Understanding the methods of the trainers is key to making regular gains. You have to focus on a track or racing circuit and become an expert, learn the methods of the trainers and follow how they progress in the races they put their riders in to condition them for the events they enter to earn real money.
If you really want to win, you have to lose track of playing a lot of tracks each day and make a profit in the long run. There is a difference between the game and the handicap. Now, I’m not criticizing the bets and if that’s what you choose then go ahead and do it, but be realistic and understand that you probably won’t get ahead in that endeavor.
Playing horses and applying a systematic method and really working on it is hard, but your advantage may be that you become an expert by concentrating on a track or circuit. A good handicapper who also understands money management will beat the players in the long run. But to do that, you have to understand what a coach does with his runners.
A conditioner may condition a horse with runs and nothing else, while other trainers may use both works and runs. Your job is to understand how far along the horse is in its fitness cycle and how hard the rider will push that runner. If a jockey just wants to give the horse a good workout against other horses, he can’t afford to bet to win. While we’re on the subject, how many times do you think you’ve bet on a horse that wasn’t destined to win? Have you ever cursed at a jockey because he didn’t seem to try hard enough? If he did, he too should take note of that and bet that horse on his next race.
Betting on horses that are not destined to win will destroy your bankroll. Sometimes you can spot a horse that is poised to finish first by discovering fractions or splits in his last two races that most people don’t think of. This is a good way to spot horses that can be submitted to win today.
Look past the first fraction of the last effort and see if the runner made a big move in the middle of the race. Next, look for plenty of early or late speed in your next race. It probably means the groomer was checking to make sure his horse was ready to score. Those methods are classic conditioning moves and will build bottom line, also known as stamina, as well as check to see if the runner has what it takes to win at that level.
This is just a pattern, and combined with a slight drop in class, it may mean the barn is sending the racer out for the win. The next thing to do is check the board for internal money.