Horse Betting

[pacerfan]

Can you guys give me a basic strategy for betting horses? Lately I've been going to the OTB and buying a program. What should I be looking at in this program: finish, time, etc...in order to make an 'educated guess' as to who will win the race?

Also, what is a claiming race vs. a non-claiming race?

Thanks for any and all help..

 

[rrc]

Hopefully Valuist will see this and give you some insight.

 

[yyz]

A claiming race, is a race where the horses are "for sale".

If it is a $25,000 claiming race, another stable, or trainer, etc, can put in a claim for a horse in that race. The price for the horse in this instance would be $25,000.

The money is put up with the track stewards, and the paperwork filed, and at the end of the race, ownership is transferred.

 

[Morris]

Buy yourself a Daily Racing Form and learn how to read it. Tons of info there if you know how to get through it. I spend hours at a time handicapping the card on race days. Every book I have ever read says to bet to win only but everyone knows the big money is in the exotics. Good Luck it's a tough game sometimes and sometimes very big paydays.


Bob

 

[Valuist]

I wrote a response in the Horse Racing Forum.

 

[ferdville]

This is far too complex a question to be answered in anything less than volumes of books. If you go to the horse racing forum, there are people there that can point you in the right direction. One word of advice from someone who has played horses for more than 40 years - money management. Just like betting sports - just like any form of gambling - money management. This is especially important if you are an everyday or even a weekly player.

 

[pacerfan]

Thanks guys.

A few more to throw at you:

1. Are there bad bets in horse racing, such as a 10 team parlay in football?

2. When I am looking at the program, it usually only lists the last 5 races ran by that horse. Is this enough info? What if the horse has no history?

Thanks again

 

[pacerfan]

YYZ...


Do horses in a claiming race run differently than non-claiming races? Do they 'get up' for the big game type thing....or are there 'higher' races than a claiming race?

:shrug:

 

[Penguinfan]

Allowance races are "higher" races, then there are stakes races, with grade I geing the best (Kentucky Derby etc..).

If a horse has no past performance line then he is likely a first time starter which is very difficult to handicap, you have to look at how a trainer does with his first time starters, his workouts and the trainers "intent" with this particular horse.

Bad bets in horse racing: Pick-6, superfecta. Yes the payoffs are phenominal in some cases, but they will burn TONS of cash chasing them, especially if you are new.

I have bet on horses for years, the best advice is to find a track you can watch every day they run and learn it the best you can. Try to stick with that one alone, the best handicappers I know do this with success. You will be able to spot situations that simulcast bettors never will, they will be wondering what just happened to their 3-5 horse while you cash your ticket on the 50-1 easy winner (had it happen more than once).
penguinfan

 

[yyz]

For the most part, claimers are for the "dogs" of racing. Kinda like going to a flea market. You may find a diamond in the rough, but most likely not.

These are not like stakes races.

These have some good trifecta outcomes a lot of the time.

As far as 'bad bets' at the track? Well, unfortunately, they all are, if you consider that the track takes around 17% (I think that is the general ammount) every race.

It is a hard row to hoe, but there are people who make a go of it.

Personally, I think the dog races are easier to cap, but that's just my prefrence.

I would defer to the guys who bet the ponies.

 

[pacerfan]

Penguin...

How would I gage a trainers 'intent'? Is this just something that comes w/ time?

YYZ..

Is there a major difference in harness vs. thoroughbred racing?

 

[yyz]

Harnes racing is the "wrestling" of wagering.

 

[Penguinfan]

You really have to follow certain trainers to get any kind of an edge in this catagory, but when you find it they usually pay off big.
Alot of trainers will "give" a horse a race if it's his first career start, or first start after a long layoff, which means they are just racing for the sake of "practice" so to speak and will usually not have a well know jockey on him, now if you see a trainer send a horse out for the first time with his go to guy (favorite jockey) on him you can assume the horse is live and ready to run at first asking. Also if the horse is running his first race without lasix then you can usually toss him out of the race, usually. There are tons of angles, but when you catch one it is payday. When you see that Mountaineer race track (the minor league of racing) has done any kind of work to the track (winterizing etc...) you can assume that the outside posts have little or no chance of winning as the outer part of the track is so friggin deep it's a joke. Handicap the races all you want on those nights and I will beat you by betting 1-2-3 every race.

Good Luck
penguinfan

 

[Morris]

Pacerfan,
There are BIG differences between harness horses and throughbreds! As there are big differences from track to track. Saratoga hosts million dollar races and 2 hours away at Finger Lakes they have 1000 dollar races! YYZ said claimers were dogs and for the most part he is absolutly correct. The exception is at the better tracks where they run for bigger purses. I actually prefer 30 to 40 thou claimers running 6 or 7 furlongs,seems easier for me to cap, but that's just me. Really hate grass routes and handicap races, seems the toughest to me:shrug:

Bob

 

[pacerfan]

Thanks alot guys...you have given me a foundation to build on.

I am going to the OTB tonight..wish me luck