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     Did you have the Fitness Factor horse that paid $17.40 to Place at Golden Gate?

Now is an opportune time to start using The Fitness Factor Spot Play and here's why!

The Fitness Factor is truly a niche type of spot play for handicapping thoroughbred horse racing, and with many races for maidens and young horses coming up soon, it can be a truly powerful and integral part of your handicapping library.

For example, in the 8th at Golden Gate on Sunday, February, 21, 2016, just a few of the 10 horses entered passed the initial contender screen for the Fitness Factor. Three remained after eliminating the one with the lowest ranking on the main contender screen, (the #4 Beach Please who also happened to be the post time favorite at 5/2). After a quick check of the trainers for the remaining 3 contenders, I decided in favor of Barcelo who, besides passing the Fitness Factor's main contender screen, not only showed promising breeding factors for running well at today’s distance but also had the lone trainer who showed a flat bet profit for first time starters!

Thus, in just a couple of minutes, I decided on Barcelo as my selection. I had a commitment Sunday evening and thus wagered early bird. For every unit to win, I backed it up with 2 units to place and 4 units show. Barcelo went to post at 23-1!!  I later watched the replay at home on the twinspires.com Video replay. (As a side note, TwinSpires has video archives where you may watch replays going back nearly nine years!) 

As the horses broke from the gate in this 5.5 furlong sprint I was disappointed to see Barcelo break last. (The results chart caller’s note said “unhurried early.”) At the 2nd call he hadn’t improved much, just to 7th place, with a lot of ground to make up and not a lot of distance in which to do it. However, between the 2nd call and the stretch, Barcelo leapfrogged 4 places into 3rd. I shouldn't have had much in the way of doubts at the start of the race because as I have mentioned in other writings, Fitness Factor selections tend to have “power in reserve” and often come on in the latter stages of a race, and true to form, such was the case with Barcelo!

According to the chart, "he got [to the] outside and finished 'full of run' after roaring up close, just beaten by the winner by a neck at the wire." Likely, with the way Barcel was charging ahead like a freight train, if the race had been six furlongs he would have won! While I had to settle for 2nd place, and missed out on a potential $48 win mutuel, I was pleased with the place and show  mutuels of: 

$17.40 to place and $11.60 to show!

In sum, The Fitness Factor is a niche method designed for mainly for young horses. As noted, with the upcoming spring and summer racing season fast approaching, there will be many, many races being carded for young horses at tracks throughout the country.

Because you can handicap a race in just a minute or two using the Fitness Factor, it is ideal, especially if you want to examine a few tracks.

If you use breeding information to help you separate contenders, as we discuss in detail in our July/August 2012 TIPS Report, this can really boost potential profits when you use the Fitness Factor!

You can purchase the downloadable version of the Fitness Factor & Addendum and the July/August 2012 TIPS Report through the link below or click here. We also invite you to visit our Digital Downloads page.

OR, if you wish to order the print versions, please click the link below or click here.


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Jon Worth  Tom Worth Publishing Co.  PO Box 7054  Warwick, RI 02887-7054

Phone or Text: 401-219-6009 eastern time  ♦  jonworth@worthhandicapping.com

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