Here are some simple tactics which may be helpful to
a new bettor:
1. The Driver.
Drivers, much as other athletes, possess varying amounts
of ability, and even the good ones have slumps. Fortunately,
race tracks keep records of how a driver performs. Next
to his or her name, you'll find statistics about their
performance at the given track. For example, you might
see something like this:
RAUL MENDOZA red-gr-blu (112-23-15-11-.313)
Simply stated, driver Mendoza (who wears red, green
and blue colors) has driven in 112 races, winning 23
of them, finishing second 15 times, and finishing third
11 times. His "Universal Driver Rating" -- a number
calculated like a batting average -- is .313. Any number
over .300 is considered excellent. At most racing locations,
the program will include a listing of the track's leading
drivers. The drivers may be listed by the Universal
Driver Rating (UDR), or by the total number of wins.
The most useful piece of information in the driver statistics
is a driver's winning percentage. The drivers who can
"get 'em home first" at the highest rate should merit
extra handicapping points. A horse that receives a switch
from an unranked driver to a top-rate pilot should get
further handicapping points. Often, though, the top
drivers are bet heavily by the public, resulting in
odds lower than what the horse's chances might truly
warrant. Also, drivers not listed among the leaders
may still qualify as a possible bet if the horse passes
other handicapping tests, AND the unranked driver has
driven the horse successfully in the past. Top trainers,
sometimes listed in your program, usually have their
horses in peak condition and ready to win. As with drivers,
isolate the trainers who have a high win percentage.
A horse "claimed" in his last start (the "c" or "z"
after the claiming price shows a claim) and moving into
a top trainer's care may show dramatic improvement for
his new stable.
2. Consistency.
Consistency is perhaps the most outstanding characteristic
of the standardbred horse. Good horses are able to perform
well, week after week. Most racing programs will show
records of these performances. In the upper left-hand
portion of each horse's past performances, you'll see
the fastest winning mile of the year listed, the number
of starts, wins, seconds, thirds, and money won for
the present and past years.
3. Class.
Harness horses tend to race against other horses of
comparable ability, and it's the job of the race secretary
to design races that will bring together well-matched
and competitive fields. Race types fall into various
"classes," such as: conditioned races (grouping done
by the horses' earnings and other factors); claiming
races (grouping done by the estimated value of the horses);
or "feature" events (Open, Invitation, Stakes, etc.).
The best way to judge whether a horse is moving "up"
or "down" in class is to compare the purse of the race
in question with the present race's purse. Within a
given track's class structure, the purse is often a
useful barometer; however, comparing purses from one
track to another is a less reliable guide. Horses dropping
in class are generally a good bet -- if they meet other
handicapping criteria. An edge in class is worth one
or two handicapping points, as horses dropping in class
are meeting softer competition tonight. Horses moving
up, however, may still rate consideration if they have
been winning impressively or posting fast times while
facing horses in a lower class. Younger horses who have
made only a few starts also may move in class readily,
as their true class might not yet be established.
4. Post Position.
Generally speaking, the inside post positions (numbers
one through four) are an advantage, especially on half-mile
tracks. Horses who do not have good post position risk
the possibility of being "parked out" (marked by the
"0" symbol in the program) and losing considerable ground
while racing on the turns. The inside post position
bias is most pronounced on half-mile tracks, where there
is a short distance between the start and first turn.
The bias still exists on five-eighths-mile and mile
tracks, but to a lesser extent. Most programs list the
number of winners coming from each position, making
the job of evaluating post positions easy. It's also
important to check the racing style of a horse and figure
out his likely racing position throughout the mile.
If there are many horses whose past performance show
early speed in a race, they may wear themselves out
fighting among themselves, and a fast-finishing horse
may catch them before the wire Similarly, a good come-from-behind
horse from a bad post position may find other fast finishers
in a better position than he is when he starts to make
his move. That horse may not be able to make up enough
ground on his rivals to win. Finally, a horse who raced
either spectacularly or poorly from a bad post position
last week may have a better chance of winning from an
inside starting slot tonight.
