Much has been made of jockey-trainer combinations over the years and some past performance providers now include the stats for them as well. Like most knowledge that is ‘common’ among people with disabilities, this information is so dispersed that it is of little value on its own. For example, in any race you can find three or more jockey-trainer combinations with a very good win average. So which of the combinations is really remarkable and which mean nothing?
Horse racing handicappers live in the information age and that means the more information we have the more we have to try to keep our edge and make a small profit from horse betting. So how else can we use the information about jockeys and trainers? The only answer to the too much information (TMI) dilemma is that you now need to figure out how to creatively piece together combinations of information to arrive at conclusions that may be unclear to the general public.
This is also called “thinking outside the box,” although the term has been used to the point where we cringe when we hear it. But it’s still true that we need to think in ways that the crowd doesn’t think. To do this, you need to do several things. The first step is to take accurate notes.
I like using columns. I write the best jockey-trainer combinations on a piece of paper when I’m handicapped and I do it for every race. Then I write alongside the other factors that I notice about each horse. These can range from top speed at the last race, top class, a significant class drop, a change of distance, a change of surface (grass to dirt, etc.) and other factors.
My next step is crucial and probably the best way to confirm my suspicion that the barn is going to win. I check the pools and use my method to determine if the horse is alive or is only bet by the public because they can read the jockey trainer numbers.
After the races, I take my notes and compare them. If you do this for a track or circuit, you’ll soon have a complete dossier on every reputable trainer and you’ll also be able to spot patterns in the horses and bets that will let you know when they’ll win or just lose out on the horse.
This type of additional information, used in conjunction with the jockey trainer combo stats, will help you decide which jockey trainer combo is hot and which is not.
Thanks to Bill Peterson | #Horse #Racing #Handicapping #Trainer #Jockey #Combinations
