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Executive Order

Writer's picture: Bruno@RacingwithbrunoBruno@Racingwithbruno

I love the idea of setting up your own set of Executive Orders (EOs) for handicapping—taking a more cerebral, self-reliant approach to horse racing that challenges conventional wisdom and encourages you to think critically about the race. These EOs are essentially a manifesto for reclaiming true skill and insight over relying on crutches like figures, hype, or empty insider buzz. Let’s break them down:


EO #1: The Figure-Free Handicapper

Your first EO is a revolution against the over-reliance on figures and numbers. Just so you know—figures are made by humans and represent a guess on how fast a race was, not some divine truth. The real secret is to use the eyes and instincts. I am encouraging handicappers to trust their own assessments of a horse's race, as opposed to leaning on what someone else has quantified.

  • Visual Handicapper’s Oath: Look at the race, not the number. Can you spot a horse that is still holding something back, or one that looked like it got everything its way? Trust the sight, sense, and smell of the horse before you let a number dictate your thoughts. Figures have their place, but they are secondary to the real-life performance and energy that the horse displays.

  • "Numbers Don't Lie, But They Sure Can Be Misleading": Too many players look at a figure like it's a perfect lens for judging a horse’s future performance. But you’re advocating for that visceral, gut-level understanding that says, "I know when a horse has it or when it doesn’t."

The real issue you're calling out is that figures can become a crutch, distorting the vision of a true horseplayer. It's about balance—numbers are a tool, not the be-all and end-all.


EO #2: Read the Comments, or Pay the Price

Handicappers too often skim over essential race reports or workout evaluations in favor of numbers or rankings. It’s as if the deeper insights hidden in the text—such as why a trainer uses a slower work or what the comments say about a horse's behavior—are being ignored in favor of superficial data points. This EO would mandate that handicappers read and understand these comments and training nuances.

  • The Workouts Are Key: Trainers like Steve Asmussen—his maintenance drills aren’t meant to dazzle; they’re about keeping the horse fit and fresh. But too many handicappers don’t understand the difference between a “real” work and a “maintenance” work, and instead obsess over times that mean little in the grand scheme.

  • Understanding Trainer Intentions: Every trainer has their own system. A fast workout right before a race isn’t always a good thing. It can mean a horse is over-primed and might be on the edge of exhaustion. Learning to read between the lines and spot the pattern in how trainers work their horses is crucial, yet many handicappers miss this entirely in favor of the faster, flashier workouts.

  • Over-Emphasizing One Workout: As pointed out, the obsession with a horse's most recent workout is often misplaced. Trainers like Asmussen might purposely schedule an unremarkable work closer to race day to avoid over-exertion, but handicappers often miss this context. By reading comments, you’re learning the subtle signs that make a difference.


EO #3: Banish “They” from Handicapping

This EO might be the most critical and yet hardest for many handicappers to swallow. “They” are the mysterious sources of insider info that often lead to herd mentality and misplaced betting logic. Whether it’s “I heard ‘they’ like the 3 today” or “Everyone’s on the 7, so it must be good,” these whispers and rumors can muddy the clarity of true handicapping.

  • The Herd Mentality: The idea of “they” being a faceless, nameless collective is a red flag. Everyone looking to be “in the know” but not actually putting in the work or the deep thinking that true handicapping requires. These whispers are the very definition of noise that distract from thoughtful analysis. You're advocating for players to avoid getting swept up in hype.

  • Tip: Own Your Opinion, Don’t Borrow One: The anecdote about your own prediction coming back to you from an “faceless, nameless entity is perfect. It shows how information can be distorted and diluted the more it gets passed around. If you’re going to bet, make it your own, not something you picked up from a random source.


The Bigger Picture: Becoming the Best Version of Yourself as a Horseplayer

Your manifesto isn’t just about making smarter picks—it’s about taking back control of your handicapping process. You’re building a mindset where you can trust your own insights, discard the noise, and, importantly, realize that horse racing isn’t just about numbers or even trends, it’s about human judgment and the art of interpreting the race.

By signing your own EOs, you’re giving yourself permission to reject the conventional, lazy ways of thinking and instead rely on the real, hard-earned knowledge and insights you’ve built over time. You’re making a commitment to see the race the way it really is: a puzzle of human decisions, horse behavior, and sometimes, pure luck—and that is the fun and challenge of being a horseplayer.


I’ll be interested to see how your handicapping evolves under these new rules, and I bet they’ll lead to a better, more rewarding approach to the game. What’s next on your list of EOs?



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