| The old saying, "Can't see the forest for the | | | | race. It was dropping from a 16,000 claimer into |
| trees," aptly applies to horse racing and reading | | | | a 7500 claimer and it looked like there were other |
| past performances. We often get so wrapped | | | | horses that would be a much better choice. But |
| up in a horses position in a race that we forget | | | | the tiny number that told it was only two lengths |
| how important it is to note how close it ran to | | | | off the leader at each of the early calls told me |
| the pace setter. | | | | this horse had some pace and early speed. |
| I recently scored a nice exacta using a horse for | | | | I didn't need a computer or speed figures for |
| second who was dropping in class and had shown | | | | that. He went off at the longest odds and |
| good early speed. I didn't use the speed figures | | | | coupled with the favorite he made a nice exacta |
| to determine that. I didn't use the horse's | | | | and almost won the race. I am sure the fact |
| position in the race at each of the first two calls. | | | | that it ran second in its last race turned many |
| Instead, I looked at that little number that | | | | bettors away from the horse, but it also ran |
| indicates how many lengths behind the leader he | | | | within two lengths of the leader in a tougher |
| ran. | | | | race. In my experience, when a horse does that |
| Those little numbers are often more important | | | | it is a pretty good bet to hit the board off a good |
| than the big ones. For instance, it said that the | | | | class drop and that is exactly what happened. |
| horse was never better than seventh in its last | | | | |