| One of the difficult factors to estimate or quantify in | | | | have a cumulative score that high. For instance, the |
| horse racing handicapping is class. Class is probably | | | | class score for a 6 furlong 10,000 claiming race for 3 |
| best described as the level at which a horse can | | | | year olds and up may be 79, using the score supplied |
| compete competitively. That, of course, means a level | | | | by one of the major past performance companies. |
| at which it can win or place. While you may look at a | | | | Scanning the entries you find that there are 3 horses |
| horse dropping out of a 10,000 claimer into a 5,000 | | | | who have a 79 or higher and three who are below |
| claimer and say it is a class horse in that race, it may | | | | that level. According to this method, those horses |
| still lose the 5,000 claimer while another horse in the | | | | whose scores are below 79 would be dismissed from |
| race may win without dropping. | | | | consideration for the win position. |
| Once the horse who dropped out of the 10,000 claimer | | | | On closer inspection you find that two of the horses |
| lost at 5,000 it had shed more light on its own ability | | | | who fail to measure up are three year olds, while the |
| and where it belongs, depending upon where it finished. | | | | third horse is a 6 year old. The three year olds are |
| If it finished within a few lengths of the winner or | | | | moving up through their conditions. They may be able |
| contested an abnormally fast pace in the early stages | | | | to improve, in fact you would expect it. The six year |
| of the race only to fail, then it may actually belong at | | | | old is another story. Unless there is something radical |
| the 5,000 level. On the other hand, if it ran out of the | | | | that is going to occur in its training, that horse has |
| money without a good excuse, then it probably isn't at | | | | demonstrated through the years its own class level. |
| that level, yet. | | | | While it is true that any horse, no matter how old or |
| Form cycles are what determine the class of a horse. | | | | young, does still have a form cycle, the top of the form |
| Obviously, since form changes so does the level at | | | | cycle has usually been established for older horses. It |
| which a horse can be competitive. Another very | | | | will gradually lose class as it ages, barring catastrophic |
| important consideration is age. While a young horse of | | | | injuries. |
| 2, 3, or even 4 may still be developing and can rise in | | | | Therefore, when handicapping class, look for the top |
| class, as a horse gets older it is more difficult to rise | | | | level an older horse has competed at and consider |
| above its own class. | | | | that its form cycle ceiling, but do not discount younger |
| One of the popular methods of determining who the | | | | horses who may still be seeking their own level of |
| competitors in a race may be is to set a class level for | | | | ability. |
| the race and then eliminate any horse who does not | | | | |