How to train a chaser

[Landon Alexander]

I've been clueless on this forever.... How do you train your chasers? ... largely how to figure out what equipment they need?

[Regina Moore]

When they're yearlings, I assign them a flat category, and train them just like all the other yearlings in that flat category. Usually, the flat category I use is AW router or turf router, unless their pedigree indicates otherwise.

The "schooling over jumps" can now reveal the second piece of equipment, but I'm not going to wait until their 3yo season to start figuring out equipment.

I usually try to give all my chasers a few starts on the flat at 2 and 3, as fillers, and hope they pop up with a win. Then, if it turns out that a horse is only a "potential" chaser at three, hopefully I've got a win from that horse on the flat, and I probably won't even bother turning it into a steeplechaser.

[Abe Froman]

Galloping and vetting as a yearling, just as with all my other horses

[Kelley Wachter]

Unless they have breeding to gear them toward an initial flat career, I work mine at 4 furlongs on the turf just to have a uniform distance for comparison for equipment. I figure they race on the turf over fences so it can't be detrimental but I have no clue as to the "value" in it. I also work them about the same timeframe as my routers because they have more time til they start so they are more likely to be worked every second or third week along into their 2-3 yo years. At least that is my plan.....