Are You Feeling Lucky ?

by Ed Meyer

posted on October 13, 2017 in Blogroll, General Discussion, Handicapping, Horse Racing, WinningPonies.com | No Comments >>

Good luck four leaf clover and horseshoe. Vintage vector color engraving illustration for info graphic, poster, web. Isolated on white background.

 

Everyone has that little lucky piece or the lucky hat you wear to the races. If not, there is a secret plan or method to your madness of getting there early or finding that lucky seat to see all of the action. But what if I was to tell you there is no such thing. It’s all been in your head and all of the lucking dances you have been doing in secret have been for not.

Having a lucky day is a matter of believing. – If you wake up feeling good and eliminate the bad thoughts from your morning regimen, you are halfway there. Employ a little money management, and wager on no more than three tracks and the finish line is in full view. – Sound simple? It really can be if you just take the time.

Many cultures have had many lucky charms to chase away the bad mojo:

  • Sailors: The Albatross
  • Chinese: Bamboo
  • Thai: White elephant
  • Japanese: Maneki-Neko
  • Irish: Four-leaf clover
  • English: Horseshoe
  • Native Americans: Dreamcatcher
  • Germans, Italians, Russians, Turks: Ladybug
  • Americans: Rabbit’s foot

 

1. – Pay attention to what is going on around you. – You don’t like smoking? Don’t sit in that area. – Simple things can take away your focus and you’ll find yourself looking around for that stinky cheap cigar instead of handicapping.

2. – Plan ahead. – Do some checking on weather reports, track conditions and recent biases. – Start your handicapping the night before by watching some race replays from trouble line horses. – This will enable you to start off fresh and ready.

3. – Lucky people seek knowledge and experiences and make the best use of their insight. – No more guesswork and don’t start making impulse plays right from the start.

4. – Be flexible in your daily approach. – If a track comes up sloppy and you handicapped for fast. – Drop that one and move on. – I have heard many stories of the great handicapper Andy Beyer walking into the track watching the rainfall by the bucket full. He would toss his Daily Racing Form and purchase another for the next day. – By keeping flexible you’ll find yourself not forcing the issue.

5. – Be an optimist. – That negative mindset is a quick walk to the car. – Don’t worry, be happy.

6. – Thomas Edison once said; ” I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that do not work.” – By keeping your mind open you’ll be ready to learn every day. – A handicapper once asked me how long it takes them to learn how to handicap. – My answer was simple. I learn something new every single day. – When you stop learning you are on your way out.

 

Best of luck from your friends at Winning Ponies!