Confusing race conditions challenge bettors

The first thing to do when handicapping a race is to read the conditions – the requirements of the race.

What horses are eligible, according to age, gender and record? What’s the distance? What’s the surface?

Race conditions reveal the class level, the quality of the competition, which handicappers need to understand before trying to identify the legitimate contenders.

Unfortunately for handicappers – at the Fair Grounds and tracks across the country – race conditions have become more and more complicated in recent years. A game that was always difficult isn’t getting any easier.