Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Sneaky Longshot Secrets to Find Real Live Long Shot Bets at the Horse Races

The fastest and best way to make money on horse racing is to cash big win tickets on long shots. That isn't exactly a revelation. However, knowing when a horse is really live is no easy trick. There are people who quietly sit and watch the pools and the horses to know when a horse is live. They know the longshot secret.

The top two reasons horses go off at long odds and then win is that the barn has either, a. gotten the horse past a problem it had, perhaps by adding a tongue tie or blinkers, or b. held the horse back until they got the win odds high enough to make a major score by betting their own horse.

Horse are held back all the time. It is no secret in horse racing, and though the stewards try to curb it, no one can stop it. When a horse appears very good and is the favorite and loses, the stewards may ask questions. A wise trainer usually has a good excuse. After the horse loses a few more times, it usually convinces the public, and maybe the stewards, that the horse really is going sour.

Naturally the odds go up and when the time is right, the fit and ready horse wins. The stable and any one who was in on it wins big. I don't know what percentage of winning longshots were held back and what percentage were just horses that a good trainer managed to turn around in a hurry.

The term, "training race," is used to describe a race where the jockey is just exercising the horse and not trying to win.

Some jockeys will go for this and others won't. You may see a jockey get off what appears to be a good horse and get onto an inferior horse and ask yourself why. Sometimes it is because the rider knows the horse is losing its form and other times it is because he or she has been told to give it a training race.

Does this mean you shouldn't bet on horse races? Certainly not. It does mean you should just learn how to tell the difference and then you will be one of the few who knows when the barn is trying to win with their horse or just giving it some air. There is no guarantee that they will be successful at winning with their long priced horse, but when they do, the profits are huge.



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A Quick Guide to Brisbane Horse Racing

When it comes to the premier spots in the world for horse racing, Brisbane has to be mentioned among those. The capital city of Queensland is home to a handful of great tracks and punters make their way to these areas all year long to take in the great racing. As one might expect, gambling on the races in Brisbane is a huge draw that goes along with the racing itself, and this is as important as the races to many people.

Doomben is one of the best and most popular race courses in Brisbane, and is known for its competitive jaunts. Here, some of the finest horses in not only Australia, but in the world make their way and try to earn fame. Though Doomben might be tops in terms of notoriety, there are other courses that attract great crowds, as well.

At Gold Coast, some of the most exciting racing in the world happens. It is unique in that the track has a simple and effective configuration. The run to the first turn is incredibly short, making for some exciting happenings right off the bat. While many tracks make their patrons wait for passing and running the rail, this is one where the horses are going for position right away. For this reason, the racing requires horses to get off to a hot start and requires jockeys to get involved right away, rather than waiting a while to do his business.

Eagle Farm is another track where the betting is heavy and the racing is furious. At this track, the straightaways are very long, which makes for some quick racing. It is a place where the best conditioned horses win, since the long runs take a lot out of the jockeys and the horses alike. This is one track where horses never run out of room, since the turns are spacious and the racing lanes are extended. Older horses make their way at Eagle Farm, and the racing is some of the most intense in all of Queensland.



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Stop Losing Money on Bad Horse Racing Bets by Using a Guidelines System

Do you lose money on horse races? If so, you're not alone. On the other hand, like most people, there are probably times when you are ahead of the game, for a while. It may only be for a few races, a day, a week, or whatever, but almost everyone who bets on horses can say that he or she was ahead at some time.

Professional handicappers also have their losing times, but many of them manage to ride out the losing streaks and win enough at the end of the year to make a profit. It can be a long hard grind and there are very few people who can support themselves from their horseracing handicapping profits. On the other hand, there are people who make a modest amount of people and manage to stay a little ahead.

So if there are times that you are ahead, it means that you sometimes get it right, or perhaps, luck is on your side. Whatever the case may be, if you could eliminate some bad bets, you might stay ahead longer. A friend of mine used to be a pretty good handicapper and would often go home with more than he left with. His wife would ask him how he did.

He would tell her, "Well, I won $500 but then I made a few more bets and wound up with $300."

"Well why don't you just bet on the ones that are going to win, why bet on the other ones?" his wife would ask in disgust.

If only she understood that we bet only on the ones we think will win, but we don't know which ones are good enough until after the race. So we bet on losers as well as winner. What is needed is a method that eliminates those losers and that means you need a system with guidelines.

If you look over your losing bets, you may see a pattern. It isn't always easy to spot, in fact, sometimes it is downright impossible to see it, but a good system with guidelines can eliminate bad bets without all the effort of trying to figure it out yourself. What makes a horse racing system work better than no system at all is that the guidelines built into the system are often there to keep you from making bad bets.

The horses a good system eliminates are often more important than the ones it picks. Think about that.


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The Best Long Shot Bet in Horse Racing Handicapping

While most people would agree, after a few trips to the horse races, that long shot bets are where the money is, however, after losing money trying to win a few, most will agree they are also difficult to hit. Handicapping horse races for profit and trying to make money betting on races is hard enough without going after those horses who seem so unlikely to win.

But when a longshot does win, somebody cashes tickets on that winner. Do you ever wonder who had the horse and if it is all the people who just play their lucky number? Does it ever occur to you that someone actually looked at the racing program and picked that horse to win for a reason?

It does happen sometimes, but before you declare that person a genius, find out if he or she is ahead on his or her bets. The goal of playing the ponies is to make money, a profit. So the real secret to making money on longshots is finding a person who can spot a good longshot bet in the racing form or program and then make money from the bet.

There is no one single formula for finding good long shot bets, but there are a few clues. This is the single most important clue to finding a good bet on a horse going off at long odds. Before the races, go through the racing form and find every horse that is in the morning line at 10-1 or higher.

Next, look at each one of these racers and see if it has ever won at the distance, on the same surface, and at the same class level or higher. Now circle each horse that qualifies. Once you have identified horses that have proven they can win at the distance, surface, and level, find out if the horse who is the likely favorite in the race has done the same thing.

It is amazing how many times you will find a race where the favorite has not done what is being asked of it but another horse, going off at long odds, has done it. Now comes the tricky part. Figure out why the horse you circled is now a long shot if it has indeed proven itself capable of winning a race such as today's race. Is it coming back from a long layoff? Does its form seem to have tapered off?

What you are trying to find out is if that horse can improve today and also if the favorite is a false favorite. If you have the ability to watch the pools and spot inside money it is also helpful to know if the barn is betting that longshot.

