How to Use Speed Points and Figures in Horse Racing Handicapping

Speed points, as you may know, were originally conceived by Dr. William Quirin and introduced to the world in 1979. They are a useful tool to measure the race to the first call. The higher the speed points given to a runner, the more early speed that one has, sort of. Therefore, if you're looking for the early speed in a race, you need only check the speed points that are included in many past performances--at least that's the theory.

While I wouldn't dispute the usefulness of speed points, I'd like to take them and their utilization one step farther. Combining them with speed makes them more accurate and even more accurate. You see, the trouble with using them as they stand without combining them with a horse's real. ability, that it the speed figure it is capable of, is only looking at part of the handicapping picture.

Dr. Quirin meant them to be used to tell where a horse likes to run in the early stages of a race. Horses like people and most living creatures, have personalities and traits. They often show this by their running styles. Some have the ability or predilection to go faster than the others at the beginning of a race. As long as the runner has that ability, that's fine, but if he or she doesn't then it will wear itself out in the early stages of a race just to get to the front.

Then again, there are races that favor early runners and there are races that favor those that close from off the pace. In those races where closers have the advantage, the speed points may have little value. In races where early speed is king, however, they are a useful tool as long as you remember one thing, they indicate running style, but not always ability.

To determine if a horse with the speed point advantage really does have the early speed in the race, look at the class of the horses tit raced against and also the final speed figures in its last races. If it is moving up in class, you may have to adjust those speed points down. For instance, if a runner was in $5,000 claiming races and had 5 speed points, but is moving up to a $10,000 claiming race, you might want to adjust that 5 down to a 3, particularly if there are other early speedsters who will contest the early pace.

If it has been racing against easier company, that 5 point rating was earned against inferior stock compared to today's field. When the runner encounters the classier horses battling for the lead, it will probably still do its best to get to the front, but the toll on its energy will also probably make it fade in the later stages of the race, unless the jockey can throttle it back early saving something for the stretch drive.

If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://williewins.homestead.com/true.html and get the truth about betting on horses and winning. Bill Peterson is a former race horse owner and professional handicapper. To see all Bill's horse racing material go to Horse Racing Handicapping, Bill's handicapping store.