EQUIPMENT / MEDICATION

Horses continually change equipment and medication as owners and trainers experiment to identify what works best. Only two changes matter seriously to handicappers.

First and Second Lasix
Blinkers On

Lasix is a diuretic that helps prevent bleeding in the respiratory tract.
Blinkers improve horses' concentration on running straight and fast.

The Lasix pattern that can contribute to a form reversal that pays well looks like this.

* Last race very poor.
* 2nd and perhaps 3rd race back disappointing
* Prior to the disappointing and poor efforts a win or a good, high rated race.

Blinkers on most likely will help maidens and lightly-raced younger horses that are frontrunners and pace-pressers.

Look for second starters that broke slowly in their debut, or lightly raced younger horses that have been bet strongly but have run poorly.

Blinkers "off" is not a significant equipment change, unless blinkers went on last time, the horse ran badly, and blinkers come off again today.

A blinker change can be most significant when combined with other changes that beckon positive results.

* A jockey switch
* A drop in class, or a rise in class
* A change of distance or footing