Horse Racing Tips From the Stable Cat

By Bill Peterson

image: depositphotos

Don't you wish you could get inside tips about the horses that would allow you to know when one was ready to win, or perhaps, when the favorite was off his feed and not likely to win? They used to say the stable cat was the best handicapper because he lived with the horses. That was probably true, but I've never seen a feline in the betting lines.

Inside information, however, can be dynamite, but you have to know how to get it and when to use it and when to pass it up. That comes down to discretion on your part. I've had a lot of trainers tell me their horse was a cinch to win, only to see it lose. Now when a trainer or owner tells me a horse is a sure thing, I know that the jockey will probably try to win with it, but that it can still be beaten because another trainer may feel the same way about his horse.

The truth of the matter is, thought the human connections may have their own ideas, the animals themselves are the real key to how they will race. The single most important tip you can get on any race is how the money is flowing and for that you have to watch the pools and know what to look for.

The second most important information is on the race track in front of you. I'm talking about the horses themselves. Being able to spot one that is washy or too dry and dull is one of the greatest assets a handicapper can have. Horse racing handicapping isn't just about the figures and past performance lines on paper. The real story, the present, not the past, is out on the track or in the paddock before the race.