| Whether you are handicapping harness races or | | | | preferably the same surface as today's race. One of |
| thoroughbred races, speed figures can be very | | | | the many reasons for that is that a horse that is |
| helpful, but also misleading. Just using speed figures | | | | lame or sore may post a high speed figure on a soft |
| alone to pick winners will usually result in long term | | | | turf course, but do considerably worse on a hard dirt |
| losses, though they may make a profit on one day | | | | surface. So I like to see a race on the same surface |
| or another. Horse races are multi-faceted events that | | | | under the same conditions. |
| depend on many factors. | | | | My next consideration is whether or not that race |
| You cannot add a column of numbers and come up | | | | was typical of the horse or for some reason, atypical. |
| with the right amount unless you know all the | | | | While Standardbreds and usually more consistent than |
| numbers in the column and you cannot handicap a | | | | Thoroughbreds, either breed may have an unusually |
| harness race or thoroughbred race without all the | | | | fast race from time to time based on the trip and |
| factors. Those factors also have to be weighted and | | | | other conditions that I may not be aware of. On the |
| the reason that we rely so heavily on speed figures | | | | other hand, if I see that the speed rating was within |
| is because they are one of the more important | | | | the normal to high side of the horse's usual speed |
| factors. | | | | then I know that it was not a fluke. |
| But how you use speed figures is very important, | | | | That is why I like to always compare the last speed |
| because they can lead you far astray if you do not | | | | rating to the average for the horse over a |
| know how to compare them. I like to look at speed | | | | reasonable period of time. A horse with a speed |
| figures in two different ways. | | | | rating out of its own range will make me dig deeper |
| The first thing I want to know is, "What have you | | | | and occasionally, if I can't find a suitable reason, I will |
| done for me lately?" To answer that question I look | | | | skip the race. But bear in mind that no matter what |
| at the horse's latest race and speed figure. Of | | | | the speed figures do show, they are still only a part |
| course, I want to see it on a fast track and | | | | of the overall picture. |