Handicapping Magic

by Ed Meyer

posted on September 13, 2008 in Handicapping, Help/Educational Articles, Horse Racing, WinningPonies.com | No Comments >>

OK, here you are and you have your WinningPonies.com info in hand. You are more than halfway there, but you need to know the 1-2-3’s of finding the treasure.

Use the tier rating system. This is more than just a list of favored runners as some sheets use. It lists them into tiers. This can be extremely helpful for your multi-leg wagers. I think you should always use the top tier horses, but selectively use a second tier runner for a price. Most data has a list of three runners and says, go play these. That can be a little discouraging, and having them broke down into why you like them and allowing you to find a hidden value runner, can make all of the difference in the world.

Utilize the class drop down angle. You will see them with a red arrow moving a horse up in class, or a green arrow dropping down to face lesser company. This is good stuff. Not only are you getting horses ranked, but you know going in where they are as far as class level. This factor, in addition to the tiers of runners, can show you who looks like a player, and who is facing what level of class at a glance. Easy to use, and effective if used properly.

Keep a keen eye on the jockey/trainer changes.  The selections not only show the move, but use the old rider’s record at the the track where the horse last raced, and the new rider’s current record at the current track. This is red-hot advice. This is starting to clear away the fog, and the race is coming in bright and clear.

You have selections based on a tiered level of ability. A section that shows if a runner is on a downward trend, or is stepping up to the next level. The last part I use is the rider information. I have never seen a horse go the winner’s circle without a rider, and you never will. By adding all this together, it can be the difference between a winning day and a losing day.