The Positive Layoff

[JackS]

Like most handicappers and bookwriters I do consider horses returning from a layoff slightly negative although I'm not super concerned or adverse to making a bet when the odds dictate.
The subject here is the positive layoff which occurs on occasion in the very lowest claiming dregs and MCL.
Horses who have tried these conditions over and over again and have never ran a race to Par. The typical favorite in these races is the horse who appears to have run better than his counterparts weather early /late or possibly an in the money finish behind another horse or two who also won this race in below par times.
The Positive Layoff- Any horse returning from a layoff regardless of how bad his previous races may have looked. This horse becomes the "unknown" racing against known losers. The positive aspect of this horse IS the layoff. Another positive is that the trainer (recognising) his charge was going absolutly nowhere and decided to withdraw his horse from racing and attempt to turn him around by means of training. To make this bet, insist on at least one published work and odds above 6-1 or so. Good Luck

[kitts]

Interesting insight. Thanks.

[Bathless]

I especially like horses returning from layoffs in Conditioned Claimers, e.g., for horses who have not won a race/2 races in 6/9/12 months. These are usually races for critters in the bottom ranks. The returning horse has an excuse for fitting the conditons; probably has a physical advantage over plugs who have been on the merry-go-round for 6 months or more, rather than a fitness disadvantage as some perceive. Yet, the layoff horses tend to be ignored a bit by bettors -- unless there's a 'big name' trainer involved, usually one of the local power trainers.

With the better animals, I don't find things so clear cut.

I liked what Mark Reid did as a trainer. He had a knack of recognizing when his horses (usually his better ones) needed some time off. The horse would be winning and posting good ITM finishes. He'd still give them a 6-8 week mini-break, then they'd pick up right where they left off, never really losing their form.

[aaron]

I like trainers off the layoff,and in many cases consider it a positive.For instance Bobby Frankel off a layoff in many instances is a positive,especially if the horse had run well before the layoff.