| Even though many horse tracks have switched | | | | Muddy tracks are not fast tracks, but sloppy |
| over to the synthetic surfaces that aren't | | | | tracks often are. On top of that, each dirt race |
| affected as much by moisture, there are still | | | | track has its own peculiar way of reacting to |
| some dirt race tracks left in the United States. | | | | moisture. Some drain toward the rail and |
| Knowing how to handicap an off track rated as | | | | therefore favor outside runners. Others are |
| good, muddy, or sloppy, can save the day. | | | | crowned and favor mid track post positions. Once |
| Betting on horses racing on a fast track is risky | | | | again, it is up to you to know the track you are |
| enough, but betting on an off track adds one | | | | playing. What you must do is to suspect a bias |
| more dimension. | | | | and then quickly verify it. |
| The best advice seems to be, if the track isn't | | | | While you are playing the track, you must also be |
| fast, don't bet the races. But if you want to try | | | | aware of how much rain is falling, if it is still raining, |
| your hand at handicapping an off track and picking | | | | and how the track may change from race to |
| winners, here are some tips. First of all, since the | | | | race. If this sounds difficult, you're right, it is. Not |
| race tracks in the United States don't tell you | | | | only must you handicap the horses, but on a day |
| how much moisture is in the track in any scientific | | | | when the weather is inclement, you must also |
| or quantifiable way, you must be the final judge | | | | handicap the track surface. I advise keeping |
| of the track condition. | | | | meticulous notes so that when the situation |
| I have seen tracks with puddles of water, that | | | | arises, and it will, you can take advantage of it |
| were obviously sloppy tracks, rated as good. On | | | | quickly. |
| the other hand, I've seen muddy tracks rated as | | | | Just as we look for situations that repeat |
| fast. So you must make up your own mind and | | | | themselves with horses and trainers, we look for |
| remember that subjective terms like muddy, or | | | | weather situations that repeat and create a track |
| sloppy, are just that, subjective. They are an | | | | bias we have seen in the past. |
| opinion, not a fact. | | | | |