A guide for horseplayers and fans that provides tips on how to bet on thoroughbreds, watch and review races like a professional, pick up on race conditions, and understand speed figures and pace concepts; and also features track-bias profiles for twenty-one North American tracks.

Racing experts have declared that form--horse behavior and performance cycles--is one of the most important factors in thoroughbred handicapping. Form has until now remained a mystery, but Cramer's research has led him to a point where he can statistically and observationally document the whims and vagaries of horse behavior cycles. Includes racing charts and appendixes.

This fun and witty exposé of horse racing in America goes behind the scenes at the track, providing a serious gambler's-eye view of the action. Ted McClelland spent a year at tracks and off-track betting facilities in Chicago and across the country, profiling the people who make a career of gambling on horses. This account follows his personal journey of what it means to be a horseplayer as he gambles with his book advance using various betting and handicapping strategies along the way. A colourful cast of characters is introduced, including the intensely disciplined Scott McMannis, "The Professor," a one-time college instructor who now teaches a course in handicapping, and Mary Schoenfeldt, a former nun and gifted handicapper who donates all of her winnings to charity. This moving account of wins, losses, and personal turmoil provides a realistic look at gamblers, gambling, and life at the track.

The handicapper is taught to master the nuts and bolts of handicapping by understanding today's advanced past performances, thus gaining a significant edge on the betting public.

"The author describes the handicapping of thoroughbred horse races, covering such factors as the use of computers, what to watch before a race, and the best jockeys and horse trainers. He also explains 60 ways to build a betting system"--Library of Congress description

Written in Beyer's clean, rapid-fire prose, this book explains how to relate speed figures to such factors as pace, track bias, and track conditions. It discusses exotic wagers such as the pick six and reveals optimal uses of the figures based on computer analysis of more than 10,000 races. Blending colorful anecdotes, it presents a revolutionary way to play the horses.