5 - Dog or Bitch
In this section, I explain how to find out the correct gender, colour and breeding of a greyhound and give my reasons why this could effect race performances. I also discuss how to calculate the approximate number of weeks out of season, in order to simulate female dogs racing on the greyhound predictor racetrack after a seasonal rest.
Is this runner a Dog or a Bitch?
Knowing the sex type or gender of a greyhound is very important as it will provide a good indication to the overall consistency of performances. All racing greyhounds, throughout their track careers 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 and overall are considered perhaps more consistent in race performances than bitches. 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 racing schedules are continuely interrupted when a greyhound bitch comes into season (Ssn), this may occur perhaps once a year and will at that time be 'withdrawn' from all her racing activities for at least 3 months.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 perhaps better suited to 'longer race distances' such as stayers races and marathon trips. 'Marathon bitches' it is said, may only in their second season of racing over these extended race trips, reach their peak racing 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 called a 'dam' after whelping her first pups. All regular 'greyhound racegoers' when studying dog form will pay particular attention to the 'breeding lines' of all competing greyhounds and will 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 dog breeding, these greyhound litters with top class pedigrees, are said to be "bred in the purple". These much sought after young 'greyhound saplings' often have colourings and markings and show similar 'racing traits' to their parents, (racing styles, pace type, common race distances etc.) For further information on breeding lines 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 one year, although usually one of these may be a 'false heat' where no results would come from breeding, however, all bitches are different, as some don't 'go into season' until they are several years old, while others may do so at a much earlier age.
Now check your newspaper.
The UK greyhound raceform statistic that informs you the gender of a greyhound is usually written as a standard dog racing prefix letter eg; d = Dog and b = Bitch and is always preceeded by other 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 dog race data is usually located to the left of each greyhound sire's name.
In American greyhound racing form stats (m) = male dog and (f) = female dog.
Now 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 greyhound's 'seasonal date' is yet another very important factor to take into consideration, as it generally gives a clue to a bitch's level of fitness. Most bitches returning from a seasonal lay off will usually 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 weight. After the passing of time and a few trials this lactose will dry up and often within a few races these fresh 'seasoned racing bitches' may start to show signs of returning to peak racing form (change in running style, faster sectionals, improvement in racetimes etc.)
It is generally considered amongst dog men and woman that a greyhound bitch approaching 16 weeks out of season, is the 'perfect time' to be returning to peak racing fitness. However, all bitches are different, as some will find their 'top racing form' sooner perhaps at 14 weeks out of season, while others may indeed be slower 'coming to hand' and will take longer, perhaps between 18-24 weeks from season.
Please note; when 'female dogs' begin to show signs of better form, they will often continue to improve and run consistently well for a 'period of weeks' as generally they follow their own natural cycle of either 'coming into form' or 'going out of form'.
As the old greyhound adage says, "It often pays to follow a bitch in form"
Now check your newspaper again. The raceform data statistic that tells you the 'seasonal date of a bitch' is often located to the right of the 'whelping date' which is usually found to the right of the dam's name and will be written as follows:- (Ssn 01 Jan 05).
Seasonal Date Not Known - If No Season Date (nsd) appears in the race formlines, this suggests this bitch has not yet experienced her first seasonal date, therefore, you should select not known.
Seasonal Date Suppressed - Greyhound trainers may sometimes opt to give 'suppressants' to certain racing 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. If the seasonal date contains the raceform abbreviation (Ssn Sup) then select Suppressed. Please note: If a bitch has been 'spayed' then I also suggest you select Suppressed.
Seasonal Date Known - If a seasonal date appears in the formlines, then select Known. If you've 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 that have elapsed, since this bitch's last seasonal date occurred.
Another way to answer this question, is to study all the relevant raceform for all these 'female greyhounds' and literally by reading between the racing formlines, decide for yourself, whether she's 'in form' or 'out of form'? If you consider she's running well in top racing condition, then I suggest, you enter 16 weeks out of season! The GP dog racing simulator will then simulate this bitch running at the very top of her form. Alternatively, if you consider she's currently racing 'out of form'? then I suggest you leave the number of weeks out of season blank = 00, the 'Predictor' will then simulate this dog running slightly 'below par' or being 'out of form'.
Now check your newspaper and enter the number of weeks out of season.
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