Assigning numbers when gauging a horses performance

[JakeLc]

I don't use replays so much as to find horses who encountered trouble, I look at them to see how athletic a horse is. If I'm betting a closer, is he a grinder , does he have the ability to quicken etc.

[str]

I remember when I used to do the same thing with VHS. Now, the replays are widely available right after the race. The downside is -much like the usefulness of speed figures- that commercial availability has created a world of "trip" handicappers so any obviously impeded trip will be overbet.

Those were the days!
Back then, it was things like that , that I felt gave me a competitive edge. But in to the 90s, drugs started to get out of control.I had many reasons too retire from racing when I did but I must say that the misuse of drugs and the cheating associated with it was certainly one of them.

[str]

I don't use replays so much as to find horses who encountered trouble, I look at them to see how athletic a horse is. If I'm betting a closer, is he a grinder , does he have the ability to quicken etc.

A very solid use of replays. Trouble can indeed be over rated. Not always but often enough.

[sq764]

replays are a great tool for smaller harness tracks... most people dont pay attention to trips in harness races besides meadowlands and balmoral..

[Art Vandeleigh]

For the most part trainers are trying to win every time.There are situations like
first time back off of a long layoff or a grass horse having to run on dirt to stay fit when it does not make sense to abuse the horse to try and be third if he is getting tired. That is very frustrating for the bettor that has triples in play.But if a horse was head and head and the rider wrapped up without reason I would have been in his face immediately demanding an explanation. However, there was a very successful trainer in Md. that , in my early years as a trainer I noticed rarely ran third.At the end of each meet his record might be 100 starts 18w/18p/6show.
This went on for many years. I asked the stable riders agent what it was all about.He told me that it was that trainers policy to try all he could to win but if he could not be 1-2 he preferred to be 5th or 6th instead of 3rd.His theory was that if his horse was off the board he could earn more money with that horse in the long run by sacrificing the 10% share of the pot so as to drop the horse down in company (maybe) and make 60% hopefully down the road.Before the triple wager was introduced this only affected the show pool ( not that I am defending it) but as exotic bets became popular it obviously affected those as well.I never did that. It was my feeling that the 10-12% damn near paid the months bill and being primarily a claiming trainer, money was needed by my owners anytime we could earn it.The local sharps I am sure realized this as well but the casual players probably did not.
As I have said before in other posts, the races leading up to the Derby are definitely a buyer beware because the # 1 job of all involved is to have your horse at his peak on the first Saturday in May and not somewhere in February, March or early April. I would hope that all players would all be aware of this but I doubt it.
Lastly,the jocks that hit there horses dozens of times are for the most part doing nothing to help the horse along.The stick is best used as the element of surprise.The better riders will hit a horse once or twice right handed and switch and repeat left handed.I would have no use for the jock that hit a horse 20 times with the same hand.It's like if I am behind you and I hit you on the left side of your shoulder , you are startled . Then too the right side and you are startled again. But if I hit the left side of your shoulder 20 times in a row, does hit 7-20 really do anything? At some point you create a mind set of a horse to resent it and possibly sulk from it creating a negative effect.
I used to have my riders use the stick backwards so to speak on first rides after I had claimed them.Because most all riders start with the stick in there right hand, I would have them start with it in the left hand ,then go right, as long as they had room to use it and the traffic he was dealing with warranted it .Just trying to have an edge.A dear friend of mine who left Md. after starting his riding career there and moved to Calif. that you know well I am sure, taught me that "the stick is best used as an element of surprise and anything more than that is a waste of time".I might not have figured that one out on my own . Boy was he right!

str I appreciate this write-up from a trainer's perspective, thanks for taking the time.

[str]

str I appreciate this write-up from a trainer's perspective, thanks for taking the time.

Happy to shed some light on any questions if I can.

[sq764]

yes i agree str, nice to see from a person in the game.. i hate to hear nothing but negative bs from people who cant win in this game..