The Little Book On Watching Horseracing
By Harold Washburn

THE CONDITION BOOK

Trainers have handy, (most have copy in pocket at all times) a copy of the condition book. The condition book has the conditions that all the races have to be run under at that track. Horses also have conditions. A trainer is always trying to match his horse’s condition with the conditions of a race, so he can enter him in with best chance to win. The better he does this the better trainer he is. A short version of these is printed in program at top of each race. Read these first.

AN ILLUSTRATION...

Assume the CONDITIONS for a given race read "Allowance, for three year olds which have not won three races other than maiden or claiming."  In such a race, a quick glance and analysis of past performances can reveal a horse to whom great consideration must be accorded if, for example, that horse has not only won two Allowance races, but has also beaten older horses in the process. Any horse should be accorded an edge in Class if he has beaten or run a most competitive race against better company than his present rivals have been able to handle.

Such a contender not being apparent in the field, the focus of analysis and attention should be drawn to a horse dropping in class to a level at which his performance was decent particularly true if the animal's recent loss or losses can be accountable to odd distance, obvious superiority of competition or uncomfortable footing. Soundness not being the question, of course.



 

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