When deciding which horse to wager on , it is important to look at factors outside the horse itself. Not only do some horses perform better in certain types of weather than others, but the conditions of the track and what type of track the race is taking place are very important indicators of how well a horse will do once the race is underway. Don’t make the mistake of disregarding the type of track and the track condition.
Type of Track: Dirt vs Turf
Racing on dirt and racing on turf are very different ways of racing. Horses that perform well on dirt will probably not do well on turf, and performing badly on dirt is not a measure of a horse’s ability to race on turn.
In fact, many people argue that if a horse does a terribly job on a dirt track, but showed some short distance workouts that appeared to be promising, then chances are it will do very well on a turf track. The way a horse moves from the main track to turn looks can make it appear to be a completely different animal. When deciding if a horse will do well on turf, it’s important to perform an analysis on its pedigree as breeding plays a huge factor in whether a horse will do better on turf or dirt.
If you are looking for a good turf horse, also consider how well the horse ran on a wet dirt track. Wet tracks can be good, muddy, or sloppy. A horse that runs better the off track when compared to how it runs on a fast track is much more likely to do a good job on turf.
Always analyze the past records of the horses on tracks that are similar to the one they are racing on when you place your bet. Making a poor judgement because you didn’t consider the type of track will only cost you in the end.
Track Condition
Track conditions are a huge factor in how well a horse will do. Running on a dry track is very different from running on a wet track, whether the track is dirt or turf. Similarly, how hard or soft the track is makes a big difference. Many European turf champions are used to the soft tracks that are frequently found in Europe, and when brought to the United States where tracks are firmer, they do poorly.
It is important to analyze the past performances of the horse you are betting on when the horse ran in similar track conditions to what the track is during the race you are betting on. In order to check what a horse will be like on an off track, check its record on wet tracks. Always make sure that you check the conditions of the track the day of the race, and before each race, to see if there are any changes that will effect how the horse runs.