Distance is a key factor in horse racing betting and let’s cover some tips that are crucial to your handicap. When determining the handicap distance in horse racing, we are referring to a course of 1 mile or more and any lesser distance will be considered a sprint distance. The length of the race, your handicap, is very important for the horses that are about to compete. After taking into account the horse’s racing style and the distance he prefers, you can begin to visualize how the race to the finish line will be divided.
It is a fact that some horses simply prefer to run certain distances. Some horses will run both road and sprint races, but will prefer one or the other. Training can also be a factor, as the trainer controls which breeds the horse is entered into. In cheaper races, horses are often placed at the wrong distance just to get them into the race and gain experience.
I’ll go over a few key variables in range that can get you some bullets in your gun the next time you’re out on the track.
* When a horse goes from a sprint to a road it will have more chances than one that goes from a road to a sprint.
* Running style also influences distance. I’m a firm believer that the number of challengers determines how tired the front runner gets, not how fast he runs. A horse gets tired of trying to get away from his rivals next to him, especially in a road race.
* A sprinter who takes a comfortable early lead on a route and then is asked to run slower than he normally does and is not challenged for a long time by no one else can go all the way.
* The best time to play a sprinter in a road race is when you find one who has shown early speed in sprints.
*Also note when a horse has run smoothly or been able to stay close, then close ground on sprints. When these horses are entered into a longer race where there is no front speed.
* A closer on a route rarely has much of a chance when placed in a sprint.
*When all races in a horse’s previous performance are routes, it must be assumed that the rapid initial pace of a sprint will damage the router too much to recover from.
* Road closers make the worst possible bets on sprints and should be eliminated in almost all cases.
* Distance in training is also something you want to watch. A rule of thumb I use for this is that the longer the distance in training, the better the horse’s form. If he sees 2 or 3 workouts at 5 furlongs or more, the coach is either trying to win or realized longer workouts weren’t working so he’s experimenting. (which is also good because it means he’s trying to win) I’m always looking for longer workouts but I’ll notice if there were a few laps without a win then he might be trying to turn things around.
*Also along with decent distance training if the horse did it in a breeze and has a bullet buy it you have a horse in tip top condition.