No Lead Pony

[jchach]

This is not my angle, but I thought I'd share it as I read it somewhere.

Look for horses that have no Lead Pony when they come onto the track.
Jockey lets the horse get a good feel for the track with a little pre-race work.

I don't have any %'s to back up ITM, but it's something to look at, especially if you can get a good price across the board.

Just my 2 cents.

John

[byteintime]

My take on this angle. It is certainly valid at some tracks more than others. But, I toss the horse with no lead pony. If I have 1-3 top choices and two of them have no lead pony, I bet the one with a lead pony to win. Seems to work most of the time. You have to be careful, sometimes they will pick up a lead pony on the backstretch. Does anybody know why a horse does or doesn't have a lead pony? I have been asking a ton of horse players this question and they all look at me with a blank stare!

[vtbob]

I don't own any horses, so take this for what it's worth. It's my understanding that because horses are not naturally "loners," the lead pony is usually a companion that trains with the horse. It's usually strong, disciplined and unfazed by the noise/excitement at the track. Since the race horse knows the lead pony, it helps to keep it calm and reassured.

[Rodneyz23]

At the track that I attend there is a modest fee for the services of the lead pony/rider. I know of some trainers and owners that do not pay this small fee because they feel that it is not worth it.