PICKING HORSES
When it comes to selecting a horse to bet, there are two
possible ways to go: You can simply "play a hunch"
or you can "handicap" the race.
Playing a hunch couldn't be easier. While you're checking
the Program
and watching the horses before each race, be alert for lucky
numbers, favorite colors, names with special meaning for
you - anything that might bring good fortune your way!
Handicapping a race means making a selection based on information
available about the horses and about the race in which they're
going to compete. Lots of information to use in handicapping
is found in the Program.
One page is devoted to each race, with detailed "past
performance" information for every horse entered. You'll
find an explanation of all the data on the third page of
the Program.
More handicapping information, plus expert selections,
can be found in publications such as the Fraser Downs Racing
Guide, which is available at the Program
stands for only $1.50.
In Step 1 of the 1-2-3
method , we suggest that you start out by picking horse
number 1, as long as it is one of the three horses listed
in the Morning Line Ratings printed in the Program.
Here's why:
Horse number 1 usually starts the race in post position
1, on the inside. This is often a significant advantage,
as horses with outside post positions are more likely to
race wide, losing ground on the turns. At Fraser Downs,
horses starting from post position 1 win about a quarter
of all races.
An inside post position won't compensate for a lack of
ability, however. The Morning Line Ratings are a prediction,
by a racing expert, of the three horses on which the most
money will be wagered. You can count on them being three
of the more talented horses in the race. The actual betting
"favorites" usually win at least 40% of the races
at Fraser Downs.
There are no set rules to follow in selecting
horses. Every horse has a chance to win and you really can
"pick a winner" even if you've never played the
racing game before.
