Betting on Horse Races When the Track is Rated as Muddy, Sloppy, Good

Betting on Horse Races When the Track is Rated as Muddy

, Sloppy, Good

Now that winter is upon us in the northern hemispheres we're going to have more inclement weather and that means off tracks. Whether they are rated as sloppy, muddy, wet, or good, handicapping races run over an off track pose unique challenges. Of course, turf courses may also be rated as yielding or heavy, but we'll leave grass races for another day and concentrate on races run on dirt surfaces for now.

There are still some major venues like Aqueduct in New York, that race on dirt. Though they seal the track when it rains or snows, if the precipitation is heavy enough it can raise havoc with the surface. That means you have a choice to make. You can turn your attention to another track in a place where the weather is fair, if such a place exists, you can sit out the races entirely, or you can play the races on the off track.

I've experimented a lot with off tracks and have kept a list of track biases. Biases are simply the characteristics of a particular surface when it is wet. For instance, you may notice that at your favorite race track the inside, or rail path, is slower when it is muddy. That is pretty common but not always the case at every track.

That brings us to a very important point. You have to investigate your particular tracks because no two are exactly alike. The surfaces may be listed as dirt, but they may vary in composition and grade. Where one may be a mixture of clay and sand, another might have more of one than the other or perhaps another ingredient such as loam. Then again, there is coarse sand and fine sand.

The point is that the mixture will determine how the moisture is tolerated by the surface. The grade also determines that because it effects how the moisture is drained off the track. A serious grade to the inside makes the rail receive most of the water. A crowned track with a higher center favors mid track runners. Smart jockeys figure these things out and will try to steer their mounts to that part of the track to have the best and safest trip.

Along with moisture comes the problem of freezing and thawing. The temperature makes a big difference because parts of the surface may be frozen hard while others are thawing and therefore softer and slower. The important thing for a horse player to do is to keep accurate notes if you insist on playing these tracks. You also have to be very observant because things can change from hour to hour and race to race.

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