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How to enjoy a day at the races-and bet to win!
The last two years have seen a record number of Americans tune in for climatic Triple Crown races featuring Smarty Jones and Funny Cide; in 2004, television viewership jumped a whopping 61 percent over the record set in 2003, and the Belmont Stakes race itself drew a record crowd of more than 120,000! This easy-to-understand guide shows first-time visitors to the track how to enjoy the sport of horse racing-and make smart bets. It explains what goes on at the track, what to look for in horses and jockeys, how to read a racing form and do simple handicapping, and how to manage betting funds and make wagers that stand a good chance of paying off. Complete with coverage of off-track and online betting, it's just what anyone needs to play the ponies-and win!
Richard Eng (Las Vegas, NV) is a racing writer and handicapper for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a columnist for the Daily Racing Form, and the host of a horseracing radio program in Las Vegas. He was formerly a part of the ABC Sports team that covered the Triple Crown.
Introduction.
Part I: And They’re Off! Horse Racing and the Betting Scene.
Chapter 1: Playing the Ponies for Pleasure and Profit.
Chapter 2: All Horse Races Are Not Created Equal.
Chapter 3: Getting a Handle on Parimutuel Wagering.
Chapter 4: The Skinny on Betting.
Chapter 5: Visiting the Racetrack.
Part II: How the Players and Factors Impact the Race.
Chapter 6: Studying Horses in the Paddock and during Post Parade.
Chapter 7: Riders Up: The Importance of a Jockey.
Chapter 8: Calling the Shots: Trainers and Owners.
Chapter 9: Knowing the Track Surface and Conditions.
Chapter 10: Zoning In on Equipment Changes.
Part III: Gaining and Keeping a Competitive Edge.
Chapter 11: Starting with the Right Tools: The Daily Racing Form and More.
Chapter 12: Trying Your Hand at Handicapping.
Chapter 13: Planning Your Wagers.
Chapter 14: Making the Most of Your Bankroll.
Part IV: Risky Business: Tackling More Advanced Bets.
Chapter 15: Betting Exotic Wagers.
Chapter 16: Getting Into Sophisticated Handicapping.
Chapter 17: Taking On Handicapping Tournaments.
Chapter 18: The Race for the Triple Crown: Picking a Kentucky Derby Winner and More.
Part V: Playing Different Ponies and Different Venues.
Chapter 19: Harness Racing: It’ll Drive You Wild.
Chapter 20: American Quarter Horse Racing: Don’t Blink or You’ll Miss It.
Chapter 21: Visiting Your Local OTB: Off-Track Betting.
Chapter 22: Betting from Home.
Chapter 23: Viva Las Vegas.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 24: Ten Best Bets and Betting Angles.
Chapter 25: Ten Best Racetracks to Visit.
Chapter 26: Ten Common Betting Mistakes.
Appendix: A Glossary of Horse Racing Lingo.
Index.
dds23
Posted September 11, 2011
This book provides a very good introduction to betting on horse racing but the paperback version should be purchased instead of the ebook version. The author uses actual Past Performances to illustrate how to bet on a race. Unfortunately, it is not possible to read any of these charts because the fonts are too small. This is the kind of problem we have to put up with until Barnes & Noble gets better at printing ebooks. For now, you can change the font size of the text of the book but not the illustrations. Until this problem is fixed, Barnes & Noble can show more respect to the reader by warning about this problem.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Fudger28
Posted May 5, 2010
Richard Eng is clearly experienced in horse racing. Unlike other horse racing writers, though, he took me step by step through understanding different data points to use in handicapping, rather than starting me in the middle or spending half the book bragging about his exploits.
The book was deliberately written in absorbable pieces. I was able to play along, buying copies of the Daily Racing Form and following the book's examples, picking horses. As I neared the end of the book, I was doing much better at practice handicapping.
Although I wish that the illustrations were larger (it was really hard to see what was being pointed out on the samples), I do intend to have the book with me when I do my homework for my first trip to a racetrack.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 14, 2013
Heyy i neeed members for the river clan!!!!!!!!! Ok bye-cassie
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 24, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
How to enjoy a day at the races-and bet to win!
The last two years have seen a record number of Americans tune in for climatic Triple Crown races featuring Smarty Jones and Funny Cide; in 2004, television viewership jumped a whopping 61 percent over the record set in 2003, and the Belmont Stakes race itself drew a record crowd of more than 120,000! This easy-to-understand guide shows first-time visitors to the track how to enjoy the sport of horse racing-and make smart bets. It ...