| The one place where the truth is revealed at the | | | | This is particularly true of the smaller tracks where |
| horse races is on the tote board and in the money. A | | | | early money and large win bets signal the crowd that |
| lot of things may not be clear at the track when you | | | | something is up with a horse. Instead of just |
| are handicapping the races, but one thing is right in | | | | watching the win pools when the betting opens, also |
| front of your face and can be scanned quickly to | | | | check the place pool as well. On more than one |
| pick winners. How the money is distributed in the | | | | occasion I've found hundreds of dollars bet to place |
| pools is a clear indication of which horses are "well | | | | on a horse as soon as the pools opened. Obviously, |
| meant" to win, if you know what to look for. | | | | someone on the "inside," knew that their horse was |
| Many people are under the impression that stables | | | | likely to at least place and probably would win. |
| only place win bets on their horses, and many times | | | | I then checked the exacta payoffs and doubles |
| that is true. But if you have a horse that is going to | | | | payoffs if the race was part of a double set. On |
| go off at a good price, the last thing you want to do | | | | many of those occasions I found the horse was |
| is to drop a lot of money in the win pool that will | | | | being bet in exotic wagers in both positions. The |
| alert the public that your horse is live in the race. The | | | | money wagered on the horse, particularly the early |
| answer, of course, is the exotics and other pools, | | | | money, was more than my handicapping of the race |
| such as the place pool. | | | | figured. Something was up with the horse. But a |
| The stables who bet their own horses may have a | | | | quick look at the odds or win pool didn't indicate that |
| horse going off at fairly long odds that will pay well in | | | | the horse was live. |
| all positions. They also may realize that though their | | | | The art of handicapping horse races demands that |
| horse is a good one, it could still get beaten by | | | | you not just accept things at face value and you |
| another runner in the race. Why lose out on a nice | | | | must dig a little deeper for answers than the crowd. |
| place payoff if their runner gets nipped at the wire? | | | | Don't overlook the place pools and exotics when |
| The same is true of the exotics and you may find a | | | | looking for the inside money. They have information |
| horse at fairly long odds getting more than its fair | | | | that isn't found in a racing form and can lead you to |
| share of the action in the exactas and other pools. | | | | some very nice payoffs. |