Look For the Speed
The first thing that you should do if you want to identify and pick the winner of a horse race is to consider which horse is fastest. This means that you will want to consult the past performances and note the horse’s speed figures.
There are many speed figures which are published, but the Beyer figures are the gold standard. The Beyer Speed Figures are the creation of Andy Beyer and they are found exclusively in the Daily Racing Form. You can compare the number of one horse against another to see which one has been running the fastest.
A word of caution about horse racing speed figures. You need to understand that the figures are subjective. They require some interpretation. Always consider how a horse earned its speed figure. Was the horse troubled during the race? Did it have a very easy trip? Once you have made these determinations, set aside the three horses which have the best speed figures.
Look At the Trainer Stats
Once you have identified the horses that have the best speed, you should take the time to consider the trainers of each horse. In the past performances you will be able to find the winning percentages of each trainer. What you want to look for are trainers that win 17% or more of their races.
A horse trainer that wins in excess of 20% of their races would be considered exceptional, and there are rare trainers that win 30%. You should rank the three horses that you have set aside according to the stats of their trainers.
If you want to delve a little bit deeper you can also analyze how the trainer does with horses in certain scenarios. For example, does the trainer do well with horses running long distances. Does he or she excel with horses that sprint. All of these are clues you can use to pick winners.
Don’t Forget the Jockeys
The next part of your simple horse racing system that works is to consider jockeys. You will be happy to know that the stats for individual jockeys are also listed in the Daily Racing Form.
When it comes to jockeys, a 15% win rate is respectable. On some circuits, though, you will encounter jockeys that are winning 20% or more of their races. If a jockey has established that they know how to win races, it is hard to bet against that jockey.
You should also look at the combination of jockey and trainer. Some jockeys and trainers win almost every race that they partner on. These talented combinations should always get your attention. You may not get very high odds when you bet on these horses, but they can be a very sure thing.
Putting Your Simple Horse Racing System All Together
Using the information that we have suggested, you should now be able to identify three potential horses to bet on. The reason we suggest getting three choices is that you can now also consider wagers on the exacta and the trifecta.
A good way to bet these three selections is to make a trifecta box. You can also save money by using your top horse as a key and the other two selections underneath.
There is no easy way to beat the game of horse racing. It is possible to make the process of picking winners easier when you have a system. Even a simple horse racing system that works is better than having no plan at all. Check our Bovada racebook review, Amwager Review, Twinspires review or even our Betamerica review. All great choice if you are in the US. 5Dimes review for folks anywhere!
