Quote:
Originally Posted by classhandicapper
I'm sure injuries and personal problems impact performance, but I'm starting to think insiders have such a huge edge in understanding changes in a horse's condition, a sharp agent with a hot rider becomes a kind of self reinforcing process. If a jockey has been winning a lot lately and a trainer knows they have a horse primed for an "A" effort, he/she will seek out the hot rider, which in turns leads to more winners, which in turn supports the idea that the rider is hot and moving horses up (and vice versa).
The bias issue is another good one. I've been doing some data studies on that, but I'll take it to another thread when I get a chance.
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"Starting to think" that way? Come on now! How long have you been at this game? This has been going on for many many decades.
Does anyone really believe that an outsider might have an inkling as to a horses actual overall condition? Perhaps a few that attend the races and know what to look for in an animal's physicality, but that's it!
Someday people (outsiders) might understand what the connotation "Run Happy" really means and the psychological impact it has in this game.
