Short handicapping lesson

[Grits]

I need to revamp my handicapping "skills" and sure could use help. I haven't had much luck in the past. My bets are mostly exacta / tri boxes, and I also enjoy playing rolling pick 3's,with one race being a single to keep the costs manageable.

FJH, my immediate thought regarding your question is not how contenders are eliminated but that your handicapping skills are still in the stages of infancy.

The reason you are having so little luck is you are concentrating on exotic wagering. Unless you are capable of picking winners, it is doubtful that you'll have success in hitting trifectas, where you choose from a field of 10 which horses have the possibility of getting a piece, running 2nd and 3rd. These wagers, and pic 3 wagers get quite expensive, and can eat your bankroll in a New York minute.

If one cannot pick winners, one is going to have an even harder time ferreting out horses that will hit the board. So, in that respect you are ripping a lot of losers. Instead of this, for a while--make your choice and bet them to win.

Horserace handicapping is an ongoing skill of one's own learning and experience involving arduous tasks everyday. And there are NO shortcuts. None, absolutely. You take shortcuts, you're losing.

Stay at it, but take the time involved to learn it properly.