| Many people shy away from maiden races because | | | | some horses that the sooner they start winning the |
| they don't know how to handicap maiden races since | | | | better the chances of a profit and knowing whether |
| there are so many variables, like first time starters. But | | | | the horse has a future in the breeding shed. If the |
| there is a way to spot maiden first time starters who | | | | owner has owned other horses that won first time out, |
| will win, and they make excellent plays. Just as there is | | | | that is a good sign. |
| a way to tell when they are ready to win, there are | | | | Next, of course, is the trainer. Has he or she had |
| also ways to eliminate them from the contenders, an | | | | firsters that won before? Some trainers send them |
| equally valuable factor. | | | | into their first race ready to win while others need or |
| Here are the factors that you can handicap when | | | | want to take their time. |
| looking at a horse that has never raced before... | | | | Finally, look at the jockey. When a horse is just out for |
| First, look at the breeding of the horse. Many past | | | | conditioning a second rate jock will often be aboard, |
| performances now go into depth and offer | | | | but if the jockey is one with a good win average, or |
| percentages of winning first time starters from the sire. | | | | the trainer's go-to jockey, that is a positive sign. |
| That is a start, but you should also look at the dam's | | | | Works tell a lot about a horse, especially a maiden first |
| sire and the dam herself. Has she had any other | | | | time starter. I don't have to see a first work in a |
| foals? Did they win on their first outing? If any of these | | | | horse's lines, though it is nice, but I do want to see a |
| gets a check mark then this horse may be precocious | | | | regularly spaced succession of works that show an |
| and win his or her first race. It doesn't mean that you | | | | intent to condition and build stamina. Pay attention to |
| should not consider a horse a possible first time winner | | | | works. Look for regular workouts at various distances |
| if the breeding doesn't indicate it, because there are | | | | with at least one good 5 furlong work. There are also |
| exceptions to any rule. | | | | other clues that can be picked up in the works as well. |
| Whether the breeding suggests a first time win or not, | | | | The last key is the money. If the stable is betting the |
| you should still look at the connections (owner, jockey, | | | | horse then you know that they are going to give the |
| trainer). Some owners insist that the trainer give the | | | | rider instructions to go for the win. Using a good |
| horse time to naturally develop and don't want a win | | | | system like True Handicapping that analyzes the tote |
| right away. They look at maiden races as training and | | | | board action and the works will pickup some excellent |
| conditioning for later races. On the other hand, there | | | | long shots. While the win percentages of your long |
| are owners who want a horse to start winning as | | | | shot bets will not be as high as the win percentage of |
| soon as possible and to start bringing income into the | | | | favorites, the payoffs are much higher, so the |
| barn. Some feel that racing careers are so short for | | | | difference is easily offset. |