Looking for Trouble?

Unclench your fist and put away your tough-guy look. - I'm talking about looking for trouble that could make you money. Yes, you heard it correctly. Making money by looking for trouble. - If you want to look for some trouble to keep your bankroll growing. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind.

2. - Clear your head and don't make up troubled trips that really weren't that bad. - Open mind, and keep tabs on just the facts.

3. - Watch the gate break. - Look for immediate bad steps, or if a runner is off slow, forced out, or checked up costing precious ground.

4. - Once the field settles watch for horses who are forced wide, trapped in a pocket, or forced to take back due to trouble.

5. - Middle move action. - This is crucial after a bad start. - Did the horse make up ground only to tire out? - Did they show good energy and fade late? - All good signs. A horse has only so much energy for a race and it's taxing when they're forced to use it up quickly. This is a playback I like to call middle-movers. Not enough to get a winner's circle picture, but enough to come back and look for a cleaner trip next out.

6. - Did the rider give an all-out effort or just enough to cross the finish? - Look for a better rider change next out from this move. Very good sign. Trainers know their horses better than anyone.

7. - Watch closely as the closers or speedsters cross the finish line. - Did they immediately slow down or did they go on another 1/16th past the wire? - These are runners to playback with gusto. They may have been using this race to springboard onto bigger and better things.

Keep looking for trouble and you'll find it. - This is an old school tactic many have employed since racing first began. - "Trip handicapping" is an art that takes patience, an open mind, and the knowledge of what to look for. - It will take some time, but when you start recognizing the little things, they will pay big dividends the next time out they run. - Best of luck, and may you find all the trouble you can handle!