and give my reasons why this effects track performances. I also discuss how to calculate the number of weeks out of season.
Is this runner a Dog or a Bitch?
Knowing what sex a greyhound is, will always provide a good indication to the overall consistency of race performances. All greyhounds experience times of running well, being 'in form' and other times of not running well, being 'out of form'.
Dogs generally are easier to train than bitches and are considered perhaps more consistent in racing performances. It is commonly thought that male dogs are best suited to sprint and middle-distance race lengths. There are of course always exceptions to the rule!
Bitches on the other hand are much harder to train, as race schedules are continuely interrupted when a bitch go's into season (Ssn). This may occur perhaps once a year and will at that time be 'withdrawn' from all her racing activities for at least 3 months. It is generally thought, bitches are better suited to 'longer distances' such as stayers and marathon trips. "Marathon bitches" it is said may only in their second season of racing over extended distances, reach peak potential!
When a bitch is retired to the paddock and put to a sire (stud dogs) for breeding, she becomes a 'brood bitch' and is then called a 'dam' after whelping her first pups. All 'greyhound punters' when studying form will pay particular attention to the 'breeding lines' of all competing greyhounds and should always note, when a former "top racing bitch" has produced offspring to a 'classic winning sire'. Although there are no guarantees when it comes to breeding, these greyhound litters with top class pedigrees are said to be "bred in the purple". These much sought after 'young sablings' may share similar colourings and markings and often show 'racing traits' common to either their sire or dam - racing styles, distances etc. For further information on breeding lines I recommend you visit greyhound-data.com.
Occasionally a heavily raced bitch may be irregular in her seasonal dates, which may result in two or three seasons occurring in any year, although usually one of these may be a 'false heat' where no results would come from breeding. All bitches are different, as some don't have a season until they're several years old, while others do so much earlier.
The UK form statistic that informs you the 'gender' is written as a standard prefix letter eg; d = Dog and b = Bitch and is preceeded by abbreviated letters referring to a greyhound's colour: bk. d. = black dog, w.bd.b. = white brindle bitch, f.w.b. = fawn white bitch, be.d. = blue dog etc. This data is usually located to the left of each greyhound's sires name.
In American greyhound racing form stats (m) = male dog and (f) = female dog.
Now check your newspaper and enter Dog or Bitch. If you have selected Bitch the following question will be asked:-
Is the Seasonal Date = Known, Not Known or Suppressed?
Knowing a bitch's seasonal date is another very important factor to take into consideration, as it will provide a clue to her general level of fitness. Most bitches returning to the track after a seasonal rest, will be "race rusty" and perhaps due to the lactose - sugary substance contained in milk - build up in their systems, may be carrying a little extra race weight. After time, this lactose will dry up and within a few trials and races these fresh 'seasoned bitches' will show signs of returning to peak form - change in running style, faster sectionals, improvement in racetimes etc.
Generally a 'greyhound bitch' 16 weeks out of season, is considered the "perfect time" to be approaching peak fitness. Although, some strike form sooner, perhaps at 14 weeks out of season, while others may indeed be slower "coming to hand" and take longer to find 'top form', perhaps 18-24 weeks.
Please note: when 'female dogs' show signs of better form, they often continue to run well and may improve rapidly over a short period of time, as overall they follow their own natural cycle of either 'coming into form' or 'going out of form'.
As the old greyhound adage says, "It always pays to follow a bitch in form"
Now check your newspaper again. The raceform data that tells you the seasonal date is usually located to the right of the 'whelping date' which is found to the right of the dam's name and may be written as follows:- (Ssn 01 Jan 11).
Seasonal Date Not Known - If No Season Date (nsd) appears in the formlines, then this bitch hasn't yet had a season, therefore, select Not Known.
Seasonal Date Suppressed - Trainers sometimes opt to give 'suppressants' to certain bitches, in order to delay or stop a season from occurring. These 'suppressed bitches' then have the opportunity to continue racing 'on the track' rather then being sidelined for many weeks 'off the track' due to an enforced seasonal rest.
Please note: If the seasonal date contains the raceform abbreviation (Ssn Sup) or if a bitch has been 'spayed', then I suggest you select Suppressed.
Seasonal Date Known - If you have selected Known - The following question will be asked:-
How many weeks out of season?
To answer this question, simply calculate the approximate number of weeks since the last seasonal date occurred!
Another way, is to study all the relevant raceform for all 'female greyhounds' and literally by reading between the formlines, decide for yourself, whether she's 'in form' or 'out of form'? If you consider she's running well, then I suggest you enter 16 weeks out of season! The GP dog racing simulator will then simulate this bitch racing at her very best form. Alternatively, if you consider she's not running well? then I suggest you leave the seasonal weeks blank, the 'Predictor' will then simulate this greyhound racing slightly 'below par' or being 'out of form'.
Now enter the number of weeks out of season!
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