Horse Racing – Colors: The Jockey and the Mount
Colors are an important part of the tradition and mystique of horse racing. Each major stable is identified by the registered colors worn on the silks of their jockeys. For example, jockeys for the Calumet Stable horses wear red and blue; those riding for the Meadows Stable wear blue and white. This practice of using colors dates to England’s New Market track in 1762. Bettors who favor certain owners may clearly see which numbers are carried by their champions.
Bettors may also seek to look at the colors of the horses themselves for clues about performance; however, their luck is bound to fail them if they bet that way for long. Although I have heard seasoned bettors exclaim that four white hooves are very good, three worse, and no white hoof bad, such coloring is unrelated to performance. So, too, is the general coloring of the horse. Bay and chestnut horses are the leading colors, and accordingly they register the most wins. In the Kentucky Derby, bays have won 58 times, chestnuts 40, dark bays or browns 17, gray or roans 6, and black horses 4 times.
Colors are important in that they are used in the registration of thoroughbreds for identification purposes. The following color definitions are used by the Jockey Club:
Bay: A horse with a coat of yellow-tan to bright autumn, with black main, tail, and lower legs. Some white markings may be present.
Black: A horse with an entirely black coat, but some white markings may be present.
Chestnut: The coat is red-yellow to golden-yellow, with some white markings.
Dark bay/brown: The coat varies from brown to dark brown, with areas of tan. Mane, tail, and legs are black, with some white markings present.
Gray/roan: A horse with combined colors of the gray and roan.
Gray: The majority of the horse’s coat has a mix of white and black colors.
Roan: The majority of the coat has a mix of red and white colors.