Learn How to Handicap a Horse Race by Understanding Class

Of all the factors in horse racing, the most misunderstood

, but perhaps the most important, is class. Some people think that horse racing class means the purse money a horse ran for in its last race. They look at a horse who competed in a $50,000 allowance race for non-winners of 3 races and think that means the horse is a $50,000 allowance horse. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

As we say here in New England, "If your cat has kittens in the oven, does it make them biscuits?" Of course not. If a man is standing in a bakery, it doesn't necessarily mean he is a baker, and just because a horse runs in a race with a $50,000 purse it doesn't mean that animal has the ability to be competitive at that level. That is the test of class.

Here is the definition of class...

The true class of any horse is the level that it can run at and be competitive. I think any horse that can finish within two lengths of the winner has shown it belongs in the race.

Of course, you may also look at other factors such as pace to determine if the horse belongs in the race. Let us say that you are looking at a horse who just finished out of the money at the $10,000 claiming level. It took the lead and led to the stretch while being challenged by another front runner. They set very fast fractions until the top of the stretch, but then both tired badly. What is the true class of this horse?

I would reserve judgment for at least one more race until I saw it race again. If it got a slower pace and finished well, or managed to rate slower, conserving some speed for the finish of the race and finished well, then I would consider it equal to the $10,000 claiming level. If, on the other hand, it failed to manage, then I would say it needs to drop at least a peg to be considered a contender in a race or must find a much softer field at the $10,000 level.

When you handicap a race, look at each horse's last three races and see if it has managed to finish well or contest a hot pace in any of those races. If it has, the purse of that race determines the class of the horse. Pay particular attention to races run within the last 30 days because they are the true indication of current form and class, the most important factors in handicapping a race.

Learn How to Handicap a Horse Race by Understanding Class

By: Bill Peterson

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