Pick Results 6/15/06

Los Al Race # 1

2 What a Rebound TT 3rd

4 Miradero-2nd


Prairie Meadows Race #3

4 True Monarch- 4th

7 Acreditado- 1st paid 24.00

1/1a entry- 2nd

Best Bet 4/7/1 exacta box paid 96.80

Race Picks 6/15/06

You might ask yourself, why is the kid playing a quarter horse track. Well folks its because there is money to be made in the one turn races down there...if you can find the fastest horse.

Los Al Race #1-4.5f

2 What a Rebound TT- This entry has the strongest class and speed figures for this group and should be within a length or two of the lead. If he's on the lead, he should be gone. Treece is deadly going around the hook at Los Al.

4 Miradero- Entry should be right there based on form.

Best Bet 2with4with7,6 tri wheel

prairie Meadows Race #3-6f

4 True Monarch-tough class entry here, has add distinct class and pace advantage over this group

7 Acreditado- should be close to the pace and fits well on form

1/1a Either side of the entry could win or place, use underneath

Best Bet 4/7/1/1a Exacta box

What the heck are we doing? Part 2

Hey Kid fans, Here is the second half of our Lesson #1 as promised. Last time we left off with making decisions about what we can and can't do as handicapper. Picking a home circuit is important. But where do you go from there? Well a good place to start is opening a free Virtual Stable on Equibase. A virtual stable allows you to save horses of interest by name and is automatically updated as they work and are entered in races. It also has an area to leave notes about the horse.
So how would we use this as handicapper's. Imagine you see a 2yo first time starter in a maiden race at Hollywood. The colt comes from a decent barn, has O.k. if not great works leading up to the race and runs according to form, finishing an even 6th 4 or 5 lengths behind the winner. Its possible the colt well be cranked a little More next time out and through back into maiden company at Hollywood. But what if the trainer decides he needs a little easier company to win and ships to Bay Meadows or Turf Paradise to try and break his maiden there.
As person without ties to the backstretch to find things out, you wouldn't know the colt had been shipped out to run. But if you have a virtual stable ,you'll know he has been slated to run at another track and can decide to act accordingly. The Virtual Stable is also a powerful tool to judge whether a horse coming off a long lay off is ready for a winning effort.
So now you've decided on a home Circuit and gotten a Free Virtual Stable from Equibase. What do you do now? Watch as many races as possible. There is no greater tool for handicapping then your own two eyes. And I don't mean just what a race once. If you have TVG or HRTV at home, which thanks to the magic of cable and Satellite tv many people do now adays, get yourself at pack of VHS tapes and start recording. This can be done when your at work or doing something else and can be reviewed at leisure. Many trainers and owner view races over and over again when preparing for a race or preparing to claim a horse. As handicapper's its no different.
Do just notice who finishes in the money, play close attention to those horses that might have had an excuse. An simple line like "Bump Start" in the form, might be viewed as a total annihilation with your own eyes. So Watch Watch Watch. And above all learn.

Lesson #1-What the heck are we doing? Part 1

Hey Kid fans,
As promised its time to delve into the realm of the mysterious world of correct wagering. I know what your thinking"Here we go with sales pitch." But I assure you it is nothing of the sort, alas I have nothing to sale to you. Anyone who thinks they can punch some numbers into a computer and spit out $20 winners on end is fooling you and themselves. What I offer is a chance to discuss, what does and doesn't work when applied to betting the horses. In reality I have no secret system or angle that can give you an advantage. What I do is make handicapping decisions based on a well of information that I've acquired through watching and wagering on many many races.
What does that mean exactly? It means that I know what does and does not win horse races. Certainly you could say "A horse does." But what kind of horse. How does the horse look on form? How does the horse look physically on the track? Have you seen this horse run before? Did he run well? And on and on.

Lesson #1 Be Realistic!

Do you know how many handicappers I know that have become rich from betting the races? None, Zip, Zero...No one. I've never even heard of one that has. Perhaps there's a little old lady in Michigan that struck it rich on a SoCal pick 6 one time or another, but really even at that its like winning the lottery, its not going to happen to me and its not going to happen to you.

Sure there's people out there like Beyer and Crist who have made fortune's handicapping, but not from winning wagers. They've been successful because they made handicapping resources available and taught other's how to be successful and if not successful...Competent. So once you get it out of your head that your going to go to the races a pauper and come out a prince, your ready to start learning why and how to correctly handicap horse races.

So why do it then? Well that's different for a lot of individuals, but for me it's because I find handicapping a gentleman's thing to do. Its cerebral and challenging. It has huge swings in excitement and disappointment. It provides a way for me to prove myself against others trying to do the same. And sometimes it provides a little cushion to my income. It may be the same for you or perhaps there is another strong reason for you to do it. But most of all it must stay fun, it can't be job. I wouldn't recommend doing it as a profession. I've done it and yes I did make a living at it, but for someone like me who did not come to racing because of the gambling, but gambling because of the horses, it became less and less appealing to do it 24/7.

So once you've decided why to handicap horse races, how do you go about basing that desire in reality? For starters, choose a race circuit and stick with it. It may be your local track or state, or maybe you choose to follow a circuit over television or through the internet. But I can't stress enough how important it is to know your track(s), the horses, jockeys, and trainers, like you know your best friend. And judge their abilities according to your own methods.

Tune in tomorrow for Part 2 of What the heck are we doing?

Belmont day Pick Results

True North- 6f

4 Celtic Innis- Also Ran

5 Spanish Chestnut-3rd

1/1a- Tiger and Voodoo- Tiger 2nd

7 Anew - 1st paid 12.40

Just a Game- Fillies and mare 1 mile on the turf

5 Mirabilis-Also Ran

2 Gorella-1st paid 3.20

6 Pommes Frities- 2nd

Woody Stevens-7f on the dirt

4 Fabulous Strike-4th

9 Songster-1st paid 7.70

1 Too Much Bling- 2nd

Acorn stakes-1 mile on the Dirt

3 Bushfire- 1st paid 11.20

9 Ermine- Also Ran

1 Last Romance- 3rd

The Manhattan

5 Grey Swallow-3rd

8 English Channel-4th

4 Cacique- 1st paid 6.40

The Belmont Stakes Gr1 12f on the dirt

2 Sun River 3rd

8 Jazil- 1st paid 14.40

11 Steppenwolfer-4th

4 Bob and John- Also Ran

Results a $2 wager on each of the kids picks would have resulted in a $15.30 profit