How to

Win At

How to Win at Horse Racing Horse racing is one of the only sports that allow fans to participate in the game directly, through wagering. Millions of dollars are bet each day on races in North America, enticing players to put their handicapping skills to the test. It truly is an art form, and getting great at it will take time – but it may pay off.

Decoding the Racing Form

1 Hone your handicapping skills. Handicapping is

the process of determining which horse has the best

chance to win a race. It is a test of your creative

intelligence, not systematic computation. To do this,

you’ll need the Daily Racing Form, which you can

buy upon entering the track.

The DRF is full of a whole bunch of stats and

figures, which we’ll be discussing below. Once you

know how to decode the racing form, you’ll have a

pretty good idea of which horses will (or at

least should) do well.

2 Look at the Beyer Speed Figures. Beyer numbers

often serve as a starting point in the handicapping

process. They are the bold numbers found in the

middle of each DRF, indicating the horse's past

performances. Handicappers often use the horse

with the highest last-race Beyer as their focus and

eliminate horses that have never run a figure close

to this horse's figure. There are two numbers: pace

and speed.

Pace projections. By scanning the past

performances, handicappers try to estimate the pace

of the current race and determine which horse will

benefit most from it. The first bold-face number,

pace, shows whether the horse likes to be on the

early lead or not.

Speed projections. This is not the same as pace.

Speed (the 2nd bold-faced number) shows the

horse’s ability to pass other less-speedy horses as

they near the finish line. Speed does not equal

consistency (which pace can).

Look at that race’s distance. Distance is one of the biggest factors when it comes to betting. If you’re looking at a horse that tires out around six furlongs

and you’re at the Belmont Stakes where it’s a whopping twelve furlongs, you probably don’t want to bet that horse.[1] How has your horse run in other races of this similar length?

Distance, pace, and speed are very powerful in

tandem. Looking at how your horse runs (and, as

importantly, how she finishes) in different distances

will clue you in to how she’ll perform in races of

different lengths.

4 Take into account the track and the weather. This

is called “track bias”: no single factor in

handicapping can change the complexion of a race

like a track bias. If wise bettors detect any kind of

bias in the racing surface, they incorporate it into

their decision-making. What is track bias? Every

horse has their preferred surface, whether it’s turf or

dirt. You want to know how your horse will perform

on whatever your track is.

Don’t forget the weather! A little rain quickly turns

that dirt into mud. Take into account how your horse

has performed in this type of weather, not just the

type of track.

5 Consider “form cycles.” Handicappers must ask

themselves questions about each horse. Is her last

race a true representation of her ability? Is she likely

to improve or regress on race day? Which horses

raced against a bias last out and can be expected to

offer a peak performance today? Horses, just like

humans, are never 100% consistent.

One thing to consider is the size of the purse and

where the horse is coming from. If the size of the

purse is large, this is one classy horse – she’ll

probably be pretty consistent (she didn’t get to the

big leagues for nothing). And if she got flown in from

somewhere, her owners paid a pretty penny to get

her there, so they’ll probably break out all the stops

to see her win.

6 Look at the horse’s post position. In the list of the

horse’s previous races, you’ll see her previous post

position. Sprint races around one turn usually favor

outside posts, while route races (races with 2 turns)

at longer distances often favor inside post

positions.[2] What’s this race? And what is your

horse’s post position? Has she run a race like this in

the past and done well?

You may want to consider other horse's post

positions, too. If a certain horse seems to be

speedier on the inside and for this race is on the

inside, this horse will be serious competition.

Placing Your Bets

1 Get familiar with your track, the tracks being

simulcast, and get your papers.With your umbrella

and binoculars in hand, get going to your track. Step

out onto the track before the races begin – what’s it

like? Find the bettor’s window, and sit down to read

your DRF. There are a few other pieces you can get

for purchase, too:[3]

’’A racetrack program.’’ This has information on all

the horses, jockeys, trainers, and owners. The cost

is usually $3.

’’Public handicapper selections.’’: If your racetrack or

OTB (off-track betting) is covered by the local

newspaper, they may pay a handicapper to make

daily horse selections. The cost is usually 50 cents.

’’Handicapping tip sheets.’’ These are daily

selections published by handicappers at the

racetrack. The cost is usually $2.

Tracks often simulcast from other tracks, too. This

means you can watch the races live in one track and

watch ‘’and bet on’’ races at other tracks being

simulcast on TV. Imagine the bank you’d make if you

won both!

2 Buy a Daily Racing Form. This form is the most

important weapon in a handicapper's arsenal. It

provides detailed information on each horse running

in the day's races. It costs $4 at most race tracks

and is outlined in the above section. At first glance,

it’s quite intimidating – but once you learn what all

the numbers mean, it’ll be your best friend.[4]

Give yourself some extra time to sit down and study

it. As you get better and better you'll need less and

less time, but for now work at least a few races in

advance. Being patient and doing your homework

will increase your odds like little else.

