Maiden Special Weight to Maiden Claiming: A Classic Class Drop

Mon May 28 2018J. Keeler Johnson

In the sport of horse racing, you’ll often hear handicappers refer to horses that are “dropping in class.” The definition of dropping in class is simple—it means that a given horse is going to be facing easier competition than in his previous star ...
Betting First-Time Starters in Maiden Claiming Races

Mon May 21 2018J. Keeler Johnson

Once in a while, handicappers will come across a maiden race filled with horses that seemingly lack the desire or inclination to win. This can be particularly evident in maiden claiming races, the lowest category of races for horses that have neve ...
Using Trainer Angles in Handicapping, Part 2

Tue Apr 24 2018J. Keeler Johnson

The history of horse racing is filled with rags-to-riches stories of horses rising from humble beginnings to enjoy success at the highest levels of the sport. Legendary Hall of Fame inductees such as Lava Man and Stymie have taken the “claim-to-fa ...
How Fast Finishes Can Identify Future Stars

Mon Jan 22 2018J. Keeler Johnson

How can you tell when a young, lightly-raced horse has the talent to step up in class and become a winner at the highest levels of the sport? There are many ways to judge the merits of a young racehorse, but one factor I’ve routinely found valuabl ...
How Pace Makes the Race: Part 2

Tue Dec 26 2017J. Keeler Johnson

In an article on Bet America last week , I discussed how the 2013 Triple Crown series is a perfect example of how pace can make a race. When Orb produced a huge late rally to win the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), he looked like a star in the making, ...
How Pace Makes the Race: Part 1

Tue Dec 19 2017J. Keeler Johnson

Pace makes the race. It’s an indisputable fact of Thoroughbred horse racing that the pace at which a given race unfolds can have an effect on the outcome. A slow pace can favor front-runners, allowing them to finish strongly and hold off late runn ...