Every day, at race tracks all over the world, people are surprised when horses win races even though the horse has done it before under the same conditions. Since horses go in and out of form and also respond to training and equipment changes, any horse that once managed to do what is being asked of it today should be considered a threat especially when the favorite is vulnerable.



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Thursday, September 10, 2009

Visit the Australian Racing Museum in Melbourne

Melbourne is a fantastic city to visit - you can easily spend days entertained in the CBD just by visiting the art galleries and museums (if you can drag yourself away from the shops)! Every major Australian city has great shopping and interesting museums, but Melbourne has something rather more unique: the Australian Racing Museum. This is Australia's only museum dedicated to horse racing, and if you like a flutter you will enjoy a visit. Anyone who dreams of winning big with the latest hot racing tips would do worse than to spend a few hours at Champions, the Australian Racing Museum.

Located on Federation Square at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Street, you'll will find central Melbourne parking expensive, but that's no barrier as most tram, train and bus lines will take you to the Racing Museum's doors. Alternatively, take the old-style, free tourist tram - which stops outside at Flinders Street station.

Champions, as the Australian Racing Museum is known, is open every day except for Good Friday and Christmas Day. There is a charge for adults but children are free, and those who join the Friends of the Museum gain unlimited free entry plus discounts on merchandise at the museum shop and at other Melbourne attractions.

The main displays of the museum highlight the history of thoroughbred racing in Australia, including the horses, jockeys, trainers and all the other characters, which make horse racing such a vibrant part of the Australian cultural landscape. There are regular free tours with trained guides.

For the kids, there are school holiday events and other activities which range from designing their own Melbourne Cup to making jockey clips. They'll find the museum creative and fun, as well as educational.
The museum hosts special exhibitions all year, so even locals will have something new to see on a return visit. Exhibitions have included race day fashion spectaculars (anyone remember Jean Shrimpton's infamous mini?) and exhibits highlighting special people and horses associated with the industry.

If you have a special love of racing and need a place to host a small corporate event or even a wedding, then Champions has their own exclusive event space, which holds up to 300 with stunning views across the Yarra River. Catering is available for groups as well.

Watch out for special events at Champions around Melbourne Cup time, of course. They also celebrate the 2 August "horse's birthday" - the day that every thoroughbred Australian horse has its official birthday.
It's not all about fun and entertainment at Champions, however. The museum also has a serious research function. Their archives include the Australasian Turf Registers (1870-1977), Australian Race Results (1978-2003), copies of The Australasian (1866-1941), as well as many other clippings, books, videos and DVDs related to racing. Entry to this part of the museum is free but bookings are required. There is also a paid research service.

Regardless of whether you are a tourist or a local, Melbourne's Australian Racing Museum is sure to offer something for the racing enthusiast. Everyone will probably find this cleverly put together museum has something to hold their interest. If you are looking for a present for a racing enthusiast, then obviously the museum shop will be the place to find an unusual piece of memorabilia How about betting tips from the 1870's or the year of their birth?




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7 Factors That Stop Gamblers Winning With Horse Racing Systems

The majority of horse racing systems on the market today will be sold to gamblers. That would seem to be a pretty logical statement after all why would a non gambler want to know how to win at horse race betting?

The trouble is that gamblers by their very nature are the last people who are capable of operating and profiting from a good horse racing system. They lack the essential traits that are needed to successfully operate a horse racing system.

You Need Discipline
This is the big one. If you are operating a system you need to stick rigidly to its rules and filters. If the system shows no bet in a race, then you have to miss it. You have to ignore your own ideas and follow the system rules.

You have to be Methodical
You need to apply a systematic approach and keep meticulous records of all your transactions. If you ran a business you would expect to keep records and accounts and it should be the same with your horse racing ventures.

You need Perseverance
Here is no system that will guarantee you 100% favourable results. There will be highs and lows and as long as the highs outweigh the lows that is fine. On the bad days you will just shrug them off and persevere with the system.

You need to be Unemotional
Gamblers tend to be emotional, they love their horses and they love racing. But if you are operating a horse racing system you need to be detached and unemotional. You need to treat your betting in the same way that a Stock Broker treats is shares. He does not get emotional about oil or mining companies, he just sees them as ways and means to make a profit.

You need to be Forward Looking.
You cannot judge how successful a horse race betting system is by one day or one week's results. The real test of a system is how well it does over a year. You have to look to the annual profits not the daily gain.

You need to be Prudent
Before operating any system you need to set aside a "betting bank". This is an amount of money you can afford and are prepared to lose. Having said that you need to do everything you can to protect that bank. This will mean having a sensible staking plan for your bets and not taking unacceptable risks such as betting your entire bank on one bet.

You need Self Restraint
Most gamblers lack restraint when it comes to betting. Losses can be depressing and success can produce a feeling of elation which can cloud the gamblers judgement. A couple of winning bets and the temptation to double or treble the stakes suddenly appears. You have to be strong enough to resist this temptation.


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Horse Racing Handicapping Lessons For Long Term Success

There is an old saying that goes, "You can beat the races for a day, but no one can beat them for a lifetime." I disagree, but will admit that for many people, this saying is true. It may be true for many, but not all, and that is why it would be more accurate to say, "Most people can beat the races for a day, but not for a lifetime."

If you are trying to make money betting on horse races, you must ask yourself, "Do I want to be one of the few, or just another one of the many?"

Here is what I have observed after many years of attending the races. Betting on a horse race for profit is a contest between you and all the other people who bet on the same race. In recent years, horse racing handicapping contests have become increasingly popular, but let's face it, ever since the first two people bet against each other as to whose horse was fastest, every horse race has been a handicapping contest.

Since you are entering a contest against those other people, common sense tells you that you must be better prepared than they are in order to win. In almost any contest, the person who prepares the most has the edge, the same is true of handicapping horses. The man or woman who races into the race track at the last minute, buys a program and scans it, and rushes up to the window to place a bet, is not a serious handicapper and is bound to lose. Oh sure, he or she may win today or tomorrow, but over time, the last minute, slipshod method always fails. If you want to win, study and prepare to win with a good horse racing system.

While I love the intellectual sport of handicapping, I have to admit that a good gambler will beat a good handicapper in the long run. The reason is that good gamblers, I mean the kind who succeed with their wagers and ventures, practice good money management and only bet when they have the edge. If you want to succeed at handicapping, and by that I mean show a profit, you must become a wise gambler and learn to spot good bets and bad bets and only wager when you have the edge. It isn't enough to pick the winner of the race, you must do so when it will benefit you.

