Horse Racing Factors and Handicapping Mistakes

If you're trying to learn how to handicap horse races you've probably already heard about the factors that handicappers use to try to rate the horses. Speed, class, form, connections, and pace all figure into the formula for estimating each runner's chances of winning. If you've managed to master those bits of information you've probably moved on to the more tricky part of making money betting on horse racing -- betting.

I should say, smart betting, because that's the difference between picking winners and making a profit. I can show you plenty of people who are good at picking winners but when it comes to making it pay, the list gets mighty short. I've been at it for a long time and must admit it's still hard to do and a lot of work for a little return. But if you've got your heart set on being a horse player, here are some thoughts on how handicappers make mistakes when it comes to using the major factors.

First of all, at the top of the misused list, is speed. Damon Runyon once said, "The fastest horse doesn't always win, but that's how you have to play them." He was obviously a speed handicapper, before his time.

Many years before that a biblical sage sad, "The race is not to the swift... " He'd obviously seen a chariot race or two.

The point is just adding the speed figures isn't enough. Yes a horse might be the fastest on paper, but if he is battling a negative pace scenario or trying a different distance or surface for the first time, he'll probably be over bet. Speed is nice, but only when you use it with other factors.

As for class, what is it? Some say it is simply a matter of the caliber of horses that were faced in the last race(s). Others say it is how well a horse performed factored in to the caliber of the horses that were in the field in the last race. I like the last definition better.

I also like a holistic approach that looks at all the factors and weighs each one to assign odds to each horse. You may make a mistake with speed or class or even pace, but if you combine everything and really work at handicapping, you can often come up with a pretty good betting line and that is how you make a profit betting on horses.

Horse Racing Tips That Are Always Efficient

Horse racing has been a world known equestrian sport for a very long time in history. Archeological studies have shown that it has probably begun during the nomadic period in Central Asia whose tribesmen were believed to be the first ones to domesticate the said animals. Throughout the years, the sport has flourished as a game for royalties and aristocrats, thus earning its nickname, "Sports of Kings." At this present generation, horse racing is still a popular game being played in various parts of the planet. However, it has become popular and often played for a whole different purpose. During the last centuries, horse racing is a celebrated form of entertainment. But now, aside from it being a source of pleasure and entertainment, some individuals rely on betting in horse races as a main source of their income. Those who are into this way of earning money do not only depend on the stars for their luck, but they also have a few horse racing tips learned here and there in order to get a bigger chance in winning.

The first and most likely the best advise you have to fully consider when it comes to horse racing competitions is to be actually present in the race track. This is advantageous on your part compared to just sitting in front of your television set for several reasons. First of all, you can acquire information about the horses. If you can, it would be even better it you are able to get a careful sneak peak at the animals before the start of the race. Just like human beings, the horse's body language can be a brilliant lead to predict his racing performance. Horses that keep on whipping their tails back and forth show sign of nervousness. In addition, consider the position of the horse with regards to the initial post since it could make a difference for long and short distance races. It is also important to know the racing history of the horse by taking advantage of results from previous races. Cautiously study the data of the horse's precedent competitions since it can help you create a hypothesis that you can utilise for your bets. This practice is usually done by skilled gamblers. Furthermore, reading articles in the local newspapers, magazines, journals and blogs from the website can give you more ideas about horse racing tips.

Moreover, there are now raving soft wares that can be of a lot help in giving free racing tips. These programs do not only give you up to date guidelines and information for predefined handicapping, but are also capable of giving you the expected pace scenario for an upcoming race. By using this software, you will be ale to perform intricate statistical computations that can aid you to forecast which one will be the winning horse.

Betting Trotters

The defeat of heavily favored Googoo Gaagaa in the 2012 Yonkers Trot drew attention to the perpetual challenge of betting on trotters. He wasn't out-trotted by the field, but his two breaks of stride assured his own defeat. Some bettors refuse to play any trotting races at all, even the Hambletonian, the sport's most prestigious event. They prefer not to see their money evaporate well before the finish line as their horses make breaks from which they cannot recover in time. Pacers rarely break, so many people bet pacing races only.

There are things bettors can do to improve their chances in trots. But remember that there's no sure thing. The best-behaved, most consistent horses sometimes break stride for entirely unpredictable reasons. As in all wagering, the best you can expect is to reduce the unpredictability and increase your chances of making a reasoned choice.

First, check past performance charts for the x that marks breaks of stride in previous races. If a horse has a lot of x's decorating his chart he isn't necessarily a hopeless bet, but it does mean that you have to look closely at the circumstances.

