Researching and Purchasing Horse Racing Handicapping Systems

By: Carl Wagner


At one time or another, the sales pitch of a handicapping system has sucked all of us in. We just couldn’t resist the promise of big returns for a small investment and bought some product. The system usually had us doing hours of mathematical calculations or looking for some implausible angle that arose maybe once a month. Cash some tickets; rip some up, either way we might be little or no better off. My goal in this writing is to steer the reader away from future awful purchases and shed some light on what to really expect from systems.

First off, if you are an experienced handicapper then you will probably not learn anything new from a system. Horseplayers have had access to all of the literary works the subject of horse racing and handicapping for years. Some have read almost all of them, and through this labor of love have schooled themselves in the philosophies on form, class, speed, pace and the many angles that apply to them. If you are one of them, I congratulate you, but this type of handicapper does not represent the masses.

Just about all systems will work, in some way, at some time and in some situation. If you are a novice handicapper or an intermediate that is just not the type to dive in to the immense library of books on the subject, a system might be for you. Which one? That’s a question with many possible answers. The market is flooded and a small fortune could be invested before the first wager is even placed, so I’ll try to offer a little insight to those of you who want some quick action rather than a recommendation for years of study.

Sometimes we are all too quick to kill the messenger when they don’t deliver the instant results we’re seeking, so be patient. When researching a system avoid the over zealous sales pitch, the “My system picks 50 to 1 long shots”. These windfalls do happen, but the expectations are a little much for anyone to live up to. I do not want to label any product as a “scam”, because I feel that many of these products are created with the best of intentions, but you will now it when you see it. If it sounds unattainable it probably is.

Prefer a system that is geared more towards angles and handicapping factors than mathematical calculations. Systems based on the latter sometimes miss out on the fact that horses are living, breathing creatures influenced by intentions of the living, breathing humans behind them. This is not to say that math isn’t valuable in handicapping. It is especially serviceable in trying to predict speed and pace scenarios, and in betting systems based on wagering structure, but avoid the systems that try to put everything into a neat little foolproof number.

Lastly, look for a system that, at least, offers a money back guarantee and throws in some free bonuses. If the author or creator is willing to stand by his or her product in this way and also offers some other valuable information, it dramatically increases their creditability. Any extra tools that you can add to your handicapping arsenal will increase your knowledge and make the system a bargain. If you are interested in Thoroughbred handicapping systems, stop by The Racing Report and read the reviews of some of the most trusted and well-priced systems on the market.


Carl Wagner is a regular contributor to The Racing Report where you can read book reviews, articles and the free Daily Horse Watch. Signup to the free membership and receive emails with interesting handicapping information, discounts on new products and news regarding Thoroughbred horse racing. If you are wagering on Aqueduct, Belmont Saratoga of Finger Lakes purchase Daily Selections or The Weekly Horse Report, complete with trainer angles, key races and a summary of the weeks events. theracingreport.googlepages.com