If that sounds confusing, what I mean is that picking the winner of a race half the time is only good if the average winner that you pick pays more than double what you bet. If you spent $1 per race and hit on 50% of your wagers, it would cost you $2 to cash a winning ticket. Obviously, that winning ticket must pay at least $2 for you to break even. If you are playing the horses and trying to make money here is a two part question you should be able to answer right away, "What is your winning percentage and what is the average winning ticket you cash?'

Admittedly, these few truths are simple ones, but it is amazing how many people who really want to make money betting on horse races, haven't figured these things out, yet. If you are trying to make a living handicapping horse races, think about them and apply them to what you are doing right now. It will make a big improvement in your success rate and your ROI.



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Sunday, August 23, 2009

Daily Double Strategies For Horse Racing Handicapping and Betting Success

The daily double is one of the simplest exotic bets and was probably the first. In order to hit the daily double all you have to do is to pick the winner of the first race and then pick the winner of the second race. Of course, this has to be done before the first race goes to post, so there are some limitations.

The alternative to a daily double is a parlay bet. In the parlay bet you would wager on the horse you favor to win the first race, and if and when it wins, you take all the money you collected on the first horse and place a win bet on the second horse. Of course, there are variations on this bet. For instance, you may play each of the horses to place, or play one to place and the other to win, or even take the winnings from both bets, if you are fortunate enough to win your parlay and bet it on a third race. The upside of this is that you can build up a nice bankroll when you manage to put together three winners in a row.

The downside is that you can't miss a beat. Also, unlike playing doubles with multiple picks, you only get one horse in one race. Another positive factor of playing doubles rather than parlays is that with the double you get to see projected payoffs. With the parlay bet, you can only guesstimate what the final payoff will be.

The biggest selling point for the parlay is that you get to watch the pools before you pick the horse for the second part of your bet. I you are trackside, you also get to see the horses to decide if the one you've chosen is looking fit and ready. By watching the pools and making sure the barn is betting their own horse and by seeing the horse just before you make the bet, you get a big advantage over the doubles players.

That is why the old timers at the track used to laugh about the double and call it a gimmick. The real horse players wanted to watch the pools and see the horse they were backing. There is a lot of wisdom in that approach and that why a lot of those old timers, who'd learned their lessons the hard way, used to eke a living out of the track.

Whether you play the double or make a parlay bet, it can add value to your handicapping and betting, but it all still comes down to the same thing. You've got to be able to look at the horses lines and decide which ones are contenders and what a fair price is for each one.



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Is Anyone Making Money Handicapping Horse Races and If So, HOW?

As you leave the race track, OTB, or racino with your pockets empty, you may ask yourself, and anyone who will listen, if anyone ever really makes money at the race track. The tough part of this is that if someone is managing to beat the odds and making money, he or she isn't announcing it to the world. Of course, there are always those hucksters who are trying to sell their system and claiming that making money at the race track is as easy as falling off a log, but that is just advertising copy.

The truth of the matter is more difficult to get to. I've been going to horse races for 50+ years and here is what I've learned as a horse owner, groom, handicapper. It is darned difficult to make a living at the race track whether you are a handicapper, trainer, jockey, groom. It is just a tough competitive business, and yet, that is part of the allure. Some of us like doing things that are difficult.

Yes, you can make a profit betting on horse races, but here is what you must do, and believe me it isn't easy. First of all, plan on devoting yourself to it. Learn and keep learning, because though you may make a profit this year, I guarantee that by next year some things will have changed. You must be observant. Handicapping horse races is an intellectual sport. You must be smart or work harder to make up for it, if you can.

There is some cheating that goes on and then there are the vagaries of horse racing, horse racing luck, or chance, call it what you will. Sometimes a lost shoe will empty your pockets, you can blame the farrier who didn't get that nail quite right, or you can just shrug it off and say that the next time the other guy will lose because of that lose shoe and you will win.

That brings up another very important point. You must be philosophical. If you take it all to heart or feel that the universe is against you, you won't succeed at horseracing, probably not at anything else, either. You must care enough to be careful and work hard, but not so much that you can't take the ups and downs.

Keep notes, pay attention to everything, including the jockeys and trainers in the saddling ring the equipment the horse's are wearing or not wearing, post position stats and of course the track bias. Finally, don't get yourself into financial trouble chasing that dream because scared money doesn't win. Yes some people, maybe you, can win money, even make a profit, but it isn't easy or always fun, but like anything worth doing it is worth doing right and putting in the work.


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The Art of Bluffing in Horse Racing Means Good Poker Players Sometimes Make Good Horse Players

What do poker and horse racing have in common? For one thing, you can make money at either one, if you are very good. Good horse racing handicappers that learn the art of money management and how to find good bets can make money betting on horses. Good poker players who can read the cards and their opponents to find good bets can make money, too.

If you notice a common theme there, you're right. It is all about finding a good bet. Horse players sometimes have to spot a bluff and to know when to call it. In Holdem poker, good players learn to count the outs and figure pot odds. In horse racing, handicappers learn to rate a horse's chances of winning and then put a fair value on that.

One place where you will find a lot of bluffing in horse racing is in claiming races. Claiming races, also known as selling races, are a study in human nature and deceit. When a trainer has a good horse and wants to win a race, he or she must put that horse at a level it can win at. Unfortunately, in the claiming ranks, that means another trainer or owner can claim the horse. Some of the most astute judges of horse flesh are masters at the claiming game.

While it is a great boost to the ego to win a big stakes race, such as the Kentucky Derby, when it comes to horsemanship, saying that a trainer made his or her living on claiming races is a great compliment. It means that he or she really knew horses, how to spot a good one, how to patch one up, and how to keep it long enough to make some money with it.

If you are handicapping horse races for money and want to make money on claiming races, you'd better learn to spot a bluff. One way that trainers will bluff is by using front wraps on a horse, even if it doesn't need it. Obviously, front wraps may mean lameness, or tendon problems. Not many trainers want to claim a lame horse or one with bowed tendons. But if a trainer uses that trick too often, the others will get wise and the front wraps won't keep his or her horse from being claimed.

Just as in poker, a bluff should be used rarely to insure that when you do bluff, the other players won't call, in horse racing, using wraps will only work if you use them sparingly.

Other bluffs are very slow works, switching to a no name rider, a sudden and dramatic drop in claiming price, even starting rumors that a horse has a major problem. You may be sitting in the track kitchen having breakfast and overhear a trainer telling someone that a horse is all washed up and has a bad problem. A few days later you see it take a dramatic drop in class and it wins easily, but no one claimed it out of the race. You were probably meant to hear that rumor and also to spread it around.

