Sometimes the best way to describe what we do when we handicap a race is to say that we weed out the legitimate contenders from the phonies or horses that have no chance of winning. To be accurate, any runner in a race does have some chance, but the actual possibility may be so small that it isn't worth considering, that is, unless the odds are right.
As you handicap a horse race you try to put the horses in order from most likely winner to least likely winner. Then, if you really want to make a profit betting on horses, you wait and watch the odds and decide which runner offers the best value. Horse players must not only be good judges of horses, but they must also be good at picking the best bets.
In most races the top 4 horses in the odds, whether it be morning line odds or the odds you see on the tote board at five minutes to post, will include the winner of the race. If you want to save time you'll simply evaluate the top four or five morning line horses and set your own odds then bet them according to what the tote board tells you. Of course, there is always a price to be paid for convenience and speed. You may miss a good long shot bet among the other runners.
