What is a claiming race in American horse-racing?

Answer 1

A claiming race means that a horse may be "claimed" by another owner/trainer for the stated claiming price for that race. The claim takes place before the race is run. The new owner must take possesion of the horse after the race is over. This prevents an owner/trainer from putting a realy good horse against lower quality horses. Nobody wants to get $5,000 for a horse worth $20,000.

Answer 2

A claim on a racehorse is where one trainer/owner claims (Or buys another trainer/owners horse) before the race by submitting a claims form. After the race if the horse has only one claim against it then that person gets the horse. If there were multiple claims for the same horse then the stewards will make the trainers flip a coin or another method similar to that to see who wins the horse. If there were no claimers then the horse stays with it's current trainer/owner.