You may never know if it was true but the trainer overcame whatever problem the horse had, or if it was just a fib to keep you from claiming that horse. So how do you, a horse racing handicapper manage to make money off these situations? First of all, you need to keep good notes and be observant. That means you can't play a lot of tracks at once. If you can physically get to a track, go to the saddling ring and look at the horses and make notes about equipment.

Then see how those horses do. Almost every track has a few trainers who are masters of the claiming game. If you can figure them out, you can make a living betting their horses because you'll know when they are well meant. I used to watch a certain trainer who had cheap horses and made a living in the claiming ranks. When he sat down in the first row of the grandstand, I knew his horse was going for the win, they didn't always win, but at least I knew they were well meant.

When he sat up higher, where he got a better view, I knew he was just watching. The reason for the seat change was that he had trouble, at his age, walking down to the winners circle and getting there in time for the photo from the higher perch. For a while this trick worked pretty well, but then he foxed us by sitting down low when he had no notion of winning. We bought anyway and bet his horse, only to watch it take a little breeze for exercise. You have to know when they are bluffing, but we made a lot of money until he caught us a few times and we paid some of it back.



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Saturday, August 15, 2009

The Best Way to Become a Successful Horse Racing Handicapper is to Become a Trainer

Just when you thought you had too much to learn to become a successful handicapper and to make money betting on horses, someone is now suggesting that you have even more to learn. That's right, I am telling you that the best way to be successful as a handicapper is to understand how to train a horse. If you don't understand horses, how can you bet on them?

Knowing more about the training of horses will also help you understand the people who train them and that is very important. For one thing, how do you know if a trainer is serious about winning a race or is using the race as a form of conditioning for the horse? It happens al the time, the trainer puts a runner in the race with the intention of conditioning it or training it, not to win. In fact, jockeys sometimes have instructions not to win the race.

A trainer may something like, "Just breeze him today, he's not ready to win." In spite of what the trainer intends or the jockey will do, the public still bets the horse.

On any given race program I would say that up to 20% of the horses entered are not meant to win, and sometimes they may even be the favorite. How many times have you bet on a horse and it was never meant to win? How many of those bets can you afford?

Another reason to understand the training of a horse is to know what equipment changes will do for the horse. For instance, blinkers are often put on or taken off, but do you know why? Sometimes an equipment change can make a big difference and a horse will win.

The first step in thinking like a trainer and understanding horses is to look at horses that aren't winning and think of what you would do to make the horse win. The second thing you might try is reading a good book on horse training. The next thing you might try is reading the comments for horses and then seeing if the trainer does something differently with a horse.

For instance, if a comment reads, "waited" or "hung", when a horse seemed to lose momentum in the stretch run, it may mean the horse was waiting for another horse to come alongside or was looking for another horse to run with. The next time that horse runs, it may be wearing blinkers so it will look straight ahead and not wait for another horse.

If you see that comment and the trainer doesn't apply blinkers, what is to prevent that from happening again? Knowing that, the horse's chances of winning are probably pretty slim. That would save you one lousy bet right there. There are many bets you would not make if you could think like a trainer, and perhaps a few great ones you would make. So learn to think like a trainer and improve your chances of making money from your bets.



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How to Use the Class Drop to Pick Horse Racing Winners

One of the most misunderstood factors in horse racing handicapping is class. Ask a roomful of handicappers what class is and you will get a variety of answers. Some people will tell you it is the ability to run fast and speed and class are really the same thing. Other people contend that it is something inherent, yet intangible and hard to explain. They'll tell you it is an innate sense of confidence that a horse broadcasts to other horses.

While the classier a horse, the faster it usually runs, that is not always the case. For instance, if you look at the charts for a race track over the course of a week, you may find days when a cheaper claiming race had a faster win time than a classier race on the same day.

What is even more confusing is that horses with high speed ratings sometimes successfully move up in class while others, though their speed rating seem to justify running at a higher level, seem to fold up when confronted with "classier" horses. So how do you know if a class drop will really help a horse to win?

The difference may be in whether the horse actually was intimidated or simply didn't have the athletic ability to compete at that level. In my opinion, class is a combination of factors. It is heart and athletic ability combined. When I say heart, I mean spirit, or courage, or desire, in other words, the will to win.

So the first place to check for that will to win is in the past performances of the horse in question. If a horse is dropping in class, check its last few races and see if it tried to win. Did it flash any early speed? On the other hand, if it didn't make an early move, was it closing on the leader at the end of the race?

If it moved up in class in any of its recent races, did it show a marked difference in speed figures? In other words, was it intimidated and failed to perform up to its own ability? If you find that a horse did try, but just wasn't capable of competing at that level, it may very well succeed off the class drop, but if it was easily intimidated, then it may not try in the next race and may need several starts to regain its heart.



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Using the Third Race Back Angle to Pick Winning Horses

While the form cycle is often confusing and hard to figure or use accurately when handicapping horse races, there is one angle that seems to work well. If you are trying to find live horses that may improve off their last effort, then finding a horse that is on its third start after a layoff is often a good bet.

Fresh horses usually have an advantage over horses that have run many races because they are not worn out or lame. But while a fresh horse may not be lame or feeling the tiring effects of a long campaign, it may also need some races to get back into shape.

Mid season form is something you will often here when speaking of a horse at the peak of condition. That means that a horse that has some races will have gotten back into racing shape but still be fresh enough to compete at the top of the form cycle.

When we say peak, we mean at the top of the form curve. Any athletes, whether two legged or four legged, will have a form cycle. It can best be described as a curve. Naturally, though they may have had workouts and have been in training, horses will start at the bottom of the curve when they return to racing because it takes actual races and the heat of competition to hone those muscles and skills.

The first several races seem to help a horse condition its muscles and also to help it get its head back into racing. If you see a horse that is on its third race after a layoff of 60 days or more, figure that it will probably improve. The third start after a layoff angle is one of the better bets in horse racing, assuming that you can get fair odds.



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Rosehill Gardens and the Sydney Turf Club

Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is located in Parramatta in Western Sydney. Rosehill is also the home of the Sydney Turf Club and is considered, together with Royal Randwick, as one of Sydney's premier racecourses. The Rosehill Gardens Racecourse was opened in 1885, but today's modern facilities are a long way from that original rough and ready track.

More than 60 race meetings a year are held at Rosehill, the best known of which is the Golden Slipper Festival during the Spring Racing Carnival. There are approximately 7000 members of the Sydney Turf Club, which employs 160 full-time staff and many more casual staff.

