- 1). Review the entries for a particular race. Use past performance information that can be obtained from a newsstand or online. Maintain a file of each horse so that you can quickly refer to that horse when it is entered in a race. Look for bloodline (mare and stallion and their parents) and what type of racing the horse typically does (sprint or distance),
- 2). Review the past results of both the horse's trainer and jockey. See how the jockey has performed in the past during the current meet or, if the meet is just beginning, how he did at his previous track. Follow the same procedure for the trainer. Take into special account how the trainer and jockey have done together on different mounts as well as how each has done with this particular horse, if applicable.
- 3). Take the track itself into account. Determine if the track has a bias (horses running better in certain parts of the track, such as by the rail). Check to see what the weather has been like of late and what the forecast is for that day's racing. For example, if the area has been getting a lot of rain and it doesn't take much to change the track from firm to muddy, you would check the entry list to see if any of the horses are known to be "mudders," which would make them better choices in the bettor's estimation.
- 4). Check the track's recent handle take in relationship to the type of race that is being run. Stakes races (higher class of horses) tend to get bet higher than claiming (horses that can be purchased during the race) or maiden (non-winning horses) races. More money is bet on the weekend than during the week.
- 5). Determine a predicted order of finish for the race. Take the amount of money anticipated to be bet into account when setting the odds. Horses that are expected to finish in the top three should have lower odds than the other horses. Set the odds lowest for the horse that is expected to win. Set the expected place finisher with the second-best odds and so on through the field.
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