Trotters make breaks for several reasons, some of which you can pick out during warm-ups:

• An agitated trotter is more likely to make a break than a calm one. A horse who's sweating too much for the conditions, who looks like he's jumping at every shadow around him, or who otherwise looks nervous may be a candidate for going off stride. His excitement may lead to an urge to gallop rather than trot.


• An unsound horse may have trouble saying on gait. You're unlikely to see obvious unsoundness. A clearly lame horse is not going to be permitted to start, but you may notice something-a head that nods a little too much, a stride that appears a little uneven.


• A trotter who interferes with himself will have more trouble with that interference on a sharp-turned, half-mile track than he will on a larger one. You can pick out the problem horses by all the equipment they wear. Knee boots, elbow boots, quarter boots-all are designed to protect a horse's body from being struck by one of his own hoofs. If your choice wears a lot of equipment, he may have an easier time staying on gait at a mile or 5/8 mile track than on a half-miler.


• A horse whose equipment fails or simply irritates him is more likely to break. Again, the more equipment, perhaps the greater tendency to break stride. But there is one big exception to this rule:

Trotting hobbles, a piece of equipment usually noted in the program, may mean a horse is more likely to break, but it also means that he is less likely to actually do it. Harness horsemen have been trying for well over a century to perfect equipment to help a horse stay on the trot. Hobbles-looped leather straps that connected all four legs-were developed for trotters shortly after the Civil War, but they proved cumbersome and uncomfortable and it wasn't clear if they reduced the tendency to break anyway. They didn't last long in the trotting man's arsenal, but they were modified for use on pacers, worked magnificently on the so-called sidewheelers, and became the single most important reason pacing races now dominate the North American harness racing schedule. Pacers rarely break stride and most people prefer them to trotters for betting purposes.

In recent years, front-legs-only trotting hobbles have grown in popularity. When CR Kay Suzie, the great trotting filly, wore them en route to the 1995 Horse of the Year Title, their future was assured. The use of these hobbles increases each year, with the devices now used on nearly 40 percent of starters in trotting races in North America. But they aren't likely to help a horse who isn't likely to break. They're not like the drug Lasix, which will move any horse up. If a horse shows a history of breaks in races and has only now been equipped with hobbles, that's good, although it's not a guarantee that he won't break even wearing them. It will just be less likely. If he has no history of breaks, you have to wonder if an injury or other problem has caused the trainer to make a change.

Here's one final note. If you want to take a chance on a chronic breaker, make sure he has been required to qualify recently to prove that he can go a mile without making a break.

Useful Tips For Horse Racing Bets

People bet on horse racing for different reasons. Some just enjoy the excitement of watching the horses outrun one another and bet on who will win. To some, it's a hobby while others a profession. Other's main purpose is to make money. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who lose in this game and lose tons of money along the way. This is because many fall into the tricks of fraudsters that claim to make you rich with their betting strategies. These misleading claims have made the scammers' pockets full of money and the bettors broke. The sad part is, there are still those who believe that they can get rich quickly through these betting systems. Don't be one of them. Know more about betting from legitimate professionals. If you look well enough, you will find them and that they teach you effective techniques of horse racing that will surely make you enjoy the sport and earning some money as well. You will have to learn more about the horse and the different kinds of horse racing bets that you can place. It's important to know how each works so that you will know where you will put your money on.

One key to make sure that you will be successful in making your bet is to familiarise yourself with the racing form. You can know the proper forms on books, newspapers, on the internet, and on the track itself. It will show you the things that you need to know about the horses and their jockeys, how they run on the field, and who the fans' favourite is. If you read them on a regular basis, soon you will have a keen eye about the winning forms. You can take a look at the horses and their jockeys, how they ride together on the field by taking a look at their performance at least for their past 3 races. Notice their speed and compare them to the average speed of the other horses. With this alone, you can take note of the horse that will run the fastest. Of course you also need to consider the distance of the race and compare it to the previous races. You will observe that in every race, there will be favourites that most people present are thinking that will most likely win. They are worth considering because they have a 30 - 40% chance of winning and that's huge.

The jockey's part in the race should not be ignored. No matter how talented and fast the horse is, being ridden by an inexperienced rider can ruin it all. As mentioned before, read the form about the horses and their jockeys, and do a little reading about them before heading to the racing event. These are just the basics of horse racing guide. There is no actual formula on how to win all the time but through experience, you will improve on your horse betting.