| We live in an instant, throw away, disposable, fast, | | | | race it. The last thing that the race track wants is to |
| drive-thru economy and that has affected almost all | | | | insult the owner or trainer or to risk them moving their |
| human endeavors, including how people want to | | | | horses to another venue. So horses at 10-1 or 20-1 |
| handicap horse races. Looking for a fast horse racing | | | | may actually rate those odds or may be a lot worse. |
| system, many people turn to the numerous morning | | | | A good long shot handicapping system that looks at |
| line methods that have been around for a long time. | | | | those horses and digs deeper for other factors to turn |
| The lure of a quick way to pick winners is nothing new | | | | up a few roses amongst all the thorns is great, but a |
| and that is why the morning line is so enticing. A public | | | | quick morning line system won't do that. |
| handicapper who is at the track every day (it's his or | | | | Another problem with the morning line system is that |
| her job) looks at every horse on the program and | | | | you are depending upon one person, whom you |
| gives what he or she thinks are the odds the public will | | | | probably don't even know, to determine odds on the |
| place on the horse before post time. But just how | | | | runners. If the track handicapper has a bad day or |
| accurate are those predictions and what other factors | | | | week, you lose because of it. What may be even |
| come into play? | | | | worse is that they may have several people doing that |
| First of all, a track handicapper is an employee of the | | | | job and one may be good while the other may be a |
| race track and the track needs people to buy and | | | | stinker. When I worked in publicity at a track, my boss |
| race horses at the track. So keeping the owners | | | | and I used to take turns doing the morning line and |
| happy is of paramount importance. Track | | | | competed against each other to see who could do the |
| handicappers regularly place lower odds on horses so | | | | best job. |
| as not to offend the owners. Now, I'm not talking about | | | | That's good for the players, but what if the person |
| horses that have a chance to win, those horses | | | | doing it is angry at the track? He or she may give a |
| usually get the odds they deserve, but I am talking | | | | lousy line out of spite. The point I am making is that |
| about horses that have no chance to win and it is quite | | | | those morning line betting systems may work now and |
| obvious. If a horse should be at 100-1, no track | | | | then, but they will only be as consistent as some |
| handicapper will put the runner at those odds. | | | | stranger whom you are depending upon to handicap |
| The reason is two-fold, first of all, what if the horse | | | | the races. That's the reason that for as long as those |
| does win? The handicapper is going to look pretty | | | | morning line systems have been around, they still don't |
| foolish and will never hear the end of it. Secondly, | | | | show a consistent profit and should only be used for a |
| someone is paying to keep the horse at the track and | | | | quick method, light betting, and recreation. |