May 18, 2024

Winning with Workouts

Last updated: 4/20/05 7:35 PM


WINNING WITH WORKOUTS

APRIL 21, 2005

In this regular weekly feature, Handicapper’s Report will present examples of
how to use workouts in your handicapping using actual results with horses
featured in our reports. To access the HR reports and to see the highlights of
our recent results,

click here
.

Today’s Topic: Look for signs of professionalism in workouts of young
stakes horses

Most stakes races on the road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) require the ability
to rate and take dirt in the face and finish strongly. These races are generally
filled with pretenders who have speed and distance limitations. To lay off that
speed and blast home will give a horse a nice advantage. Watch for the comments
in the workouts to give an indication of that kind of maturity in a horse.

On April 11 at Keeneland, BANDINI (Fusaichi Pegasus) worked with another Todd
Pletcher trainee and “…sat two behind early on and took dirt well before
finishing full of run down the lane in :23 flat for his final quarter…”

In the Blue Grass S. (G1) on April 16, he employed the same tactics, laying
off the speed and charging home to win by six lengths.