Whose Speed Figures Are Best in Horse Racing Handicapping

I have been around horse racing for 50 years. Do you remember the days before Beyer figures? I do. How did we handicap back then? Pace was big back then, that and connections and class.

Then Andy Beyer changed the face of handicapping with speed figures. For a short time you could really make money if you understood speed figs. but those days are gone. Now everybody has their own method for figuring speed and giving out numbers for ability, speed, or whatever you want to call it.

I have used the major services for pace graphing and speed figures and I have come to a few conclusions. First of all, nobody’s figures work well all the time. I haven’t found one single company that make speed figures that work well at every track in all situations.

Like everything else in this crazy business of handicapping it seems that speed figures are nebulous and likely to let you down just when you start to depend upon them. Then there is the next problem and perhaps this is as important as any other factor here or maybe the most important factor of all, how do you use your speed figs.?

Do you just look for a runner who has such a dominating edge that he or she stands out as clearly the best? We both know those horses go off at such short prices they will bankrupt you. On the other hand can you ignore that horse in a race? My personal opinion is to pass a race like that. I look for a race that has several good contenders in it based on ability and form. Then I look for value.

Speed is one consideration but there are others. So it isn’t just one factor that helps me to pick winners and though I switch from company to company depending upon the track I am handicapping, I use a systematic approach that includes speed figures but doesn’t rely too heavily upon them. Any good system that considers speed as a factor can usually use any reputable companies figures. My advice is find a company that seems to work well enough with the tracks you play and stick with it an get to know the pluses and minuses of those speed figures, their weaknesses and strengths and stick with your system.
For a comparison of winning systems that come with a full money back guarantee go to Proven Handicapping Systems

Author Info:

Bill Peterson has been around horse racing for fifty years as an owner, track employee, and handicapper. He teaches handicappers how to spot live horses and inside money. http://williewins.homestead.com/handicappingstore2.html