Practice makes perfect, and confidence. Betting will follow once you have confidence.
That's how I landed on the 38-1 shot in the 8th today at FL.
I would say the best thing to learn is what to expect different types of horses to look like or act.
For example, you would expect 2yos to be more wired than older horses. That is expected.
LT1 is right though, you need to learn which types can "lie" to you.
A girl I dated in 1995 pointed that out to me at an OTB while I was looking over a post parade of claimers.
She knew horses first-hand and saw what I was looking at and said, "they can lie to you", and she was right .... my mule-looking horse won.
I've been playing horses 'seriously' for 25-years, over the last 7 years every day.
That's a lot of practice.
Not an expert, just do it every day.
HUD, how long have been reading/playing horses?
That's how I landed on the 38-1 shot in the 8th today at FL.
I would say the best thing to learn is what to expect different types of horses to look like or act.
For example, you would expect 2yos to be more wired than older horses. That is expected.
LT1 is right though, you need to learn which types can "lie" to you.
A girl I dated in 1995 pointed that out to me at an OTB while I was looking over a post parade of claimers.
She knew horses first-hand and saw what I was looking at and said, "they can lie to you", and she was right .... my mule-looking horse won.
I've been playing horses 'seriously' for 25-years, over the last 7 years every day.
That's a lot of practice.
Not an expert, just do it every day.
HUD, how long have been reading/playing horses?
I've been watching horse races as long as can remember grew up in the grove at del park learned to read the book at a young as just don't have that many strategies and struggle with the math sometimes. (Bad being a teacher lol) but it's a part of the game I haven't really considered till last year from watching videos artickes and talking with trainers. But I think it is good to check them out makes me want to focus on live races more which helps. Made it over after work for last race hit the place and show on a long shot russian vodka he looked calm and focused in the paddock thought would run well but not win it. Kicking myself for not betting the win 2 paid 52!
Here's a fun practice for reading horses. Try and handicap races without anything but what you see.
I use to do this all the time and still occasionally me and the wife will do it for fun.
If you can get a video feed for a track that shows plenty of pre-race horse viewing.
Also best to use tracks/jocks you're not familiar with.
Now get to work trying to determine pace scenario and contenders on "looks". Use the class/distance, track bias (as you perceive it watching),and anything you witness to handicap. Don't use the toteboard as a decision tool. Use it to compare your thoughts. Watch and learn. You'll be surprised how well you'll do without looking at a landslide of data.
The wife has gotten quite good at it and she doesn't play the horses.
Sometimes I'll do it for Australia if I'm bored in the night, since I don't follow them. Marathon races won'thelp you learn too much because they are so controlled-pace oriented. Sprints aren't, you'll learn more doingthis with sprint races.
I use to do this all the time and still occasionally me and the wife will do it for fun.
If you can get a video feed for a track that shows plenty of pre-race horse viewing.
Also best to use tracks/jocks you're not familiar with.
Now get to work trying to determine pace scenario and contenders on "looks". Use the class/distance, track bias (as you perceive it watching),and anything you witness to handicap. Don't use the toteboard as a decision tool. Use it to compare your thoughts. Watch and learn. You'll be surprised how well you'll do without looking at a landslide of data.
The wife has gotten quite good at it and she doesn't play the horses.
Sometimes I'll do it for Australia if I'm bored in the night, since I don't follow them. Marathon races won'thelp you learn too much because they are so controlled-pace oriented. Sprints aren't, you'll learn more doingthis with sprint races.
Any you horse players here, know when seeing a gray spot near the horses reins means (white spot, grayish foam) this spot is usually evident when warming up on the track, I have had trainers and horse people tell me its sweat, or adrenaline, but i will am a conspiracy theorist and think they cheat, I see a lot of winners have this spot at the end of the race, and no other horse will have it. Any merit to this claim. I usually last minute blast the us tote machine when seeing this spot, difficult to see though, pre race, always at finish line you notice.
Trying to read body language is a waste of time, unless you are an expert or have been around horses. 99% of horseplayers don't know what to look for. Spend your time and energy handicapping.
Maggie Wolfendale on the NYRA telecasts is excellent.
Maggie Wolfendale on the NYRA telecasts is excellent.
