Horse Racing Betting Tips

Since you bet on thoroughbreds you may need some help from our top handicappers here at Coopers Pick.

The horse racing track is a tad bit treacherous for a new gambler. Remember though the greatest joys of life can be cashing in the winning ticket after "Your Horse" heads down the stretch in first place.

If you want to cash tickets and not rip them up than Coopers Pick is your place. Call 1-888-730-2667 and we will make you BIG money at the track. Picking winners is the best feeling in the world and thats exactly what we are here to assist you. Knowing the basics of horse track betting is essential so let us help you out.

Our top handicappers are here to teach beginners how to make money at the track or even betting from their computer. To begin, we're breaking down the info into 3 simple parts: The Horses, The Track and Races, and The Trainers and realations with Jockeys to get that insider edge.

Since we can't guarantee 100% horse handicapping winners we want you to know that studying and knowing how to handicap properly can increase your winning percentage to as high as 89% with our help.

THE HORSEs
Thoroughbred horses are known for their agility, speed, manes, & spirits as they race down the stretch. All Thoroughbred horses today are 1 of just 3 remaining blood lines that are left since the breeding of horses near the beginning of the 1700's. 3 foundation sires, Byerly Turk, Darley Arabian, and Godolphin Barb were breeded with common native English mares. Decades later various lines of numerous thoroughbreds have died off, and today, only those of the stallions Eclipse, Matchem, and Herod have survived till this day.

What kind of shape is your Pick in?
Athleticism is key and just as human beings, horsies need to be in tip-top shape and free from injury to perform at their best. One way of checking the fitness of a particular horse is to check out the DRF and numerous other publications that provide their recent performances.

You can also look at work out routines and how the horse trains through these numerous publications. An excellent scaling of racing and training make for good fitness while longer stints of neither will make it hard to race at full throttle.



Is your pick in the Zone?
Many horses hit a peak in performance and then for some reason or another like their human counterparts, gradually tail off. So to determine if your selection is “in the zone”, look at his most recent races to see if the horse is still at peak and racing competitively, or has lost his will to win. Statistics prove that horses that have recently finished in the money 50 percent of the time can be deemed consistent. Many horses with poor consistency usually do not run well even after a good effort the time before. So if your selection appears to be in good form, is he tailing off in his last three races? Be careful with this one as some horses can still be a good value if they have not been close to winning, but have been dropped into a lower class. It’s the big fish in the small pound syndrome. Is your pick been in the zone consistently as of late? If so move on. If not, eliminate and make another selection.

Who’s the competition?
Like a boxer that continues to only KO weaker opponents, owners and trainers can sometimes deprive horses of challenges in order to win races. You need to look at what class of competitors the horse raced against in the past? If he has put out a mediocre effort against inferior challengers, then be probably doesn’t have what it takes to compete against a higher class of thoroughbreds. A horse cannot be expected to win without showing success against quality competition. It your pick has not risen to the occasion by placing on the board in at least one or two races in his last six outings, or won his last race with enough authority to move up in class against tougher competition, toss that one aside and start over. If he is fit and can compete against that races’ contenders move on to the next variable.

Sprinter or Marathon Runner?
Like any runner, horses are only good at short (under a mile) or long (over a mile) distances. It is rare that a horse will be effective at both. Training techniques are often adopted early based on breeding, running style or speed. Various speed figures like Beyers, or Thorograph, for example, can be useful in helping to firm up your selection. These are numbers assigned to each race run by a horse. They are based on running times in conjunction with track conditions and can reduce a horse's past performance to just digits in order to quickly identify if he is a top contender. However, the numbers should only be used as a guide, in combination with other handicapping techniques. Determine whether your pick has proven to be a worthy competitor at the designated distance. If he is, move on to the next variable, if not, consider a better selection that has the potential to handle the distance or the speed of the field. Remember; never expect a horse to do something he has never done before.


The High Road or Low Road?
As with any race, starting on the pole is desired, because it is the shortest distance around the track. But how many pole position qualifiers actually win the race? Not many, but they usually finish in the top half. The postposition draw in horseracing is similar, as far outside postpositions (10 and up) usually produce fewer winners. Inside posts are more favorable, but are not enough by themselves to help a weak horse. Various tracks favor different postpositions and a good or bad draw can turn a potential winner into a sure loser, and vice-versa. Early speed is preferable for both inside and outside posts because without it, outside horses lose ground and inside ones get trapped, or worse, ridden into the rail. A horse's running style and his postposition are directly related. In shorter races, the inside is usually more desirable, while for longer two-turn races middle posts are usually preferred. Does your pick's running style match his stating position? If so move on, or make another selection if it is determined his chances will be badly compromised by his spot at the gate.

Front-runner, Stalker or Closer?
After breaking from the starting gate, a thoroughbred’s running style usually falls into one of three categories: front-runners who run in the lead or less than two lengths back, stalkers who are never more than four lengths back, or closers who are never closer than five lengths from the pace, saving it all for the stretch. Examine the field. Are there any frontrunners? If your pick is the only frontrunner in the field and there is a lack of would-be challengers, then this would be a good selection. If your horse is not, and there are no other or numerous prominent pacesetters and no closers, than you may want to find a stalker. These horses rarely lead but usually posses the speed required to catch fading frontrunners while holding off closers that have fallen well off the pace. Meanwhile, closers are usually preferable if the field is packed with frontrunners and weaker stalkers that fail to possess a big late kick. Bear in mind closers are risky, but usually carry much higher odds so payout can be lofty. If you’re still comfortable with your selection move on.