| You can learn a lot that will help you with your future | | | | wander over and take a look at them. Check out the |
| horse racing handicapping by watching a race and | | | | connections for each horse and see if you can get a |
| making trip notes. That isn't a new observation, but it is | | | | feel for who the real contenders are and who isn't |
| something that people just don't seem to respect | | | | going to race much. |
| enough. You can also help your handicapping by | | | | Make a few notes, then check the odds on the tote |
| watching the horses, riders, trainers, and grooms in the | | | | board. You'll probably find that you have picked out the |
| saddling ring and paddock. | | | | contenders. You may have misjudged one or two, but |
| How good a judge of character are you? Do you pick | | | | many times when you do this, you'll pick up on who is |
| up clues from other people's body language or | | | | going to give it a shot and who is just out for exercise. |
| mannerisms? You probably are better at it than you | | | | You may also find a horse that is being bet by the |
| realize. We all develop the ability to pick up on | | | | crowd that just doesn't look that good, or whose |
| subconscious clues as to whether a person is lying to | | | | jockey doesn't look very confident. |
| us or if they are telling the truth. We also can sense | | | | Look for horses on their toes, but not sweating. A |
| how a person is feeling. | | | | clear sharp eye is a good sign, a shiny coat works, too. |
| That ability isn't turned off when you go to a race | | | | If you can see some dappling shining through under |
| track. As you stand at the fence in the paddock and | | | | that coat, that is a sign of good health. If the jockey |
| look over the stock, riders, and trainers, you probably | | | | looks like he just lost his best friend or his girlfriend just |
| are picking up on their demeanor. Of course, before | | | | dumped him, that's not a good sign. If he and the trainer |
| the race most trainers and jockeys don't know who | | | | are laughing and seem real loose, that's not a god sign, |
| will win, but by looking at a jockey, you can tell how | | | | either. That may come as a surprise, but in my |
| confident he or she is feeling. The same is true of the | | | | experience, when you've got a good horse and think |
| trainer, groom, even the horse. You may even find | | | | you have a good shot at winning, you're usually a little |
| yourself picking a winner this way. | | | | on edge and want to get it over with and get into the |
| Try this experiment the next time you are at a race | | | | winner's circle. |
| track. Don't handicap one of the races on the program, | | | | Keep your eyes open and practice pre-race |
| don't even look at it. Then, when the horses are being | | | | observations and you'll be amazed at how well you |
| saddled and walked around the ring before the race, | | | | can read a horse and rider. |