Top Ten Horse Racing Secrets

On this page 12 sections

1. Jockeys Are Often Overweight
2. The Lasix Myth
3. Beware Workout Information
4. Races Are Filled Not Fixed
5. Inside Information Does Matter
6. Some Horses Have No Chance
7. Trainers Use Medications
8. Horsemen Help One Another Out Sometimes
9. The End of the Meet Secret
10. The Secret of Specialisation: Knowing One Circuit Better Than Anyone
11. Horse Racing is a Tough Business Model
12. Use evidence rather than a secret

Do you like to watch and wager on horse racing at an online racebook? Have you ever wondered what is really going on behind the scenes of horse racing? Here is a look at ten secrets that you may not have known about the sport of kings. Some of these secrets may even change the way that you think about betting.

Jockeys Are Often Overweight

In the sport of thoroughbred racing the weight of a jockey is governed according to a strict set of rules. The weight of each jockey is listed in the racing program. If a jockey is overweight, an announcement must be made to the racing public so that they can know and make adjustments to their handicapping.

The clerk of scales records and verifies the required weight under the applicable rules. Allegations of unreported overweight or an official overlooking a discrepancy need evidence from a particular case, not an assumption about routine practice. The Japanese rules for horsemen, for example, describe checks of the jockey and saddle equipment. Procedures and equipment allowances differ by jurisdiction.

The issue of weight in horse racing has been hotly debated through the years. Some argue that it makes a vast difference in how fast a horse can run, while others think the effect of being overweight is small. Appearance is not a substitute for a measured weight or an official overweight announcement. The published riding weight is also different from a visual estimate of body size.

The Lasix Myth

There are times in horse racing when a horse exerts itself to the point of injury. Bleeding is a common issue. When a horse runs at top speed there is a chance that bleeding in the lungs can occur. The medication Lasix, or furosemide, has been proven to limit or reduce bleeding in race horses.

A first-time race-day furosemide notation does not guarantee improvement. All horses that are using Lasix for the first time are noted in the racing program. The notation must be read according to the data provider’s definition; it should not automatically be interpreted as the first administration at any time in the horse’s life. Many horses have worked out and exercised with Lasix before they use it in a race.

Compare the workout line when looking at horses that are listed as using Lasix for the first time. A change in workout time alone cannot establish medication response. Distance, surface, timing method and exercise intent also vary; medication decisions belong to qualified veterinary care and the applicable rules.

Beware Workout Information

On the subject of workout information, all of the workout times that you see in the past performances may not be correct. Published workouts can contain omissions or identification errors, and recording requirements vary. A missing line does not prove that a trainer used another name or intentionally concealed exercise. Compare official reports and subsequent corrections before alleging deception.

A workout line is only part of preparation. Unrecorded routine exercise, different training locations and incomplete data can leave gaps without establishing a plan to “steal” a race. Assess the information’s limitations and avoid assigning intent from the gap itself.

Races Are Filled Not Fixed

There was a time when race fixing was a very common occurrence. Many fans of horse racing and also people that do not like the sport believe that it still happens today. Race filling and race fixing are different concepts; this article does not establish the prevalence of either misconduct or informal entry coordination.

A racing office needs enough eligible entries for a race to be used. Seeking entries does not mean arranging the winner. Agreements to suppress competition would be a different matter requiring specific evidence and regulatory scrutiny. Do not confuse a full field, a favorable class placement and a fixed result.

Inside Information Does Matter

If you happen to visit a live race track you will often see people milling about talking about how they have inside information on a horse racing. These touts sometimes want you to pay for the information, and in most cases it is worthless. But the existence of inside information is real when it comes to horse racing.

Horse racing is a business that requires the efforts of many people. There are trainers, assistant trainers, jockeys, hotwalkers, vets, and more that are able to observe horses in a way that the public cannot. These people may know that a horse is struggling with a particular injury, or they may be aware when a horse is on the verge of doing its very best.

You will have to weigh out the value of any inside information that you receive. Whether a tip is free or paid does not establish its accuracy. Check what can be corroborated and whether the claimed source can actually know it.