Rosehill also has extensive training facilities and attracts some of Australia's top trainers, including John Hawkes and Chris Walker. Around 350 horses are trained at the Rosehill course.

Rosehill hosts the richest day of racing in Australia's horse racing calendar. Originally run in 1957, the Golden Slipper Day is a day that can make fortunes for trainers and punters alike. On that day, which is the last day in the Autumn Festival, includes the world's richest race for two-year-olds, the $3.5 million Golden Slipper. The Golden Slipper was won in 2008 by Glen Boss riding Sebring. The race has been dominated by winners descended from Star Kingdom, including the first winner, Todman.

Also on Golden Slipper Day, The BMW (also known as the H.E. Tancred Stakes) is run, with prize money of around $2.2 million, making it Australia's richest weight-for-age staying race. In 2008, The BMW was won by Tuesday Joy ridden by Darren Beadman. Previous winners have included Ethereal and Makybe Diva.

The fully-grassed course at Rosehill has a circumference of 2,048 metres with a 408 metre straight. There are also sand, cinders and grass training tracks.

Visitors can watch and dine in style in the modern J.R.Fleming Stand, which overlooks the main straight. The Ascot Club on Level 4 is the most popular dining venue where packages include a reserved table. On Level 5 is the exclusive Baguette Suite, which accommodates just 150 guests and is fully self-contained with a served buffet lunch, a private bar, and tote.

Outside of race day, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is also a major function venue. The spectacular Grand Pavilion offers spaces suitable for conferences, awards ceremonies, product launches, and exhibitions, among other notable events. With 5000 free car parking spaces and easy access from the CBD and Sydney's airport, Rosehill offers a sophisticated event location. There are also a number of hotels within walking distance of Rosehill Gardens.

Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is approximately a 20-minute drive to the west of the Sydney CBD via the M4 motorway. Race day trains run direct to the track and visitors can also travel by Rivercat to Parramatta from Circular Quay.

Whether you are a horse racing fanatic or have never been to the track, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse offers you a chance to experience the drama and excitement of this enduring sport. The modern facilities might be a long way from the original 19th century simple stand-and-sand track, but today's crowd still enjoys the basic thrill of horse versus horse and the race to the finish line.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Duffield

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Horse Racing - A Fascinating Experience

Horse racing has fascinated people for thousands of years as far back as the days of Ancient Rome when chariots were raced, and this sport has always been a great way of keeping people entertained. If you have never been to a horse racing venue before you should seriously consider doing so, as it is a truly fantastic day out and the excitement and atmosphere is electrifying. This sport is very popular in both the United Kingdom and the United States and billions are wagered every year as spectators cheer on their chosen horse to the winning line.

In England there are many race courses that hold various meetings throughout the horse racing season and the most famous and popular of these is The Grand National which takes place in Liverpool at the Aintree Racecourse. This particular race is classified as a Grade 3 Steeple Chase and covers a distance of some four miles and four furlongs with sixteen fences for the horse and jockeys to tackle as they ride to glory. Of the sixteen fences mentioned, 14 are jumped twice and only the Water Jump and Chair are jumped once, so the horses have 30 fences in total to master in this world famous race that tests the determination of both horse and jockey.

A day out to the races is something that the whole family can enjoy and it is definitely worth your time to visit the paddock to see the beautiful thoroughbred horses paraded around before they are prepared for the race. These majestic animals are the epitome of speed and grace and watching these magnificent beasts racing to the finish line is a captivating experience the whole family will appreciate. Whether you go to the races for the thrills or to try and win some money, you are sure to have a memorable day that you will never forget.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sherrie_Jones

The Best System For Betting on Horse Races and Making Money

It doesn't take long for any one who is trying to make money betting on horse races to realize that you need some kind of system to organize the information and compare it so that you have a good picture of what the race will be like and what fair odds are on each horse. Horse racing handicapping systems help you to organize your thoughts and make good comparisons. Horse racing betting systems, on the other hand, help you to find good bets. There is a slight difference.

The one thing they have in common is that they help you with your thinking. Systems, as the name implies, are systematic and therefore, orderly and contain different factors that methodically applied will arrive at a conclusion.

The conclusion in a handicapping system is what each horse's chance of winning might be. In a betting system, the `conclusion is what fair odds on a horse should be. Can you think of any way to consistently and successfully doing that without a system? And yet, many people go to the race track every day without a system or a clue as to how they are going to make money from their bets.

The best system is the one that helps you to decide what each horse is worth in the odds pool and then finding one that is a good value. Which system will do that depends on several factors, the most important of which is you and your own personality. What kind of person are you and what do you want to do?

Are you a patient plodder who will take his or her time and wait for a good bet to come along, or do you want action in almost every race. The more action you want and crave, by the way, the harder it will be to show a long term profit.

Trying several systems and finding the one that will work best for you is probably your best bet. It takes time to go through systems and to use them and then decide whether you want to continue using them. One of the problems is that no system will give you instant success or long term profits without your own input and decision making. Some claim they will do that, but they won't.

But while you are trying systems, you will be picking up handicapping knowledge and that is a good thing. While an entire system may turn out to be something you don't want to stick with, you will usually learn at least on good and worthwhile thing from any good system and once you've learned those things, they're yours to incorporate into your handicapping.

As it turns out, trying different systems and picking those things you want to learn from each one may be the best system of all because when you are done, you'll have a very unique personalized system, made by and just for you.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Peterson

Build Your Handicapping Tool Box One Horse Racing Factor at a Time

Handicappers build a toolbox that they can dig into to pick apart a race and then put together a strategy or campaign for profitable horse racing handicapping. Can you correctly identify the tools in your tool box? Do you use some kind of system to pick a race apart and then look at each part of it?

For instance, when you look at the speed figures of the horses, how do you compare them and quantify them? Some people merely look at the time in the last race, or average time at the distance. That may work for them, based on how they find good bets and other factors, but by itself will not show a profit. Putting several factors together, like speed, conditioning, connections is a good way to assign a morning line to horses, but assigning a morning line on just three factors isn't enough.

To make a profit betting on horse races you must have a whole bag of tricks, or box of tools and be familiar with them so that when you see a situation that requires a certain tool, you will reach into that box and pull out the tool. A good workman realizes that one tool doesn't do every job.

You don't use a screwdriver to drive a nail or a file to saw through wood. In a claiming race with horses dropping in class and running for new barns, speed figures and form will not be enough. You'll also have to use a tool that assesses how much effect each of the other factors will have on those speed figures.

