Horse Race Handicapping College - Thoroughbred Horse Racing Running Style

Kentucky Derby Countdown:

65 Days Until May 3rd and the 134th Kentucky Derby

Thoroughbred Horse Racing Running Style

Thoroughbred horses generally will fall into a certain running style, and horse race handicappers are able to identify this style.

There are 3 basic categories-the horses that run in the lead or who are never further back than 2 lengths, the stalker is the horse that is never farther back from the lead than 4 lengths, and the rally horse who is never closer than 5 lengths from the pace.

Horses have been known to change styles, but the vast majority maintains consistent styles. Front runners are most effective when unchallenged early. The easier they are able to get a clear lead, the better chances they will have.

Horse race handicappers will usually prefer the front runners when there are only a few potential challengers and if the track bias favors early speed.

A stalker will rarely make the lead and very seldom possess a big late finish. He has the speed to stay close and pass a tiring front runner, and can hold off the big closers that lag well behind. Stalkers can also make the lead if no front runners are in the race.

Horse race handicappers will prefer stalkers when a number of front runners are present, and without the presence of a strong and fit rally or closer horse in the race.

Rally horses usually excel in races where there is an abundance of early speed, but are often lured in when a front runner is actually slacking at the start of the race.

Horse handicappers who play the rally horses will find it more riskier because the rally horse often gets caught up in traffic.

Thoroughbred horse racing handicapping statistics show that horses who are hanging around the lead will win the majority of the races. However, beware of the rally horse on the rail or coming from nowhere.

Horse racing handicapping and wagering, although a legal form of gambling, does not guarantee that the risk of losing your money has been eliminated; even in a Stakes Race.

Always wager with money that you can afford to lose, do not violate your money management rules, and do not be greedy, there will always be another horse race to wager on.

Fact: Only 2% of all horse race handicappers actually make money wagering.

Visit http://www.HorseRaceHandicappingCollege.com for more information.

Horse Race Handicapping College - Thoroughbred Horse Racing Classic Video - The Inaugural Marlboro Cup - Belmont - 1973

Kentucky Derby Countdown:

66 Days Until May 3rd and the 134th Kentucky Derby

Thoroughbred Horse Racing Classic Video - The Inaugural Marlboro Cup - Belmont - 1973

Almost 35 years have passed, but this classic race reveals the raw talent of the greatest thoroughbred horse of all time. Yes, Secretariat wins again, and shows ability to stalk the opponent and then putting the field well behind at the wire.



Horse racing handicapping and wagering, although a legal form of gambling, does not guarantee that the risk of losing your money has been eliminated; even in a Stakes Race.

Always wager with money that you can afford to lose, do not violate your money management rules, and do not be greedy, there will always be another horse race to wager on.

Fact: Only 2% of all horse race handicappers actually make money wagering.

Visit http://www.HorseRaceHandicappingCollege.com for more information.

Horse Race Handicapping College - Thoroughbred Horse Racing and Stakes Category

Kentucky Derby Countdown:

67 Days Until May 3rd and the 134th Kentucky Derby

Thoroughbred Horse Racing and Stakes Category

Here are some explanations and examples of each category of a stakes race:

Grade 1 Stakes: These stakes exemplify the very best races in the country.
For example, the Triple Crown races - the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes - are grade 1 stakes. In races of this caliber, you expect to see champion racehorses competing against the very best in their respective divisions. The richest purses tend to be grade 1 stakes, because the best horses follow the money. Serious horse race handicappers live for a Grade 1 event.

Grade 2 Stakes: These stakes are considered a cut below grade I, but they attract a very talented group of horses. A stakes race can move up or down in grade depending on the caliber of horse that runs in it. For example, if a grade 2 stakes has horses in it that normally run in a grade 1 stakes, the race may be upgraded the following year to grade 1 status.

Grade 3 Stakes: Another level down from grade 1 and grade 2 stakes, these stakes have a noticeably smaller purse because they attract a lesser caliber of stakes horse. Still, the competition is keen, and the field sizes can be large because the race draws starters from a bigger pool of horses.

Non-graded Stakes: The vast majority of stakes races don't have grades 1,2, or 3. However, that doesn't mean the horses are inferior. Quite the contrary. At a major racetrack, a non-graded stakes may be a stepping stone race to a graded stakes. At a smaller racetrack, a non-graded stakes can attract the best horses on the grounds. Any stakes race at any track attracts a very good caliber of racehorse, and the competition is always keen and competitive.

Restricted Stakes: These stakes are written for horses born in a specific state. For example, there are horse races for horses born specifically in California, Florida, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, to name a few. So, for example, in a California-bred stakes race, only horses born in California can compete.

Horse race handicappers know that when they handicap a stakes race, that the horses in that race are there because of their particular credentials.

Horse racing handicapping and wagering, although a legal form of gambling, does not guarantee that the risk of losing your money has been eliminated; even in a Stakes Race.

Always wager with money that you can afford to lose, do not violate your money management rules, and do not be greedy, there will always be another horse race to wager on.

Fact: Only 2% of all horse race handicappers actually make money wagering.

Visit http://www.HorseRaceHandicappingCollege.com for more information.

Horse Race Handicapping College - Thoroughbred Horse Racing and the Track Bias

Kentucky Derby Countdown:

68 Days Until May 3rd and the 134th Kentucky Derby

Thoroughbred Horse Racing and the Track Bias

All successful horse race handicappers know that they always have to factor in the track bias for each and every horse race that they are considering.

