ITEMS TO CONSIDER WHEN WAGERING ON STANDARD BRED RACING
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 standard bred 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 over-bet 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 de-sexed 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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