Distance is a key factor in horse racing betting and let’s cover some tips that are crucial to your handicap. When determining handicap distance in horse racing, we mean a course of 1 mile or more and anything less will be considered a sprint distance. The length of the race, your handicap, is very important for the horses that are about to compete. After taking into account the horse’s racing style and preferred distance, you can begin to envision how the race to the finish line will break up.

It is a fact that some horses simply prefer to run certain distances. Some horses will run both road and sprint races, but will prefer one or the other. Training can also be a factor, as the trainer controls which breeds the horse is entered into. In cheaper races, horses are often placed at the wrong distance just to get them into the race and gain experience.

I’ll go over some key variables in range that can give you some bullets in your gun the next time you’re out on the track.

* When a horse goes from a sprint to a road it will have a better chance than one that goes from a road to a sprint.

* The running style also influences the distance. I’m a firm believer that the number of challengers determines how tired the front runner gets, not how fast he runs. A horse gets tired trying to get away from his rivals next to him, especially in a road race.

* A sprinter who takes a comfortable early lead on a route and is then asked to run slower than he normally does and is not challenged by anyone else for a long time can go all the way.

* The best time to play a sprinter in a road race is when you find one who has shown early speed in sprints.

*Also note when a horse has run evenly or been able to stay close, then closes ground in sprints. When these horses are entered into a longer race where there is no front speed.

* A closer on a route rarely has much of a chance when placed in a sprint.

* When all races in a horse’s previous performance are routes, it must be assumed that the fast initial pace of a sprint will damage the router too much to recover.

* Road closers make the worst possible bets in sprints and should be eliminated in almost all cases.

* The distance in training is also something you should take into account. A general rule of thumb I use for this is that the longer the distance in training, the better the horse’s form will be. If you see 2 or 3 practices at 5 furlongs or more, the manager is either trying to win or he realized that the longer practices weren’t working, which is why he is experimenting. (which is also a good thing because it means he’s trying to win) I always look for longer workouts, but I’ll realize if there were a few lengths without a win then I might be trying to turn things around.

*Also along with a decent distance workout if the horse did it breezy and you have a bullet buy it you have a horse in peak condition.