TRAINER
- JOCKEY
Trainers
and jockeys are best viewed in tandem. It's nice to know which
Jockeys are preferred by which trainers, and under what special
circumstances.
Know
your track's trainers
Know your jockeys
Know your trainer-jockey combinations.
Fortunately,
trainer/jockey statistics and patterns are commonly available,
for a fee, from local information services and handicappers
are strongly urged to obtain the information.
Leading
trainers and jockeys are notoriously overbet by casual racegoers.
Do not be fooled. The horse counts most, not the trainer and
jockey, and overbet trainers and jockeys should be steadfastly
avoided by informed handicappers.
Information
about trainers and jockeys that handicappers most want to
know:
1.
Weaknesses of leading trainers/jockeys
2. Strengths of minor trainers/jockeys
3. Positive trainer patterns (Return On Investment)
4. Who's "hot" and who's "cold"?
Trainer
statistics should cover a two-year baseline. These categories
are fundamentally important.
First
Starters
Layoffs
Following a claim
Sprints and Routes
On the turf
Drops and rises in class
Allowance vs. claiming races
Win percentage and place percentage for last calendar year.
Win percentage and place percentage for past 15 starts.
Sprint to route.
Dirt to grass and grass to dirt.
Repeaters
A
drop in class and switch to the leading jockey (20% wins) has
been a successful trainer pattern at racetracks for years.
Jockey
switches should always be evaluated in combination with other
significant changes, such as a change of distance or surface,
class maneuver, improving form, equipment or medication change.
Apprentice
Jockeys can win routes as frequently as they win sprints, but
not as much on the grass or in stakes.
Jockey
switches should be noticed in these situations:
Journeyman to leading rider
To the "hot" apprentice
To the "stable rider"
"Hot"
trainers and jockeys are winning twice as frequently as they
normally do. "Cold" trainers and jockeys are winning
less than half as often as they normally do.
Low-Percentage
Trainers (below 8%) should be abandoned, unless the horse figures
best and is offered at generous odds.
