Favorite type of race for wagering?

[MattB62]

I'm new here and curious about whether people have a favorite type of race (maiden, claiming, allowance, graded stakes, etc.) to handicap and wager on, and why? Or do you wager on any and all types of races?

I'm new to this, so I haven't developed a preference of my own yet.

[tbwinner]

Maiden Specials or Maiden Claiming on the turf. Preferably with 8-12 runners. For me, easiest to handicap! Hardest, $5k claimers with big fields on the poly (rare at Arlington). Stakes are also fun to do too.

[woodtoo]

My personal favorite races to bet are the ones where I win :D

[thaskalos]

10K-25K claiming races for older horses, all distances...NO TURF!

[Canadian]

I bet almost all harness. I like Maidens, but I also have a soft spot for the very bottom class of pacers at Northfield.

[xfile]

<li>All Maiden Claiming Races

<li>All Maiden Special Weight Races

<li>All Claiming races with a condition (Ex nw2l, nw3l, b, etc)

<li>All bottom level claiming races

<li>All races run over the turf or taken off the turf.

All races over a wet track (Sloppy, Muddy, etc)

[thespaah]

I'm new here and curious about whether people have a favorite type of race (maiden, claiming, allowance, graded stakes, etc.) to handicap and wager on, and why? Or do you wager on any and all types of races?

I'm new to this, so I haven't developed a preference of my own yet.
Turf races with large fields going route distances.

[trackrat59]

Turf races at a distance. My fav. :ThmbUp:

[cnollfan]

Least favorite races:

Maiden Special Weight for older fillies and mares. They can't run but are bred to the purple so they are too valuable to run where they belong.

Starter Allowance races for older horses.

Turf sprints.

Short fields.

Stakes races for graduates of a particular sale, or for horses bred in a state that doesn't have horse racing, e.g. Mississippi-breds.

Races with exactly two front-runners. Too many scenarios.

Five furlongs.

[appistappis]

sprints only, cheap claimers non winners of two lifetime.

[PaceAdvantage]

Any race that appears relatively wide open with a vulnerable favorite.

[Stillriledup]

A 9 horse field of male maiden claimers going 6 furlongs on the dirt.

[kenwoodall2]

Claimers. Also any race where the top choices have longer odds than the M/L.

[therussmeister]

Any race that is not wide open, with a favorite dead in the water.

[Red God]

Maiden claimers in two-turn routes (turf and dirt) at major tracks.
Graded stakes (routes) on soft turf.

[salty]

I love any allowance race with a condition of open to any horse that has run for a 5k or 10k claiming tag in the last year. Some hoses in these races are at much higher levels which makes these races extremely easy to handicap. Just look for good form with at least a couple races at any high allowance level.

besides that I would have to say low maiden claiming races are my favorite to bet.

[BlueShoe]

Mid level open claiming races on the dirt for older males.

[Actor]

Claiming - $10,000 or less
Dirt only, no turf
6 furlongs, 1 mile, 1mile40yds, 1mile70yds
No mud. If the track is not fast I just sit back an watch since I figure it's not going to dry out today, no matter what the track says. I also check the weather the night before and if it's rained I don't even bother going.
No maiden races. I don't try to figure out which loser is going to win today.
I pass any race with a first time starter, lightly raced horse, or shipper unless the animal is getting little support on the board, i.e., not in the top half of the field in the betting, or if the field is small, not one of the top four.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Bottom level claimers in the old non-1/2/3 aka Feedbag - ...started at the meet and haven't finished in the top three... especially after a few have been run at the meet and the "tough" ones become ineligible.

Just a herd of horses that run 6th by eighteen and a quarter and ninth by eleven and a half every trip all jammed together with one shot to win a race at the meet and ALL trying not to run third and lose the condition.

The true test.

[plainolebill]

Maiden Claiming sprints of less than 7F.

[A. Pineda]

Maiden claiming sprints on dirt or syn - no turf - with at least 8 to start.