handicapping 101 PART4 "WORKS"

[Cannon Shell]

One of the biggest problems with works is that they can be so inaccurate and there is no way to check or dispute them. Unlike other information given in the pps which is usually pretty accurate, a work is not seen or recorded therefore the clockers version is the one taken without question. Speaking from personal experience, they make lots of errors in most jurisdictions, though many times because the system of clocking horses is so outdated. When the track opens in the morning there are usually so many horses working at the same time from different positions on the track that much is missed. There are simply only so many horses that a few guys can watch at a time. The fact that they are even close most of the time is amazing and there is an art to being a good clocker. An perfect example that Payson Dave can probably expand upon is turf training at the Oklahoma turf course in Saratoga. There are sometimes 30 horses working withing minutes of each other from different poles. Since the there is a short window of time when the turf is open and they allow free access to the turf it is an impossible task to catch them all. Also remember they have to put the correct names to each horse along with the actual clocking. The newest trend which you will see expanding in the next few years is trainers, especially the bigger ones, utilizing training centers where many of the times are self clocked and turned in. The accuracy of these are very much in doubt.