5 Handicapping Systems That Every Horse Bettor Needs To Know Prior To Placing A Horse Bet Articles | Horse Betting

By: Richard Bleuze

Handicapping Systems that horse bettors need to know prior to placing a horse bet if they plan a making a profit.  Becoming a good handicapper requires years of study so learn the systems that are best for you to make a profit!

Handicapping, betting on horse racing, or picking horses, is as much an art as it is a science.  No one method is better than others and a good handicapper is always learning.  Any great handicapper will tell you that he is constantly changing and adapting his methods, always learning, and always on the lookout for another angle.
 
I will only highlight a few of the basic methods that are used to pick horses.  Become familiar with these strategies below, find the ones that work best for you, then refine them and learn more about them as you develop your handicapping skills.  For a quick start guide to horse betting consider a Horse Betting System.  Use several horse betting systems if you want to be a winner at horse racing.

1.  Speed Handicapping 
The fastest horse does not always wins the race.  There are books upon books devoted to calculating how fast a horse ran in a particular race and giving that speed a numerical value.  The most famous number available is the Beyer Speed figure.  Developed by Andrew Beyer and featured in the Daily Racing Form's past performances, the Beyer Speed figure represents how fast the horse ran and takes into account track bias and other factors.  Comparing the recent speed figures of horses in a race is a good starting point for separating the contenders from the pretenders.  A horse that has earned figures in the 60's in his last few starts would probably be in tough with a group of horses earning speed figures in the 80's.  Throw him out with confidence.  When giving weight to speed figures it is important to consider the track bias - are most races won by horses on the lead, or are closers winning more often.  Some tracks are "fair", some have a speed bias and some change from day to day.  Using speed figures as your only handicapping method will not produce consistent profits, use it as part of your overall handicapping strategy - but mainly as a way to throw out some obvious non-contenders. 

2.  Pace Handicapping  
Pace handicapping involves predicting how the race will unfold once the horses leave the gate.  Which horses are speed horses, which ones are closers, who can make that dramatic middle move?  Looking at the running lines in the past performances will give you an idea of how a particular horse usually runs a race.  One of the most profitable angles in handicapping is finding a lone speed horse in a race full of closers, he can dictate the pace up front and when they turn for home its all over.  Not having been pressured early the lone speed horse has plenty left in him to finish the race.  Throw a few other speed horses in that race and there is a good chance they will burn each other up in the beginning of the race setting it up for a closer to pass the tired speed horses down the stretch.  If you have started handicapping a race and have thrown out a few horses based on their speed figures from the above example, don't forget to consider if they will impact the pace of the race.  Although they may be in over their heads in this race, they might be able to run fast enough at the start to cause some problems for your early speed horses.

3.  Class Handicapping  
A horse who has been running in a $5,000 maiden claiming race and suddenly shows up in a Maiden Special Weight is out-classed.  That being said, you like to see horses rising steadily in class, doing well at each level and making improvements each time out.  When you see a horse win by 10 lengths in 15,000 claiming race, with a decent speed figure, and who did not have a super-favorable pace scenario you have to consider that horse worthy of being in an entry level allowance race or higher priced claiming race.  On the flip side, we often encounter class-droppers - horses that have been running in better races dropping in class.  Ask yourself, why would the horse be entered at this low level?  Is the trainer trying to win a race and build the horse's confidence?  Has the horse developed a physical problem since the last race, and the trainer is trying to unload him?  Who knows?  

4.  Trainers and Jockeys
A trainer's reputation earns him the business of owners with deep pockets who can buy the best horses, and jockeys that are skilled at what they do are in demand by the trainers with the best horses.  Thus, look for good trainers.  Trainer statistics can be found in the past performances, and can give you a statistical breakdown of how often a trainer wins under the current races conditions.  How successful is he with first time starters, with horses who have been layed off for 60 days, first time with a new horse off a claim, turf to dirt, etc.  This information is very useful to the handicapper and should be given consideration when picking a winner.  A trainer with a very low win percentage with first time starters is not a bad trainer, it only means that his training methods differ from others who may have a horse ready first time out.  Certain trainer/jockey combinations also have high win percentages and should not be ignored when you are handicapping.

5.  Putting it all together - simple handicapping strategy. 
For a novice or expert handicapper it's often easier to start handicapping a race by finding the losers rather than the winners.  Look at each horse entered in the race and try to find horses that are obviously overmatched.  Do their speed figures fit with the other horses?  In looking at their last few races are they in good form or bad?  Do they have recent workouts that suggest they are fit and ready?  Are they racing at a distance or on a surface that they do not like?  Are they making too big of a class jump?  Throw out as many duds as you can and hopefully you are only left with a handful of contenders.  In the end, you should only have 3-4 horses that are candidates for winning the race, make your selection based on their their record at the track, distance, average speed ratings, trainer and jockey.  If you still end up with too many horses that are logical contenders, pass the race.  Handicapping is about using your skills to figure out the winner, not gambling.  Watch the races you don't bet on with as much interest as those you do.  See if the race unfolds the way you thought it would, look at the results and ask yourself if the results are consistent with what you knew going into the race.  Make a note of any horse that had serious trouble in the race and make sure to use that to your advantage the next time he runs.  Have fun and keep learning - handicapping horse races is truly a great game.