Bodog Beat

If you’d like to make some bets on the ponies you should know a couple of things first. (AP Images)

When you choose a race to bet on, you should get all the information about the horses you can. Not only do you look at the record a horse has, but you should know how they “worked out” leading up to the race. These workouts are a good indicator of how they will run on race day.

Track conditions are important because some horses will react differently if the track is wet or dry. Make sure your picks don’t have a history of poor reactions to a difficult track. Also, find out if a horse is dropping down or moving up in race class. Records can become deceiving if this is the case.

If you’re just starting to bet on horses you should stick to simpler bets like Win/Place/Show, Exactas/Quinellas, and Doubles. Bet on the ponies in the Bodog Racebook.