3 Familiarize yourself with different types of

bets. When you go up to window, you need to know

what you want! Here are your basic options:

Show – your horse can get 1st, 2nd, or 3rd and you

win

Place – your horse can get 1st or 2nd and you win

Win – your horse must get 1st to win

Quinella – bet 2 or 3 horses to finish 1st or 2nd, in

any order

Exacta – bet 2 horses that must finish in 1st and 2nd

in exact order

Trifecta – bet 3 horses that must finish in 1st, 2nd,

and 3rd in exact order

Superfecta – bet 4 horses that mush finish in 1st,

2nd, 3rd, and 4th in exact order

4 Know your odds and payouts. Let's say you bet

$2 on a horse to win (which is the standard minimum

bet). To determine how much you would win if she

wins, take the odds of your horse and multiply the

first number by 2 (your bet), then divide that by the

second number, and then add $2 (again, your bet).[5]

Let's say your horse has 3/1 odds. You multiple 3x2

to get $6. Divide that by 1, which is still $6. Then you

add $2. You would make $8 on a $2 wager.

Let's take a bet where lots of people are betting, like

on a horse with 1/9 odds. You multiply 1x2 to get $2.

Then 2/9, which is about 20 cents. Plus $2, and your

winnings is $2.20.

5 Consider each horse’s individual

characteristics. After you’ve gotten down all the big

numbers, you also want to look at other tidbits of

information in the DRF. There’s some information on

there about each horse that can give them the edge

to win. Consider:

If a horse was recently claimed, or bought. If

someone is willing to shovel out a chunk of change

for a horse, they probably have potential.

If there are any recent equipment changes. The

owner is zeroing in on how to improve their horse's

chances.

Look at her workout speeds. Are they consistent? If

she's running at the same speed every day, she's

probably in top form.

Consider the gender and breed. Generally speaking,

males are faster than females. Only three fillies

(females) have ever won the Kentucky Derby, for

example.[6] And better-bred horses will outperform

others, too.

6 Consider working out of two pockets. Any good

bettor sometimes bets big and sometimes bets

small. To keep yourself going and to keep from

being bored between races you're very excited

about, have a smaller pocket to work out of. You'll

be $2 here, $2 there, and then when that big race

comes up, you'll turn to your other pocket, and bet

$20.

Betting, quite frankly, in any arena, can be

dangerous. It's always important to know when to

stop. Having 2 separate pockets can help you keep

your head above water, too.

7 Place your bets at the window (and later collect

your winnings). Remember this order: racetrack,

race, dollar amount, bet type, horse number.[7] So

when you walk up to the window to talk to an actual

human, this is the formula you follow. Here's an

example:

"At Saratoga, I'd like to bet on the 5th race – a $4

exacta on horses 3 and 7." Make sure to do

this before the 5th race, of course. Check your ticket

before you leave the window, just to make sure it's

correct.

The racetrack is specified as many tracks are likely

simulcast at the track you are currently in.

Improving Your Game

1 Track your own records. Just like you would if you

were playing poker, keep track of your own

performance. Where do you seem to be making

assumptions that aren't correct? What tidbits are you

missing, resulting in betting on the wrong horse?

What are you strong points? Knowing how you bet

can help you overcome any personal weaknesses,

too.

When you go to the track, bring a pen and paper

with you or a type of scorecard, just like avid fans of

other sports do. Keep track of the results in addition

to how you bet to jog your memory later.

Establish what types of bets produce the highest

returns for you and make them the focus of your

wagering.

Determine what types of races you have the most

success with and which you can't decipher. If you

conclude that you seldom pick winners on turf, avoid

betting on grass races until you improve your

handicapping.

2 Read books on the subject. You don't have to

depend all on your own ingenuity and ability to see

outside the box – this is a very established field, so

take advantage of it. Read reputable books about

the art of horse racing. Knowing the strategy behind

it like the back of the hand is one of the best things

you can do for your odds.

Of course, a lot of what's out there is just a giant

scam to get your money. Research the author and

preview the book before purchasing. Some people

are out to make a dollar however they can.

3 Attend workshops or seminars. Some tracks hold

monthly (or even more regularly) seminars or

workshops on horseplaying. They'll be full of tips and

tricks, where you can meet other aficionados, too.

To find this information, just inquire at your track.

You're likely get put on an email list for their

newsletter that will be full of the necessary

information.

4 Bet with friends. There's such a thing as a "parlay

bet" and it can make betting on the horses even

more fun. If you're with a group, get everyone to chip

in, say, $5. Then, each person picks 1 horse to show

on a certain race. Place the first bet, and then if you

win, place the next bet including the winnings. If you

hit a streak, that $5 can add up very quickly.

Make sure the winnings (and the losses) get split

evenly. Have everyone agree to a basic set of

guidelines before participating in any betting. Some

people may argue that they won while others lost –

establish protocol before this happens.

5 Become a high-roller in the National

Thoroughbred Racing Association’s annual

National Handicapping Championship. Of course

you have to qualify, but if you do you could win $1

million dollars. To get to this level, this basically has

to be your job. But don't quit your day job just yet!

Again, any type of gambling can be dangerous. Try

to set yourself a limit – if you hit that point, you'll

walk away. It's to easy to get into trouble in

situations like this; always be looking out for

yourself.

Remain dispassionate when betting. Increasing the

size and scope of your wagers to try to recoup

losses often only results in more losses. Even the

best horse players sometimes lose; they accept it as

part of the game. What winning horse players don't

do is wager recklessly when their emotions get in the

way.

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