Posted on 3/26/2008 2:14:49 PM

Sportsbook Horse Betting – Tips - Scratch Off

By Brian Mulligan

One of the first thing horse bettors do when they either walk into the racetrack or launch the computer to bet is examine the horses that are scratched on the program. The main thing players should do is to not just cross off the runners that are declared, but evaluate how their absence will affect the race itself.

This is a little subtlety that many casual horse bettors overlook and it is more important than what may immediately meet the eye.

By scrutinizing the scratches, the most astute horse bettors will be able to more clearly assess how the race will set up and who will be making the early running.

The beginning of the equine puzzle as far as picking winners is to visualize how a race figures to unfold and once that is accomplished, the rest of the handicapping principles can be applied.

For our purposes, let’s look at 3 races from three distinctly different tracks and find out how even though the tracks are separated by miles and miles, the result of proper evaluation will be the same.

Check out a recent claiming race for $7500 routers at Oaklawn Park on March 13. A field of 9 was in prospect originally but two horses were scratched. One of those scratched, Miss Sweet Molly, had flashed cheap speed in her prior races and had some effect on the race while gone but the other scratch, Southern Pine, had sprinted in her previous race and by not racing on this day, left the door wide open on a pace angle for the eventual winner Round Rock Road.

The filly got away as third choice in the field, controlled the pace from the outside, and wired them just holding together at the wire.

They key scratches in this race allowed Rock to get an easy lead without being pressured and thus have enough left in the tank to win.

Shift gears now to the Big A on March 12. In the 7th race this day, 2 horses were scratched. Suzee Sunrise was a non-factor going into the race since she had no speed and figured to come from off the pace if at all but the other scratch, Brown Eyed Belle, had a profound effect on the race by her absence.

Capable of running a sub :45 half on her best day, but not racing, she left the barn door wide open for inner strip specialist Karakorum Sunshine to steal the race.

Sunshine moved to bug boy Morales, brought :22 flat quarter speed to the party and since she was left alone early, was allowed to lead from the get go, open up 2 lengths and hold on to win by a length and a half to pay $13.80.

Now get into the RV and head about 1,000 miles south to Gulfstream on March 12 and the same type of thing occurred with a key scratch.

Only 7 were scheduled to run a mile in the $50,000 claiming event and although only one horse was scratched, she played a key part in the eventual victory.

La Tetanic was back in a claimer for the first time since graduating and had shown :45 and small change in the past but when she was declared from the race, the entire complexion of the event changed as Shorty Puffs was left alone as the only horse with speed in the field.

Puffs had 2 tighteners under the belt, opened up 4 lengths and the top of the lane, and then cruised home by 7 at a healthy 3-1.

Horse bettors need to draw a conclusion immediately when scratches are named as to how those runners will impact any given race by NOT running.

The best thing about this lesson, is that it is universal and can be applied intelligently anywhere.

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