Horse racing handicapping is an intellectual sport so it requires a great mind, or a lot of luck.
Experience is the best teacher so the longer you do it, the better you should become as a handicapper, right?The only problem with that theory is that the longer you handicap, the older you get and the harder it gets to remember important stuff like...
, well you know, stuff.
Now I'm not one of those elderly old codgers who goes around bragging about all his experience and snapping his suspenders as he tells the youngsters he forgot more than they'll ever know while they silently wonder if he has forgotten more than he ever knew.
I don't wear suspenders.
But seriously, we use past performances to handicap races.
We use our ability to remember to learn valuable lessons and also past experiences.
Memory has a way of fading over the years, though.
I wasn't blessed with a great memory, though I have been fortunate enough to know some great handicappers who did have the ability to remember almost every detail about a race or runner.
Let me tell you, that is a great gift.
If you aren't one of those fortunate people, let me suggest a few ways to improve your memory or to at least benefit from your experiences.
The more serious you are at being a successful handicapper and picking winners, the harder you will work at these simple tricks to recall important facts.
First of all, one of the things that helps is writing things down and then filing those notes or old programs away.
Win or lose, you pay for those trips to the track and those programs, so write some notes and hang onto them.
Trip notes are handy as are general observations or even handicapping angles that come to you during your handicapping adventures.
It is almost like writing a tip to yourself.
Keep notes about what worked and why as well as what didn't work and possible fixes.
Secondly, get excited and look at each race as a sporting event with real live athletes.
It isn't just a betting opportunity or entertainment.
A horse race is a real live drama that is filled with heroism, danger, intrigue.
Read the horse's and jockey's name and watch them as they perform.
See how they struggle and work to be their best.
The more emotion you invest in anything the more likely you are to remember it.
So keep notes and reminders to yourself and also to improve whatever system you are using.
Above all else, don't get so caught up in handicapping and betting that you forget the most important part, i.
e.
, enjoy yourself because you are a part of horse racing and it is a part of your life.