You must learn how to compare speed figures but you must also learn what effect running for a new barn will have on a horse's average speed. That means you have to pull out your trainer tool and adjust the horse's average speed by whatever the average improvement or decline is that you know that trainer will be good for. So you adjust speed figures with trainer tools.

Next you adjust speed figures with form cycle for horses coming back from a layoff on their first second or third race back. But that also has to be adjusted by knowing how much the trainer pushes a horse and what he or she will expect from the runner. There are so many variables that affect each factor in horse racing, you must have a tool for comparing and adjusting them.

You must adjust each factor according to class, breeding, age, gender, conditions, connections. Only when you have done all this can you begin to know what a horse's real chances of winning may be and then, based on that, know what fair value is in the pools. Your method becomes your tool for each one.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Peterson

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Online Betting - The Future of Horse Racing

Betting on horse races is certainly nothing new. It would certainly be a good bet to assume that as long as there have been horses, there have been people betting on which horse can race the fastest. Even so, the way in which betting has taken place has certainly changed and evolved over the years.

One of the most well known ways of betting on horse racing is to actually be present when the race takes place. On track betting is the most traditional and common way of placing bets on the outcome of a race, or at least it was, until the Internet changed the entire landscape of horse racing.

Today, more people are enjoying the fun and challenge of betting on horse races because of the fact that they no longer have to be present at the race or even make a trip to the race track in order to place their bets. In the past, many people were prohibited from being able to enjoy the benefits of betting on horse races because they simply were not able to make it to track. While there was the ability to place the bet over the telephone, this method still lacked quite a lot.

Online horse racing betting brings together the convenience of being able to bet off track with the excitement of being able to watch how the race turns out online. You can enjoy all of the thrill and excitement that is associated with horse racing without even needing to leave your home.

Due to the convenience of online horse racing, you do not even need to be located near a race track in order to place a bet on the outcome of the race. As a result, an entire new world of horse racing has opened up for individuals who enjoy the thrill and excitement of racing. You can easily be located on the west coast and place a bet on a race that is taking place on the east coast. For that matter, you can be anywhere else in the world and place a bet on a race that will be taking place half a world away. Individuals who have never been able to previously participate in the fun of betting on horse racing are now able to do so. Consequently, online horse racing has truly become the future of horse racing.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_M_Skinner

Starving Racehorses Rescued From Prominent NY Stables

Imagine the condition of four former thoroughbred race horses too weak to be shipped for slaughter. The mares, owned by Ernie Paragallo, a NY leader in racing stables, in attendance today at Aqueduct watching his colt, Cellar Dweller, finish in sixth place, denies knowing the dire conditions of these possibly bred mares covered with lice, infected with worms, and severely malnourished. Their neckbands and their tattoos were the voices of these horses, examined by PA vet, Dr. James Holt. According to Dr. Holt, all four mares had been suffering from chronic longer term neglect scoring from 1 to 2 1/2 on the Henneke Scale. Of the 24 horses leaving the Paragallo facilities in December, allegedly to be in route to Florida to be bred back to one of Paragallo's stallions, 17 mares wound up at a slaughter plant in Canada. The other 3 mares were saved by Lisa Leogrande who also contacted Sheidy about the remaining 4 horses still in the NY killpen.

Paragallo states he does not remember the name of the farm or the address where the mares were to be going, but Richie Baiardi, a horse transporter, claimed he could not ship the horses he picked up from the Paragallo's farm at the end of February because the horses were too weak to make the trip. Instead he sold the horses to a killpen operator who had to feed the horses for several weeks to get them strong enough to make the trip to slaughter.

Christy Sheidy, of Another Chance 4 Horses has been rehabilitating these mares, three now identified as Theonlyword, Coconut Martini and Firmly Decorated. " It will be a long recovery for these horses, but we already have an interested family wanting to adopt them," Sheidy stated. " I am just relieved these horses are safe, and I already see small improvements in their health and their demeanor."

Paragallo has denied responsibility for the condition of the these horses even though he says his breeding mares are kept thin in his breeding program, but states he will take full responsibility. Unfortunately, this is not the first time Paragallo has had emaciated and neglected horses at his farm. In January, 2007, Susan Wagner of Equine Advocates rescued apparently starving horses from his Center Brook Farm, underweight, parasitic and in poor health. The horses were released some 5 weeks later from the clinic.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Hanna

Guide to Off Track Betting With Online Horse Racing

While no one can deny the excitement of betting right on the track, off track betting has grown increasingly popular during the last few years. One of the reasons for this is that it is now much easier to bet off track due to the Internet rather than by phone as it once was. Today off track betting has become fairly commonplace as bettors use their personal computers to set-up accounts and fund those accounts using electronic deposits.

Off track betting is actually not that much different from betting at the race track. You can view the races as they take place in a method that is similar to the way that races were once simulcast. The only difference is that you can do it right from the comfort of your own home without the inconvenience of having to go to the track.

When getting ready to bet off track there are a few things that you should keep in mind in order to take advantage of all of the benefits that are offered by this type of betting. First, you will need an online connection and access to a personal computer. One of the great thins about off track betting is that you can bet from anywhere, including from your own home or from anywhere else in the world.

Keep in mind that it is important to choose an online site that you feel comfortable using. There are many different sites that are in operation today and offer the ability to watch horse races online as well as place bets. Take the time to look around and find a site that makes you feel comfortable. Be sure that you browse the site to find out the types of racing that the site covers and how they handle the matter of electronic deposits.

It is also a good idea to peruse the site to determine the type of bets that can be placed. Most sites offer the ability to place the basic bets, but if you enjoy the challenge and excitement of exotic bets then make sure that the site you choose supports those types of bets as well.

Horse racing has always been popular as well as the ability to place bets on the outcome of the events. Fortunately, technology has made sufficient advances that you can now enjoy all of the excitement of betting on horse racing without even needing to leave home.

Simon M Skinner is an online marketer for BetAmerica.com. they are the leading online racing and games destination in the United States offering racing, and unique and exciting contests and competitions for its customers. With industry leading software and wagering on over 80 Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse and Harness tracks from across North America, BetAmerica.com is licensed and regulated by the North Dakota Racing Commission.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_M_Skinner

Friday, January 30, 2009

Advantages of Online Horse Betting

Can't make it to the track? Want to bet on every single race across the country at any given time? These are just two of the advantages of online Horse better, probably the best one being IT IS LEGAL! No, but for real if you are a true equestrian enthusiast who loves race day but hates the track, online betting is your ticket to all the action without the crowds, noise and occasional down wind smells.