5. Time.
An important handicapping concept to understand is that
the final time posted by a horse is not as important
as his individual quarter-mile times. For example, "Able
Almahurst" may race in a trailing position in a fast-paced
race and merely finish in average time, but record a
fast victory due to the fast early pace. "Baker Hanover,"
meanwhile, may trail far behind a slow pace and finish
very rapidly, but not gain much ground during a fast
final quarter. Yet ... "Baker" may well be sharper than
"Able!" A horse that "does work" (races on the lead
or outside in a challenging position, or close strongly)
in a fast quarter should get extra points in handicapping.
Although fractional times are more important than final
time, it is a fact that some horses are just faster
than others. It is important to check how fast horses
have been clocked in recent races, although the swiftest
ones, and ones who are merely "sucked along" (stayed
behind other horses in the pack), are often overbet
by the public. Times posted at other tracks may be adjusted,
when handicapping, by checking the "Comparative Speed
Ratings" in the program. Take the difference between
the ratings and add or subtract the result to the time
posted at the other track. It will show what the time
might have been if the race had been at the track where
the horse is on the present night.
6. Form.
Like any other athlete, a harness horse's performances
cross peaks and valleys, but most every race winner
has shown that he's been racing at or near top "form."
In the most recent races listed for each horse in the
racing program, the running positions (where the horse
was in a race: 1st, 6th, etc.) are the indicators of
form. Horses tend to fall into two broad categories:
those that race on or near the lead, and those that
race farther back and come on strongly at the finish.
Front-running horses displaying good form show that
they can hold the lead all the way, while the latter
type horses show come-from-behind rushes to either win
or just miss. Changes in form can be spotted by comparing
race lines week to week. Once a front-runner's past
performance lines start to show he can't hold the lead
all the way, he's going "off form." But when each line
shows he's getting closer to going "wire-to-wire," he's
coming back into form...and is worth a bet. Sometimes,
though, what appears to be a downward swing in form
may not be that at all. A dull-appearing performance
may be the result of an "off" track (sloppy, muddy,
etc.), interference, show fractional times, or simply
of having raced against horses of superior class. Horses
must also race frequently to keep their form, and they
compete on an average of every six to ten days. Long
layoffs are almost always a bad sign.
GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
Age - Every horse shares a "birthday" of January
first. A horse becomes one year old on the first of
January after he or she is born, and turns two one year
later -- regardless the actual date of his or her birth.
Break - When a horse gallops, instead of trotting
or pacing, it's on a break. The driver must get the
horse out of the way of the others, must not improve
their position, and must attempt to get the horse back
on its proper gait. A horse is not automatically disqualified
by making a break.
Colt - A male horse, age three or under.
Filly - A female horse, age three or under.
First-Over - A horse racing on the outside without
another horse directly in front of him or her. A foreshortening
of of the phrase "first overland."
Foal - A newly-born horse. (verb) The act of
giving birth.
Gelding - A desexed horse of any age.
Green Horse - A horse that has not raced, or
has raced only a few times.
Horse - A male horse, age four and up.
Maiden - A horse (male or female) who has never
won a racing purse.
Mare - A female horse, age four and up.
Parked-out - A horse racing on the outside with
at least one horse between him and the inside rail or
barrier.
Purse - The cash prize won by the owner. The
purse is usually paid to the first five finishers; 50%
is paid to the winner, 25% for place, 12% for third,
8% for fourth, and 5% for fifth.
Purse - Prize money earned for winning a race.
Qualifying Race - A race without a purse or betting
used to determine a horse's ability and manners. Horses
who have made repeated breaks in stride or have been
away from the races for a long period of time must race
in a qualifying race before being allowed to race in
a betting race.
Scratch - A horse who is withdrawn before the
race starts.
Sire - The male parent of a horse.
Trainer - The person responsible for keeping
a horse in top racing condition. In harness racing the
trainer is often the driver.
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