So what is the basis of a track bias?

The basis of the track bias comes well before the horse race. Horse racing relies on a consistent track bias, and it is the job of the track superintendent to provide a safe race track for all the horses as well as that consistent track bias.

Every day, a member of the track crew measures the depth of the main track by driving around in a truck and stopping at every 16th pole to measure.

They stick a probe into the dirt/poly cushion at 3-foot, 10-foot, 20-foot, 30-foot, and 40-foot marks and writes down the measurement.

If the depth isn't consistent and true, the crew grades the racetrack until it is. Grading prevents a build up of materials along the rail. However, over the course of a race meet, certain trends can develop on the main track, turf course, or both, that give certain horses an advantage over others, and a professional horse race handicapper is able to spot these like a genius.

Here are some of the most common main track biases that a horse race handicapper should always factor into their analysis.

The Golden Rail: If the rail is golden, the speed horses last longer on the rail. You'll see the speed horses break from the starting gate and be taken straight to the rail by their jockeys. Horse race handicappers will pick up on this trend and use it to their advantage.

If a golden rail exists, even when a come-from-behind horse wins, this horse needs to spend a good part of the race saving ground on the rail before making a charge down the stretch.

Dead Rail: The converse is true when the rail is dead, meaning the inside speed horses are running as if standing still. Any speed horses that win over this track bias will race far off the rail, maybe as wide as four or five wide from the inside rail. In dead rail cases, look for come-from-behind horses to run wide in the stretch run.

Pure Speed Bias: When you see a pure speed bias racetrack, which path or lane the speed horse runs in really doesn't matter. Sometimes you see ridiculous fast fractions like a quarter-mile in less than 22 seconds and half-mile less than 45 seconds. With a speed bias, the leaders just keep going and don't get caught by the closing horses.

You'll tend to notice with experience that certain tracks have enormous biases due to rain and other weather conditions.

As a horseplayer and horse race handicapper, you will always need to be careful about a track bias, because you can easily get fooled.

For example, say the speed horse on the rail wins the first three races of the day. Many horse race handicappers will immediately label the main track as favoring inside speed. However, the three winners may have been the best horses in the races regardless of this perceived bias.

Also, when a jockey rides a speed horse, he will often try to break the horse sharp, regardless of the post, and move left towards the rail, regardless of the track bias.

Remember that riding the rail is the shortest path to the finish line.

If the first three winners were rally wide horses, many horse handicappers will list a dead rail and an outside lane speed bias.

Again, the three winners may just be the best horses in the races. And remember that horses that rally from behind, most of the time, rally wide because the jockey doesn't want to get caught in the traffic on the rail.

Bottom Line: There will always be a track bias, either perceived or actual. The burden will always be placed on the horse race handicapper to determine the validity.

Horse racing handicapping and wagering, although a legal form of gambling, does not guarantee that the risk of losing your money has been eliminated.

Always wager with money that you can afford to lose, do not violate your money management rules, and do not be greedy, there will always be another horse race to wager on.

Fact: Only 2% of all horse race handicappers actually make money wagering.

Visit http://www.HorseRaceHandicappingCollege.com for more information.

Horse Race Handicapping College - Thoroughbred Horse Racing - Blinkers On

Kentucky Derby Countdown:

69 Days Until May 3rd and the 134th Kentucky Derby

Thoroughbred Horse Racing Blinkers On

The most common piece of equipment for horse racing known to horse race handicappers are the blinkers.

Blinkers are the eye shields attached to the horse's bridle or head to block his vision and keep him looking forward on the racetrack; keeping track distractions to a minimum for the horse.

Blinkers are a very simple but effective piece of equipment to improve a horse's performance, keeping the distractions to a minimum.

Blinkers on or blinkers off, that is the question. Experienced horse race handicappers will take note of this equipment change and factor it into their race analysis.

Thoroughbred race horses have great peripheral vision and they can literally see behind themselves. The main purpose of blinkers is to take away the horses' peripheral vision and keep them focused on the race ahead of him.

Another reason for using blinkers is because many horses let their minds wander in a race. If the trainer has determined through workouts and previous races that the horse is easily distracted by other horses and the track surroundings, then the blinkers will go be on and annotated in the racing form.

In most cases, maiden horses (horses that have never won a race) run without blinkers until they prove they need them. The jockey may tell the trainer after a race that the horse is looking around and isn't interested in the race.

The trainer typically tries blinkers on the horse in the morning during gallops and during workouts to see if they help. The exercise rider should be able to tell a difference and would provide this valuable information to the trainer.

The horse owner and trainer, are always looking for improvement in the horse, as is a horse race handicapper. And something as small as the blinker can significantly improve a horse's focus and performance.

A few trainers have also been known to just throw the blinkers on for race day and see what happens. The riders of those horses require blind faith that the horses accept the blinkers favorably.

The Daily Racing Form lists a statistic that indicates when a blinker change occurs. Underneath the horse's past performances, you see a category that tells whether the horse has blinkers on or not and what the trainer's win percentage is for both scenarios.

Horse racing handicapping and wagering, although a legal form of gambling, does not guarantee that the risk of losing your money has been eliminated.

Always wager with money that you can afford to lose, do not violate your money management rules, and do not be greedy, there will always be another horse race to wager on.

Fact: Only 2% of all horse race handicappers actually make money wagering.

Visit http://www.HorseRaceHandicappingCollege.com for more information.