The Little Book On Watching Horseracing
By Harold Washburn

MUD

Most racing surfaces DO NOT BECOME SLOWER WHEN THE TRACK IS SLOPPY. The Results Charts will readily reflect whether or not this is indeed 'the case. And, a comparison of the Track Variant for the day on which the track is listed as "sloppy' to that on which the track condition is listed as "fast" will eliminate all doubt. Slop favors front runners in any case. In fact, this is true even if the track is rated "muddy", "slow", "good" or "heavy". WHY??? Well, front runners will splash mud or throw clods of mud into the faces of pursuing challengers, making it increasingly difficult for the "come from behind horses" to run freely and comfortably. The norm for handicapping of an "off" track is to look for a fit animal which has performed well on an "off" track previously. As a pretty good rule of thumb, the suggestion from this corner is to go with "TRUE SPEED AND TRUE CLASS" on any kind of an "off track" condition in races of seven furlongs or less. all else being equal. There are bear in mind horse that love the mud and move up several lengths in performance when the track conditions are "off". They need no additional advantage. There are others which have no fondness at all for an "off" going and there is no advantage yet devised to compensate for that dislike.


POST POSITION:

Speed horses generally prefer the outside post position when there is a relatively long run to the first turn of a race. Outside posts are a disadvantage in a short run to the turn since going all out to make the early lead to the turn later takes its toll. This is true is sprints and is of no undue consequence in routes where there is generally little contesting for the early lead.


 

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