Weather As a Factor When Handicapping to Pick Winners

Author:

Bill Peterson

Even though we now have all weather tracks with synthetic surfaces that make running a little less risky on days when there is precipitation, weather still plays a major role in handicapping horse races. Rain and snow can change the whole character of a race because some horses race better on an 'off' track. Another situation that occurs when conditions are less than optimal is that trainers scratch their runners if they feel the track condition compromises their safety or chance of winning.

While track cancellations are more common in the winter months, particularly in the northern part of the Untied States, occasionally a track will also cancel in the summer due to heat. If the authorities decide that it is just too hot to run them, then they may cancel. The effect of heat on horses is the same as it is for any animal. Too,much heat, especially when they are exerting themselves, can harm or even kill a thoroughbred.

Though horses are found in many habitats in the wild, they actually seem to handle the cold better than the heat. You may have seen this before. In the post parade, a runner is covered with sweat, what is referred to as washy. That is something to look for because it often means that one is sweating out all it\'s energy and will not win the race. In this case, the horse\'s own heat, caused by nerves that accelerate its metabolism, is the problem.

Taking that one step farther, however, imagine that the outside conditions have the same effect on the runners. How they cope with that situation will be determined by the individual horse, but overall, if all the runners are experiencing that problem, it makes handicapping even more difficult.

It\'s always a good idea to visually inspect the runners in a race before betting, but that is even more important when there are extremes in temperature and humidity. Sometimes a horse won\'t be showing a lot of sweat, but its physical demeanor will indicate that it is feeling lethargic due to the heat. Watching for signs of distress due to weather conditions has helped me to eliminate more than one favorite from my betting considerations and to cash win tickets on horses that seemed like outsiders when handicapping the race, but which proved a viable wager when the runners went to post.

As always, extreme care should be taken when betting on horse races and particularly when there are any extremes of weather or track condition. That being said, you may find very good wagering situations if you use the weather to your advantage.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/horse-racing-articles/weather-as-a-factor-when-handicapping-to-pick-winners-5057766.html

About the Author

If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://horse-racing-handicapping.co and get the truth. Bill Peterson is a former horse race owner and professional handicapper. To see all Bill\'s horse racing material go to Horse Racing Handicapping, Bill\'s handicapping store.