subject: Hot Jockeys Win Horse Races And Here is How to Spot Them [print this page] Hot Jockeys Win Horse Races And Here is How to Spot Them
If you're trying to make a profit handicapping horse races, you have probably studied jockeys and their unique talents in order to spot good bets. Some people follow a jockey blindly and will bet his or her horses no matter how they look on paper. While that may work sometimes, overall, it is usually a bad policy. The reason is that the more successful a jockey becomes, the more likely the bettors will bet on anything he rides and therefore you'll rarely find an overlay.
One of the secrets to making money on a particular rider is really nothing new. You have to find a horse that he or she is riding that is underestimated by the other bettors. That usually starts with a change. A change in trainer is the first place to look. If the horse was recently claimed or changed barns, then you should find out how that new conditioner does with recent additions.
Speaking of trainers, knowing which ones are successful with other changes such as adding blinkers, front wraps, tongue ties, etc., will help you to spot a live runner that may go off at favorable odds. Trainers, like all humans, are creatures of habit and once they find something that works for them, they will keep repeating that move over and over again.
If you follow a rider sooner or later you'll realize that you're really also following the trainers that the rider works for. Knowing their moves will greatly enhance your chances of winning.
As I said before, it is very hard to make a profit on a rider who is popular and has a good win average. One way to eliminate useless bets and to home in on his or her most likely winners is to find the range of payoffs that he or she is likely to produce. Some riders almost never win on a horse at odds of 5-1 or greater, while others do bring in more than their fair share of long shots. Knowing the likely winners your chosen jockey is on will help you to weed out those races where he or she is just exercising the horse for the trainer.
While it is easy to just bet on every horse that a competent jockey is riding, you will find that you pay a price for that ease. Combine your confidence in the jockey with some good basic handicapping, however, and you'll find that your win average increases and you may show a profit, though it is hard to do when betting on horse races.
