When a trainer claims a horse or brings a new horse into his or her barn, the first thing that occurs is that the trainer tries to figure the horse out. What this means is that a good trainer will try to make the horse comfortable in its surroundings and also have a healthy attitude toward work and racing. This can include changes in diet, bedding, workouts, and even stable mates. You aren't going to know if these changes occur, but you should be aware of what goes into making a winner. It is a guessing game based on experience and luck.

On the other hand, there are changes that can occur that you will be aware of. A change in shoes, for instance can make a huge difference in how a runner performs. Most tracks have a shoe board and many also post the information on their television monitors. If you start paying attention to the shoe board you may find clues as to why a long shot won after posting dismal performances in the past.

Remember the old adage, "For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of the shoe the horse was lost, for want of the horse the rider was lost, for want of the rider the battle was lost..."

A good farrier (horse shoer) can make a big difference. One of the first things I did when a horse came into my barn was to have the farrier take a look at the horse's feet. A change in shoeing can sure lameness and pain, the two biggest hazards to winning a race. Few things can slow a horse down faster than poor shoeing.

We would start by having the horse in the cross ties and just looking at how it stood. Then we would walk it around a bit to see how it moved. Sometimes we would also watch it perform a light work. If a trainer claims a horse and you see a change in shoes, be on the alert. If you see a light work right after the horse was claimed and then a blowout at a good speed, and a shoe change, you have found out what the trainer discovered, a horse that needed a change in shoeing. Workouts can be tricky though so you need to become an expert at spotting big works or significant works, sometimes called Willies. For more info on workouts check out, Whats a Willie and become a workout expert so you will have the edge over the other 99% of people who don't understand how to read workouts properly.

The most consistent horse racing systems have to have the basics and a handicapper must understand the basics. I have been around horse racing for 50 years including as an owner. Without the basics the rest is not going to do any good. If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to True Handicapping and get the truth.