WINNING
WITH WORKOUTS
NOVEMBER 18
In this regular weekly feature, Handicapper’s Report will
present examples of how to use workouts in your handicapping
using actual results with horses featured in our reports. To
access the HR reports, click here.
Today’s Topic: The value of workout information from
prior to a horse’s first start
On November 6 at Churchill Downs in the 11th race,
a classic example occurred of a second time starter who had been
working very well prior to his debut only to finish up the track,
and then came back to win in his second race at a fat mutuel.
THUNDERFROG (Elnadim) had two Grade B+ workouts on HR’s
Workouts Prior to Last Race Report and two nice easy
maintenance drills since that start, including his last under
Brice Blanc, who rode him again in his second race.
Horses rarely run to their true ability first time out. They
are generally nervous animals experiencing a lot of new things in
that first race. Obviously, THUNDERFROG didn’t like the slop he
ran on at Keeneland and was virtually eased. However, with the
initial experience of racing behind him, he made his second
appearance in a turf route and was able to slip through on the
inside under Blanc, running away from his rivals for a $29 win
mutuel.
As reported in the Clocker’s Prior to Last Race Report:
| THUNDERFROG | CD 09/12/04 B+
FT 47.3B |
| GLASS TRICK
and THUNDERFROG in company for McPeek. Both were being asked some at the end and were going well. Went in fractions of :23.1, :35.3 and :47.3. THUNDERFROG was slightly better on the outside and impressed. |
Remember to give a second time starter an extra look if he had
good works going into his first race, indicating talent that he
may not have been able to use in his first start.