| Picking winners at the horse races is often a matter | | | | after a particularly hard or taxing effort. It doesn't |
| of finding the horse that is in the best form. Each | | | | mean anything bad as long as the following race finds |
| runner has a form cycle that may vary from horse | | | | it back in good shape with a better speed figure. |
| to horse. While the length of the cycle and timing | | | | However, I don't like to bet on a horse who bounced |
| may vary, one thing is certain, the horse at the top | | | | and hasn't shown that the next race is a good one, |
| of its form in a race that it is suited for, will have the | | | | in other words, don't bet the first race after the |
| advantage. | | | | bounce. It is better to see that it really has regained |
| Other than visual clues, such as the horse's body | | | | its winning attitude. |
| language, weight, and other factors, how can you tell | | | | Another way to look for an improvement is to look |
| a horse is in what is often called, "mid-season form?" | | | | at the number of races a runner has had since it |
| One way is to look for an improvement in the speed | | | | started racing after a lay off. Many trainers are good |
| figures from race to race. | | | | at bringing a horse back to the races and winning |
| In other words, to see how fast it has run in its last | | | | first time out, but that doesn't mean that will be the |
| races. I like to see a progression in speed from the | | | | animal's best performance. If you are betting to |
| first race to the current race, but that doesn't mean | | | | make money, look for the horse who has had some |
| every race has to be better than the prior race. | | | | recent races for "tighteners." |
| Sometimes a horse, for whatever reason, will throw | | | | That means that a horse is conditioned by racing and |
| in a clinker, a bad race. It may be that it got caught | | | | while it may have won its first or second start, those |
| in a speed dual, or that the trainer was trying | | | | races have also helped to condition it for better |
| something to see if it worked. It may also be that | | | | future efforts. As a general rule of thumb (and once |
| the horse "bounced." | | | | again, this may vary according to the animal) the third |
| To bounce means that the racer had a let down | | | | race after a layoff is often one of the best efforts. |