subject: How to Handicap a Horse Race by Scanning for Big Numbers With a Simple System [print this page] How to Handicap a Horse Race by Scanning for Big Numbers With a Simple System
While I always advocate in depth handicapping if you're playing the races, some people don't have a lot of time to handicap the horse races so I have a few tips for them. First of all, when you're looking at a racing form or program, it's all about the numbers. Speed figures are one set of numbers that tell a lot. Another set of numbers that have a big effect are the purse amounts horses have been running for. Just by looking for those two numbers, you are handicapping for speed and class, the two biggest factors in horse races.
But how should they be used and what other numbers are important? First of all, accurately determining class and speed in a horse race requires knowledge of form cycles and other factors we won't get into here. To satisfy ourselves that a horse is in good shape, we'll simply want to see a race within the last 35 days. That tells us it has had some conditioning. Remember this method isn't meant to be extremely precise.
The only other numbers that might be significant are the amounts that each horse has earned in the last year.
The way to use these three numbers is to start with a red pen and scan the form for the race and circle the highest numbers in each category. For instance, the highest speed figure in the last race might be a 78 scored by the 3 horse. You circle that. The horse with the highest earning per start might be the 2, so you circle that.
The horse with the highest speed in the second race back might also be the two, circle that. The horse with the highest purse amount in its last race may be the 1 circle that.
Scratch out any horse that hasn't raced in the last 35 days. Now look at the circles and see if any horse has two or more. If there is one such horse, you may want to consider it a good play if it isn't bet down too far. If it is bet down, look at the next best horse. There may be a horse who has one circle and that may be a good bet. Once again, check the odds.
To check this method out, go through a whole racing program and simply circle the top numbers in each race. It will only take a few minutes. At the end of the day, see how many horses with one or more circles won. You will be surprised to see that almost all winners have something going for them that separates them from the rest. The problem, of course, is to get the right odds to make it pay.
