The study aimed at estimating variance components of racing ability traits in Polish Arab horses as a contribution to defining the breeding objective for the breed. Data collected were 8754 placings at finish (square root), 5805 earnings (log), and 1317 numbers of annual starts (square root) of 928 horses running in races over the years 1998-2001. Age of horses ranged from 3 to 10 years, and the distances were from 1400 m to 3000 m. Horses came from 4 state studs and from private (Polish and foreign) breeders. Variance components were estimated by the REML method. Statistical analysis accounted for fixed effects of race within year, age, sex, weight carried and distance, and for the random effects of rider and permanent environment, as well as additive genetic effect of an animal. Model for number of starts within a season omitted the race, rider, weight carried, and distance effects. Pedigrees were at least three generations deep. Heritability coefficients were 0.14, 0.25 and 0.12, and repeatability 0.29, 0.47 and 0.23 for earnings, placings at finish and annual number of starts, respectively.