There are various options out there for online betting, make sure you research and become a member of the site best tailored to your wants and needs. The great thing is you can be apart of the Kentucky Derby while race day at Del Mar is just getting started, no matter where you are or what you are doing, every race is at your fingertips in an easy and convenient format.

Want to even bet on a horse to lose [not very nice], but if that is your game you can bet on or against a horse with fixed odds, all standard wagering is available in easy to understand format.

Imagine never being handicapped by weather or track conditions as with the click of a button you have access to each and every track and the current climate of race day. This will not only help you determine which races you will wager on but how likely your chances of winning. It has never been easier to be apart of the action than from the convenience of your own home.

Most sites also provide you with Expert Cappers, who can help you wager on the best bet to win, it is like having a "little birdy" on your shoulder come race time and proves very profitable an advantage. Imagine using the resident experts to gauge every single race determining handicaps and conditions to make the safest and promising wager; don't get much more helpful than that.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_M_Skinner

Horse Racing Handicappers Discover Equine Biomechanics

The world of horse racing handicapping is a complex game with many variables. Most handicappers are aware of the importance of time- tested data on speed and past performances. What most handicappers do not know is that a new kind of data has become available. This data, generated through a process called "equine biomechanics" assigns metrics to various aspects of horse athleticism.

Specialized analysts inspect race tapes, collecting over 50 individual observations per horse for each race. It can take up to eight hours for a trained individual to analyze a single race. The data points are then grouped into categories such as coordination, aerobic efficiency, stride quality and endurance. In each category, each horse is assigned a metric based on the data compiled. In addition to creating a quantitative measure for the purpose of comparison, the metrics can also be used to illustrate trends in performance.

While biomechanical measurement is a new development in horse racing, it has become an accepted practice in other sports. Trainers and recruiters for the National Football League, Major League Baseball and for Olympic athletes use biomechanical measurements to dissect athletic performance and ability. The NFL Combine is one of the most recognized applications of biomechanical measurement. At the NFL Combine, players perform a series of drills and tests in which their performance is measured.

In the horse racing industry, the practice of using biomechanics was first introduced by breeders. One company that has successfully used biomechanics in breeding is Monticule Farm. The best know, and most successful horse from Monticule Farm has been Big Brown, winner of the 2008 Kentucky Derby and 2008 Preakness Stakes.

While some handicappers have embraced the new technology, many are hesitant to make adjustments to their existing approaches. It can take years for handicappers to develop a system. That makes it difficult to integrate a new variable. However, since the spoils of handicapping tend to favor the player with an edge, many handicappers are curious to see if equine biomechanics will provide that edge.

Currently, only one company makes data on equine biomechanics available. Case the Race offers a subscription-based service providing equine biomechanical data on horses racing in California. For those who want to test the data before buying, free trial subscriptions are also available.

According to the Case the Race website, the data is designed to complement horseplayers' existing systems, not to replace them. For example, a player who is adept at identifying winning horses by analyzing speed, pace and class variables would still employ those methods. However, they would have the additional advantage of having information on athletic ability and would be able to examine a horse's recent trends.

If equine biomechanics lives up to the promise of providing handicappers with an advantage, it will be interesting to see how quickly horseplayers will adapt. When speed figures were first introduced, those who were the first to leverage the new information were in a position to reap the most benefits. As the use of speed figures became common practice, those who disregarded them paid a price. However, because speed figures were so widely used, the benefit of using them diminished.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marla_Simpson

The Safest Bet in Horse Racing Handicapping

Do you know what the safest bet in horse racing is? Maybe I should clarify what I mean by safe. When I write the safest bet, I mean a bet that has the highest expectancy of winning and the least of expectancy of diminishing your bankroll.

One doesn't necessarily equal the other and you will understand what I mean if you've been betting on horse races for a while. Just because you hit a winner quite frequently with a bet, it doesn't mean it won't diminish your bankroll and just because you have a bet that won't quickly diminish your bankroll doesn't mean you will cash on that bet frequently.

Some people may choose the show bet as the safest bet. The show bet, particularly on the favorite, is a bet with a pretty high rate of coming in, but there are all kinds of favorites. There are luke warm favorites at fairly high odds, like 5-2 or even 3-1. Those types hit the show payoff much less frequently than the 2-5 favorites.

Horses at extremely low odds, like 4-5 or less, often pay to show, but the payoff is often rock bottom because there is a negative pool. If you earn a nickel on a dollar with these types, you are lucky and then factor in the occasion horse that disappoints and you will soon be asking, "Where is the profit?"

Using Dr. Z's formulas, you may make a small profit on these types of high percentage bets, but you will have to risk a lot to get a little. I'm not knocking Dr. Z or his bets, he already proved they work, I'm just saying that you will have to make very large bets and risk a lot of money for a small return.

One of the problems with show betting is that breakage takes a piece of you three times. That's a heck of a price to pay. In the long run, taking a shot at win bets on those 2-5 runners may be the way to go, but statistically, you will still be a loser in the long run.

So where is a safe bet? There is no truly "safe" bet because placing wagers on horses is risky and that is why they call it gambling, however, there are safer bets. My favorite bet is to find a horse that has done what is being asked of it and is the only horse in the race who gets a check mark in each of the following criteria...

1. won at the distance before
2. won at this class level before
3. raced within 30 days and was within 2 lengths of the winner at the finish
4. won at this level and distance with this jockey and trainer
5. is racing against 3 year olds and up

This is an absolute gold mine of a bet. Doesn't come along that often, but when it does it is amazing how often the horse isn't a favorite.

For my money, it is the safest bet in horse racing and with all the tracks available through simulcasting, you should be able to find enough bets to make your days profitable.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Peterson

Easy Dime Superfecta Horse Racing Handicapping

Dime supers have opened up the superfecta bet for a lot of people who wouldn't normally play a superfecta. This has had some good effects and not so good effects on the superfectas at horse tracks.

On good effect, as stated above, is that more people are playing superfectas than ever before. One bad effect is that now that people can play many combinations for cheap, there are fewer monster payoffs from the super pools than there used to be.

In times past, the people who played supers were often heavy hitters who had the bankrolls to play bets that cost a small fortune. They were willing to wager that money because they knew that some superfectas would pay off big. But the dime super players have lowered the expected payouts while spreading the wealth among a larger cross section of horse racing handicappers.

