Think about a competitive runner who trained running on cement verses a marathon runner who trained running on grass. The surfaces are substantially different and each runner will perform better on the condition they are accustomed to and favour. Racehorses are no different than any other athlete.

The majority of horse racing is done on dirt, followed by turf (grass) surfaces. Each surface can afford its own advantages to a horse that is used to racing on it. A horse used to racing on turf will find the unaccommodating nature of the hard dirt surface more difficult to perform on than the give of a turf track, and vice versa. So it’s important to do your research.  Luckily, this task is not too time consuming.

Making Sense of All That Data

Each time a horse races, several data items are recorded, including the date of the race, the name of the hosting track, the race number and the track condition (so turf or dirt). All you have to do is look into which horses perform best on which surface – a simple but largely overlooked strategy. Many players are surprised at how many horses in poor form will win at big odds merely because they enjoy running on that day’s turf or track condition – and this is precisely the information you will find in the data collection.

Of course, one probably won’t know how to read the admittedly esoteric data at first. This may take a little getting used to. Here’s a glossary of the track conditions to help you on your way to understanding the shorthand terms:

Dirt Track Conditions

Fast: Since horses generally record their fastest times over dry surfaces, dry dirt tracks are predictably called, “fast.”

Wet-Fast: A surface that will produce fast times, but over a track with a thin layer moisture on top.

Good: Defined as a dirt surface that is drying out and results in slower times than a fast track would.

Muddy: A wet, deep dirt surface.

Sloppy: A dirt surface immersed in water. It’s generally soaked enough to result in splashing when the horses run.

Frozen: A dirt surface that contains moisture that is frozen. Does not have to be entirely frozen.

Slow: A deep, drying out dirt surface that produces slow times.

Heavy: Deep, wet, heavy dirt surface that is more exhausting to run on and produces very slow times.

Turf (Grass) Course Conditions

Firm: A dry turf course with a slight give to it.

Good: A relatively firm turf course containing some moisture and slightly more give.

Soft: A turf course that contains a good amount of moisture and substantial give.

Yielding:  A very wet turf course that is deep and produces slower times.

Heavy:  A deep, heavy and often waterlogged turf course that produces very slow times.

Reading The Reports

The final step to understanding the lingo is knowing how to read the reports. Here are examples of how track condition and racing surface will appear in the data records.

Dirt Racing Surface

14Jly03-8GP fst indicates that this horse ran on July 14, 2003 (14Jly03), in race eight (8) at Gulfstream Park (GP) over a fast (fst) dirt surface.

Turf Racing Surface

21May07-6Bel fm 7f (T) - indicates that this horse ran on May 21, 2007 (21May07) in race six (6) at Belmont Park (Bel) over a firm (fm) surface going seven furlongs (7f) on the Turf (T).

Mastering these terms and knowing how to read them will help you make the best decision for every bet.

Related posts:

• Tour de France: Basically a two-horse race