Uncle Clyde’s Horse Racing

Many handicappers bet on horses without taking advantage of the information race horses make available to us live and in person. Sometimes that happens because the bettor does not want to spend the whole day at the race track and would rather lay some bets in the morning and then get on with whatever else their daily schedule demands. This writer does that quite often and knows first hand the cost of not evaluating the race horses’ markings and body language. Oftentimes other bettors miss out on good bets because they do not understand what to look for when evaluating a race horse in person. Those readers looking to learn what to watch for in the paddock and walking ring have found the right webpage. Just keep reading.

Many horse players discount or completely ignore the horses’ markings in the mistaken belief that the markings are random and therefore meaningless. Such a belief is the opposite of the truth and provides an advantage to those who have bothered to notice what winning horses look like. Markings provide information about genetic nuances, and in a sport where split seconds matter, nuances make the difference.

Good race horses have very few markings and appear to be almost entirely one color. Beware of race horses with no markings at all. Blazed, bald, striped, one socked, and four socked race horses take lots of money from bettors as well. Verify this by watching TVG. Look to bet on horses with a star on the forehead and two or three socks. The best horse ever, Secretariat, had a star on his forehead and a much bigger than normal heart. The caveat of evaluating markings is trainers’ use of hoods and wraps. Some trainers always hood and wrap their horses expressly to keep this valuable knowledge from the betting public. Perhaps one day the program will provide markings information to the public, but for now we just have to make do with what we have.

Trainers can hide markings, but they cannot hide body language. Unlike people, horses do not know much about disguising or hiding their emotions. Watch how the horses act before the race. For a complete explanation of a horse’s body language, a good reference is The Body Language of Horses, by Tom Ainslie and Bonnie Ledbetter. The publisher is William Morrow & Company, Inc., 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10019. It may be out of print, so the two most important points are paraphrased here:

• Watch the horse’s ears. If both ears are pricked forward, it is paying attention to what is ahead and eager to get there. That is good. If both ears are facing back, the horse is paying attention to the rider. That is also good. Beware of the horse with ears that move randomly and independently. That is a sign of distraction and apprehension. Bet on eager, attentive horses. Do not bet on distracted or apprehensive horses.
• Watch the horse’s tail. It should be held slightly up, or relaxed. Beware of the swishing tail. There are no flies at the track, so a swishing tail is a sign of discomfort, not swatting bugs. Bet on exuberant or relaxed horses. Do not bet on uncomfortable horses.

Other things to look for when physically evaluating horses are a long tail and a braided mane. A long tail improves a horse’s balance, and good balance helps a horse run faster. A braided mane got that way because someone cared enough to do it. Horses appreciate the love that goes into braiding a mane and are more than happy to show off to the other horses in the race.

One more thought: Horses like to show off to each other, and often before a race one horse will call out the other horses in the paddock. Listen to the horses in the paddock, and if a whinny goes unanswered, that horse will probably win. If another horse answers the whinny, play an exacta box. If two horses answer, then play the trifecta box.