The thing to remember while handicapping dime superfectas is that you are trying to play as few combinations as possible and still hit the jackpot. One thing a handicapper should keep in mind is that most of the time, the first two horses across the finish line, the exacta or quinella, is made up of two horse from the top five horses in the betting choices.

Another statistic that should be kept in mind is that the favorite is in the money, first, second, or third, about 3/4's of the time. So if you are looking for horses to key on in the first two positions, it makes sense to play the top five in both spots. The payoffs are hefty when a big longshot comes in, but statistically, an exacta or quinella with longshots is not likely to happen.

Consistency is a big consideration when you have limited funds. So you want to hit the superfecta as often as possible. Playing the favorite and second favorite in the top three spots along with other likely contenders is a must. You will almost always find them in the top three in some combinations. That makes your choices for the top spots in a dime super much easier. The next step is to put the longer priced horses in the minor positions for the better payoff.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Peterson

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Understand the Difference Between Pace and Speed to Successfully Handicap Horse Races

The old saying, "Pace makes the race," can easily be offset with, "The fastest horse doesn't always win the race, but that's how you have to play them."

At face value, they seem to be saying the same thing, but that isn't necessarily true. In a perfect world where each runner got to run its own style of race at its own pace, the fastest horse would always win, but as anyone who has suffered through the ups and downs of horseracing can tell you, the world of horse racing is not perfect.

The problem is that the horses are racing against each other and not the clock. Trying to determine how a horse will handle the other horses and the pace they set in a race is a very big part of handicapping horse races. For instance, you may like the chances of a runner in a race who is known for laying off the pace a few lengths and then making a late run at the leader. This horse wins many races by running down a tiring front runner or two. But in today's race, there is no clear front runner and not much early speed.

The gate opens and the horses practically walk out of the gate. At what seems a snail's pace they set slow fractions in the early stages of the race, and yet, because of its favored running style, your pick is still laying off the pace. The two horses on the lead have been lazily loping along, they are also horses that have some late foot, but because of the slow pace, the jockeys have placed them in front. As they enter the home stretch, instead of tiring as front runners usually do, these two put up a furious run for the wire battling each other all the way.

Your pick tries to mount a challenge but must make up several lengths against two strong runners who have dictated the pace. He just can't make up the ground and loses at the wire. The problem was, the pace was too slow and he didn't get to use his late energy on a tiring horse.

The opposite situation can also occur when a horse that prefers to run a few lengths off the front runners chases extremely fast front runners who run out of energy at the end of the race. Even though this horse may be able to run the distance in fastest time if he gets to run his own race, he is spending too much precious energy at the beginning of the race. He may pass them, but because he expended so much energy he cannot complete the race in his usual time.

What this all amounts to is figuring out which horses have the most ability and will be able to use it. Look for situations where a horse will not be able to run its own race and may be a victim of pace. The fastest horse may be the favorite, but the horse that fits the pace scenario of the race and style that wins at that distance and under those conditions (track model) the best, will have the advantage. Finding an advantage that is underbet is what successful handicapping is all about.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Peterson

Be Prepared For the Ups and Downs of Horse Racing Handicapping

One of the funniest comments I ever saw in a horse's running lines was, "Stepped on goose." I wish I could remember which horse and race it was, but it escapes me at the moment. I have seen some strange things while watching races, though, and stepping on a goose is just one of many things that can happen to a runner.

Mishaps also happen to jockeys. I have seen a few fall off when they were just cruising along. One fell off in the stretch and I often wonder if he "fell" or jumped off because the horse was going to win. I hope I won't sound too cynical when I say that I suspect the horse was not meant to win by the connections or other betting interests and the rider was under orders to fail or else.

When his mount was such an overlay compared to the others, it easily scampered to the lead and opened up such a wide margin there was no way for him to pull it back, so he did the next best thing. The horse may have crossed the finish line first, but without the rider, it was not declared the winner. For the price of a few bruises and a scolding or fine from the stewards, the jockey may have preserved a lot more or even gained. But like I said, maybe I'm just being cynical.

On the other hand, a little cynicism can be healthy when wagering on the ponies. There have been a few times when I have said, "Gee, I never heard of that jockey before." On more than one of those occasions, the unknown rider won. I didn't forget his or her name after that. When a jockey shows up out of no where at a track and gets a decent mount, don't discount it just because you don't know who the jockey is or what he or she can do.

I've seen horses veer sharply, jump shadows, run up on other horses, jump the rail and do a number of crazy and dangerous things. My experiences with them has been that they are big, strong, and unpredictable. Therefore you must be prepared for anything in a race.

Just how do you prepare for the unexpected? The first rule is, "Don't bet all your money on one race." No matter how good a horse may look when compared to the rest of the field, things can happen and often do.

The next rule is to take things in stride and be philosophical if at all possible. If your horse falls down or suffers some other mishap, it didn't happen just because you bet on it. The animal may have suffered from the fall and so may the jockey. On top of that, many other people bet on it as well so they lost, too. Fate didn't punish all those people and the poor animal just to take your money.

Only risk what you can afford to lose and keep a sense of humor. Remember, there's always fresh (tomorrow).


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Peterson

Horse Racing System Secrets - Handicapping & Appearance

Handicapping is a very complex process involving a myriad of possible variables that can overwhelm and frustrate even the advanced horse player.

That being said, I'm going to go over several popular handicapping strategies here that you can use to try and find value in the races. These are certainly not all of the handicapping ideas and strategies, and depending upon your particular favorite strategy, some will be more important to you than others.

First of all, I will outline a few major handicapping strategies that people employ. Horse bettors generally find a niche that they decide they will watch closely and attempt to become an expert in so that they might gain their edge based on that.

It would be nearly impossible to keep track of all handicapping variables and angles at once.

So it makes more sense for the average and even advanced player to find one or two areas of focus that they will spend more time on. Then, the angles and value plays associated with those strategies will be more obvious when they appear to these bettors.

Appearance

Many old-school track enthusiasts tout appearance as one of the main overlooked factors in horse racing today.

The fact it is with online betting and the ability to play the horses without ever going to the race track, bettors are less likely to actually see the horses.

If you are fortunate enough to be at the track and able to see the horses in the paddock and walking ring before the race, then here are some things to look for.

The horse should look healthy. It should have a nice bright shiny coat that lies down evenly. The ears should be pricked.

What you don't want is a horse that looks unhealthy - a coat looks dull or you can see the horse's ribs.

You don't want to see a lot of sweat - especially kidney sweat between the flanks. You also do not want a horse that seems overly nervous, unruly or out of control.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joey_Scaglianetto