Some Horses Have No Chance

The rules of horse racing are designed to keep races competitive. The races should feature animals that are evenly matched. While this is usually the case, many races feature horses that simply have no chance to win.

Some owners train their own horses. They may only have one or two horses in their entire stable. In this situation, a trainer may be more unrealistic about the chances of a horse to win. They may have entered the horse in a bad race simply because they are desperate to make money.

The best way to identify and eliminate horses that have no chance to win is to consult the past performances. Past losses matter, but changes in class, distance, surface or pace can alter the assignment. Distinguish a low estimated probability from literally no chance.

Trainers Use Medications

Sadly, horse racing has been rocked in recent years by the use of illegal medications. Some very famous trainers have been caught and punished for using the prohibited medicines. These include Bob Baffert, the trainer of the past two Triple Crown winners. Baffert’s suspension from Churchill Downs Incorporated tracks was a historical event; CDI rescinded it in July 2024. An operator exclusion and a regulatory license sanction are separate actions.

Illegal medications are often used to help horses run through pain. Horses than cannot feel an injury are more likely to have one in a race. Those injuries can often be catastrophic.

As a handicapper you should be on the lookout for horses that have failed to perform on a consistent basis. If that horse suddenly takes a turn for the better and starts to win in a dominating fashion, improvement alone does not prove prohibited medication use. Check official rulings rather than accusing betting on horses and trainers in this category.

Horsemen Help One Another Out Sometimes

There is not cheating in horse racing on a massive scale. With that being said, there may be cases when horsemen help one another out. There have been instances where a trainer may have instructed a jockey to take it easy on a horse. This can be done for many reasons, but it may be done to allow another horse to have a better chance at winning.

We would all like to live in a world where there is no reason to suspect horse racing of being an illicit enterprise. This is not the reality at the present time.

The End of the Meet Secret

At the end of the meet it is common for horse trainers to try and win races because they need money to ship their horses to the next race track. When this happens talented horses may be placed in claiming races where they have a better chance to win.

A horseman may drop a low level allowance horse into a claiming event in the effort to pick up a few dollars. It is a risky strategy, though, because the horse in question can be claimed.

The Secret of Specialisation: Knowing One Circuit Better Than Anyone

Perhaps the most underrated secret in professional horse betting is the power of deep specialisation. Rather than spreading attention across every track and every race type, the most consistently profitable bettors typically focus on a narrow set of circuits or race conditions where they have developed genuine expertise over time. This specialisation allows them to notice patterns — specific trainer angles, track bias tendencies, pace dynamics at particular distances — that casual observers simply cannot see because they have not watched enough races at that venue to build the necessary mental database.

Specialisation also makes information management practical. Keeping up with every trainer at every track across North America is impossible. But staying current on the leading connections at one or two circuits is entirely achievable, and the resulting knowledge can support a more informed assessment, though it does not establish a profitable edge in identifying horses whose form deserves more or less credit than the public assigns. When a trainer you have followed closely for years makes an unusual equipment change or enters a horse at an uncharacteristic distance, you notice it and understand what it likely means — while the broader betting public sees only the surface information in the past performance lines. For more on developing this kind of deep knowledge, our article on how to become a better horse handicapper lays out the development pathway. And our guide to betting trainers in horse racing explains how to build trainer-specific knowledge systematically.

Horse Racing is a Tough Business Model

Horse racing is a tough business in which to succeed. You should be able to safely assume that everyone involved is trying their best to win in every situation. Horse operations have a very high payroll that they need to meet, and the only way that they can meet that payroll is to win races.

Always look for horses that are well-placed. Horses that have been trained well and placed in the proper races are the horses that win the lion’s share. Bet on these horses. Check our Bovada racebook review, Twinspires review or even our Betamerica review. All great choice if you are in the US. Alternatively, online racebook comparison for folks anywhere!

Use evidence rather than a secret

HISA’s May 2026 furosemide decision maintains different treatment for covered two-year-olds and stakes runners. This illustrates why a general “secret” should not replace rules for the actual race. Write down what is observed, what is inferred and what an official record establishes. Those three categories help prevent a colorful theory from becoming an unsupported accusation.

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