The chocobo race is all just chance. There is no real skill involved, just luck. Tip: Aim to get 13 balloons, and get hit only once. This is as hard as hell, but you'll get it eventually. Or so I hear. My best time is 0.0.2 and it is SO DAMN FRUSTRATING I WANT TO KILL SOMEBODY!!!!!!! ARGGHHHH!!!!!!

I do think people are lying when they say that this race is easy. The chocobo race is that little anomalous bastard-minigame in FFX. The one that you really have to try and do. Although it's nothing compared to that funny slot machine game in FFX-2. Man, that thing is so rigged you can see the Communist cogs turning the wheel of fortune.

Your best bet is to cheat. That's what I did in the end, and it works for me. *NashX hangs his head in shame.*