Posts Tagged ‘horse racing form’

Thoroughbred Horse Racing

November 18th, 2009

Thoroughbred Horse RacingThoroughbred horse racing is something that some of us have are familiar with, mainly because of the three biggest Thoroughbred horse races shown on TV each year. These three are the Preakness, the Belmont Stakes and the Kentucky Derby, known as the Thoroughbred Triple Crown. All three of the Triple Crown races are run on a flat dirt track. The horses involved in these races tend to pace themselves during most of the race. They save that final surge of power for the very end, the grand finish! There are even a few horses that are so incredibly fast that they surge from start to finish, never letting up for a second. They begin and the lead and end up winning. Many spectators of these races do not realize is that this is only one type of Thoroughbred horse racing. Even so, these are the most popular though. Not to say that the other types of Thoroughbred horse races are not popular, because they are. A variation on Thoroughbred racing is turf racing. The difference is that these races and other Thoroughbred races is that they are run on grass rather than dirt, though everything else about the races remains the same. The turf courses are the same length as the dirt track races and the thoroughbreds run the same distances as in other types of Thoroughbred racing. The only difference is the turf and the terminology which is used in these sorts of Thoroughbred races. In these races there are different words used that describes various aspects of the sport. One type of race would say that the horse was fast but in a turf competition they would say firm instead. Thoroughbred racing often have situations where the horses actually have to face hurdles such as jumping fences and such. These races are called steeplechases and their purpose is to offer extra challenges to the rider and the horse. For the spectators it offers an extra element of excitement. Thoroughbreds bank on speed while racing as they race only on flat race courses. Horses that race in steeplechases must rely on stamina in order to finish the race. Jockeys must have more knowledge too because they have to know when to jump. How many times they must jump usually depends on the length of the race. The Kentucky Derby is one example of Thoroughbred horse racing. Thoroughbred horses are known for beauty, a dignified appearance, determination, and speed and drive. The Thoroughbred horse is widely known for its racing abilities and would not be considered for inexperienced riders or a family pet. They are fast and unpredictable and often can be dangerous for those who aren’t experienced with horses. Thoroughbreds like the ones used in racing can run up to forty miles per hour. While running this fast they are still able to remain agile, turn quickly and change pace without much effort. There is power in the hindquarters of Thoroughbred horses which is the reason for their speed and accuracy.

Horse Racing Forms

November 11th, 2009

Horse Racing Forms

A horse race form is a printed program that displays all of the necessary information about a horse race. It will usually list the scheduled races, the names of the horses, and other pertinent race information. A horse race card helps bettors make an informed betting choice. There is a lot of very valuable information on the forms that betters really should know such as the time that each race will be starting.

It will provide information about the purse which is the prize money that must be split between the owner, trainer and jockey. Prize money is also distributed, on a sliding scale, to those finishing in the first few places. The form also provides detail on the distance of the race which is very important. Flat races are usually run at distances from 5 to 12 furlongs. A furlong is one eighth of a mile or 0.2 km. It will also give all of the race details, the horse’s odds at the beginning of the day and will keep you notified of the changes that occur with that horse during the day.

The form will tell you the color of the saddle cloths that the horses are wearing so that you can tell them apart basically. You will need to know the post position which tells you which position is assigned to the horse in the starting gate. Of course you will want to know the name of the horses too, which is listed on the forms. Owners often use a name that stands out and is easily recalled by bettors. Actually, some bettors bet on name alone.

The major colors are bay, chestnut, black, brown, white, gray, pinto (patches of brown, white and black), buckskin, dun, and roan. The color of each horse is also listed on the form as well as abbreviations of the horse and its sex. Some of the abbreviations are c=colt, f=filly, h=thoroughbred aged 5 or older, and g= gelding. All of this information is very important to know before betting.

You should also know the horse’s age because most horses reach mental maturity at around seven or eight years old, when their behavior generally becomes calmer and more accepting but of course your forms will tell you this information as well. People often want to know who the parent’s of the horse are and their names. This information is usually, but not always included. This data is useful for bettors to determine possible horse performance through lineage.

It is valuable to know who handled the horse’s upbringing, the amount of weight, including the jockey that the horse will be carrying. Obvious other facts of importance are who the trainer is, who the owner is, certainly the jockey who has a huge part to play in a big race. His ability to guide the horse in the race often spells the difference between victory and defeat.

There are other sections on the forms as well but the summary of past results is very important. These are crucial to viewers who want to distinguish which horse they have backed.

 

Free Horse Racing Tips

November 11th, 2009

Free Horse Racing Tips

If you hope to make money betting on horses, you need to be a better handicapper than the next guy. Handicapping is the art of looking at the odds and figuring out if a particular horse provides a good betting value. One of the ways to learn which horses have a better chance of winning is by taking advantage of free horse racing tips that are available online.

The first thing you should know about betting on horse racing is that the odds are based what’s called a parimutuel system. Unlike casino gambling, where you’re betting against house odds stacked against you, those who bet on horse races are playing against each other. Before the advent of parimutuel betting, horse race betting was the turf of bookmakers, or “Bookies”.

Under the Parimutuel system, you, and all the rest of the players, are betting against each other instead of the house. Once betting starts, the odds are determined by dividing the sum of all money bet by the amount of money bet on each horse in each category. The categories for betting on horses are win, place, show, exactas and so on; more on that later. The racetrack takes a percentage of the bets and taxes are deducted before the odds are calculated. The sum of deductions from the pool depends on the track and the type of bet. Most tracks take less from the win, place and show pools than from the exotic wagering pools for bets such as exactas, daily doubles and triples.

The simplest bet of all is the Straight bet, also known as the Single or Win bet. It is the simplest and most common type of bet. You get paid only if your horse is first across the finish line. Betting on your horse to Place means you win if your horse finishes either first or second. Show, on the other hand, means your horse can finish first, second or third. A trickier bet is the aptly-named exacta—you must pick the first and second place finishers. The Trifecta consists of picking the first, second and third place horses accurately. The trickiest bet to win, however, is the Superfecta, which consists of picking first, second, third and fourth place horses accurately!

There are other types of bets, too, such as the Quinela, called the Reverse Forecast in the UK. In a Quinela, a bet is placed on two horses but they must cross the finish line in the exact order chosen. The Daily Double is where you pick the winners of the first and second races of the day. The Jackpot is a bet wherein you pick six winners in six races. The rules and prizes will vary from track to track, however. The Parlay, or Accumulator, is a multiple bet. It’s a kind of ‘let it ride’ bet. By making simultaneous selections on two or more races with the intention of putting the winnings of the first race onto the next one, and then repeating for all the bets. Once you know what kind of bets you want to place, you can seek free horse racing tips.