WINNING WITH WORKOUTS
APRIL 7, 2005
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 and to see the highlights of
our recent results,
click here.
Today’s Topic: Pay attention to workouts prior to a horse’s debut when
dealing with a second-time starter from a good trainer with poor first time
stats.
There are a number of trainers who don’t make it a priority to win first time
out. There are a select few of those trainers who do very well with second-time
starters. Often these horses are overlooked the second time despite good
workouts prior to their first race.
A good example took place on April 1 at Santa Anita in the 3RD race. Bill
Spawr is an excellent trainer, but only 5 percent with first-time starters.
However, he is 19 percent with second timers. BORDONARO (Memo [Chi]) had several
good Grade B workouts and a super Grade A- work prior to his debut in which our
clocker commented, “…was asked for some run just inside the three-eighths pole
to make up several lengths quite quickly to come the final quarter in :24.2 and
got a final time of :58.4. Was under hand urging late for a very nice drill.”
I’m sure dropping in class helped his cause, but BORDONARO still paid $9.40.