A bank of menacing grey clouds rolled low over the barns at Belmont Park the morning of Oct. 2, 1976. A steady rain began to pelt the Long Island, N.Y., track.

It was bad news for trainer Frank Whiteley. In 47 previous starts, his champion Forego had run only once on an off-track, finishing third.

There is no denying that some horses have a special affinity for certain racetracks and perform better when flaunting their talents at those tracks. This is particularly notable in Europe, where the style, shape, and design of the courses varies widely, but the scenario is also seen on a smaller scale in the United States, where some horses display a fondness for the dirt and conditions at a particular track.