| If you want to pick winners in horse races you are | | | | betting pools. The way you do that is to cross |
| going to have to learn the basics. The most important | | | | reference speed and class. The best way to learn |
| factors in horse racing are class and speed. If you | | | | how to do this is to read each horse's name out loud |
| keep track of which runners win most often, you'll | | | | and to say its last speed figure and the level that it |
| soon find that the winner is often in the top three | | | | raced at. For instance, you might say, "Speedy didn't |
| speed horses and or the top three class horses. | | | | win, but he earned a 78 in his last race at the ten |
| But that does not mean that all you have to do is pick | | | | thousand claimer level. Smarty did win. In his last race |
| a speed horse with class and stand at the teller | | | | he earned an 80, but at the eight thousand claimer |
| waiting for your money, because they often lose. The | | | | level..." and so on. |
| same is true of the horse with the top speed rating in | | | | What you are learning to do is to make adjustments in |
| its last race. As anyone who is trying to make money | | | | your mind to the speed figures of each horse. If the |
| betting on horses can tell you, it is a complicated game | | | | horses are running at the $8,000 claiming level and you |
| and simply betting speed or class will result in more | | | | think Smarty will perform the same way, you might |
| losers than winners. | | | | think he has a chance of winning with a 80 speed fig. |
| While you have to know how to assess each horse's | | | | The only problem is that Smarty is dropping in class |
| true speed and class, you also have to make | | | | and was just two ticks off the leader at the finish. |
| adjustments to them to make allowances for form. | | | | How does this relate to how they should be priced on |
| Form is simply an assessment of the recent ability of | | | | the toteboard? Do you see what I mean? |
| the horse. While a runner may have won a $100,000 | | | | If you look at the tote board and see Speedy is at 1-1, |
| stakes race three years ago, it doesn't mean that it is | | | | but Smarty is at 3-1, then after you make your |
| presently in condition to perform such a feat. In fact | | | | adjustments for form and connections (jockey and |
| the horse may only have the ability to win a $10,000 | | | | trainer ability) you will probably want to bet on Smarty. |
| claiming race in its current form. Many factors | | | | Learning to make accurate adjustments based on |
| contribute to a horse's form and will indicate whether it | | | | looking at class and speed as a coupled factor will help |
| is improving or regressing. This article will only | | | | you to understand just what each runner should be |
| concentrate on speed and class. | | | | valued at and that is the only way to make money |
| Putting speed and class together in a meaningful way | | | | handicapping horse races. |
| will help you to determine each horse's fair value in the | | | | |