Convenient Memory

by Ed Meyer

posted on February 11, 2020 in Blogroll, General Discussion, Handicapping, Horse Racing, WinningPonies.com | No Comments >>

 

 

I can remember bad beats in vivid detail – But recalling big winners can be a little tougher at times. – I wonder why I’ve been having this trouble for all these years.

Now, I can tell you about some of the big winning days, but the losers stick out like a sore thumb. – The winning days are fun and fruitful. You get to root and cheer and celebrate with friends. I’ve been searching the world over and think I found a clue finally.

When you lose you learn a lesson. “What did I miss? Is there a figure I didn’t take into consideration? The trainer has great stats fresh off the claim.” You get the idea. – Losing is like a bee sting. Hurts for a while then you take care of the wound. – Same things go for losing wagers. You tend to the hurt by trying to figure out what you missed.

This can be a tough effort, and if you keep an open mind. It will be time well spent. – I’ve had some beats that would make the toughest of players fall to their knees. – But, if you go back you’ll find clues for fixing the problem. – If a horse falls, gets checked up strongly at the break, or gets caught in a pocket. You can toss this out on a bad trip. Not much you can do except wait until the next time they run and double down. – It’s worked plenty for me and sometimes we come up short. But watching the races for troubled trips and bad breaks is time well spent.

I like to go back and examine the trip. Was is solid or jumbled? Did your horse get a bad break at the start?  Were they caught in between runners with no place to go? – All good ideas and I would add in going back and watching the races a few times. – Give bonus points if they have a hot rider in the saddle from the last race. A smoking morning workout. Maybe the post position will benefit today as it fits the horse’s style of running.

A couple more focus points for me: Was he/she a beaten favorite last out? – Dropping in class or a change in the distance? – All good thoughts when looking for answers. – Handicapping can be a fine mix of art and science. – If you keep an open mind and don’t press that last race into making something happen that didn’t. You’ll be much better off.

Losing teaches lessons and winning makes you happy. – Both can be very helpful tools in taking your game to the next level. – Winning builds confidence and losing makes you work harder. They both have merit and should be used accordingly. After all, they are both helpful tools in keeping your bankroll growing.

So the next time you have some close losses or a bad beat. Go back to the drawing board and look closer. I think you’ll start looking through a whole new set of eyes.

Best of luck from your friends at Winning Ponies!