Should You Play Races That are Taken Off the Turf When Handicapping Horse Races

In the United States, races are often taken off the turf because of rain

. You may handicap a whole program and invest hours on making your picks only to have half the races on the program taken off the turf. Naturally, when you handicapped the turf races you looked at the horses and determined each ones chances of winning on the turf. The question then is whether or not you can still play those races and salvage something for the day. Here are some special tips for when you handicap turf races.

The whole thing hinges on whether or not you did a little forward thinking and how you handicap a horse race. When I handicap a horse race I always start by noting which horses have won at the distance and on the surface that today's race is running on. So if today's race is a turf race at a mile distance, I look for those horses who have won on turf and at a mile or more. If the race is a dirt sprint at six furlongs, I want a horse who has won some dirt sprints.

The next thing I look for is whether or not the horse has won at that track. Some horses just do better at certain tracks and are the reasons some handicappers say, "Always look for horses for courses." That is good advice. But don't overlook the fact that a turf race may become a race over the dirt track if the race is taken off the turf. While you handicap a race on the grass, that should also be a consideration.

I make a note beside each horse that indicates whether it will benefit if the weather forces the stewards to take the race off the grass and put it on the dirt track. There are trainers who realize their horse has little chance on the grass, but that if the race is taken off the turf, the horse will then be competitive. The next time you handicap a turf race and see a horse that doesn't seem to belong in the race, just remember that the trainer may be hoping for rain and if so, his or her horse should get extra consideration.

If the race is put on the main track and you have planned ahead and made notes, there is no reason why you shouldn't play a horse that seems to be better suited for the dirt track. The trainer obviously put the horse in the race with that thought in mind. It isn't always a horse that is entered under the listing MTO ( main track only). Sometimes a conditioner will put a horse in a grass race and figure if it stays on the grass it will be a good chance to exercise the horse, but if it is put on the dirt it may be a chance to win, or at least get a share of the purse.

If you have noted these horses ahead of time you will have a good reason to play races taken off the turf.

Should You Play Races That are Taken Off the Turf When Handicapping Horse Races

By: Bill Peterson

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