Handicapping 105 - reading the daily racing form

Analyzing the Daily Racing Form

There is a tried and true saying in racing: "Winners keep on winning, losers keep on losing." Horses that won at their previous starts provide a rich source of winners.

1. Was the win within the last four weeks?
2. Is the horse early in its preparation when you can expect further improvement?
3. Is the horse rising or dropping in weight? If there is a weight increase can it handle the increased weight? If the weight is dropping will this compensate for the rise (if any) in class?
4. Did the horse have to overcome any difficulties to win or did it get a very soft run?
5. Was the horse eased down near the line or did it have to work very hard to win?
6. Does the horse have the same jockey? If not, why not?
7. Does the horse have a good strike rate? Low strike rate horses will, every so often, fluke a win but don't often repeat.
8. Did the horse run a good time?
9. What are the main differences, for example, pace, between this race and the race the horse won?
10. Do not concern yourself with how the horses it beat have performed since. That is an unnecessary and irrelevant distraction.

 

How to Read the Daily Racing Form

Daily Racing Form editions offer traditional past performances along with graded entries, track records, race analysis and selections. These detailed past performances contain all the information the sophisticated racing fan needs.

Daily Racing Form Tutorial using Flash

Learn to Play by the Daily Racing Form in Adobe Reader

How to read the Racing Program simplified

 

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