Handicapping 101

TYPES OF WAGERS

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Beginner
Win – your horse must finish 1st.
Place – your horse must finish 1st or 2nd
Show – your horse must finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd
Combination – a separate win, place and show wager of equal amounts on the same horse

Intermediate
Exactor – pick the first two horses in the exact order
Triactor – pick the first three horses in the exact order
Daily Double – pick the winners of two consecutive races

Advanced
Superfecta – pick the first four horses in the exact order
Classic Hi-5 – pick the first five horses in the exact order. If there is no winner, 100% of the pool carries over to the next Classic Hi-5 race
Pick 3 – pick the winners of three consecutive races
Pick 4 – pick the winners of four consecutive races
ASD Jackpot Pick 5 – pick the winners of five consecutive races. If you have the only the only winning ticket, you win the jackpot

Minimum Base Wagers
Win, Place, Show – $2
Daily Double, Exactor – $1
Triactor, Superfecta,
Pick 3, ASD Jackpot Pick 5 – $.20
Pick 4, Super Hi-5 – $1

How to place a bet
1) say the track and race number
2) say the amount of the wager
3) say the type of wager
4) say the NUMBER of your horse or horses in your wager

Example wager:
Assiniboia Downs – Race 1 – $5 to show on #7

Racing Lingo

Blinkers – equipment to limit a horse’s vision from side-to-side to prevent shying from other horses or objects placed around the track
Box – combining two or more horses in an exactor, triactor, or superfecta
Dead heat – two or more horses finishing in a tie
Disqualification – change in order of the finish for an infraction of the rules
Furlong – 1/8 of a mile or 220 yards. Assiniboia Downs track is 13/16 mile
In the money – a horse finishing first, second or third
Inquiry / Objection – a review of the race for a possible infraction of the rules or a claim of foul lodged by a jockey on another jockey
Maiden – a horse that has never won a sanctioned race
Morning line – a linemakers estimate of the final odds of a race
Photo finish – a result so close it is necessary to use a finish line camera to determine the winner
Simulcast – televised races from other race tracks that can be wagered through Assiniboia Downs
Wheel – combining the key selection with all those horses deemed contenders.

Tips for success

If you are attending live racing at Assiniboia Downs be sure to stop by the Fan Education Centre on the main floor. Shannon and Brad will be happy to answer all your questions about horse racing and wagering.
Listen to the on track handicapper who appears before each race on the TV monitors to give his selections and offers insight on a horses past performances. You may hear something you like and it could help with your bets.
Look for the top 5 jockeys. They will win approximately 90% of the races.
Favourites win approximately 33% of the time although at low odds.
The morning line which is listed in your program for each race is just a prediction on how the public will bet the race. As post time nears look for overlays. For example the morning line may have expected a particular horse to go off at 3-1 but with a minute to post you notice that horse is going off at 8-1.
Ask questions for whatever you want to know about- it’s better to understand what your not sure of and you will enjoy yourself much more!