HOW TO PLACE A BET. Bet On Havin' Fun!!! Learn How To: Find Your Way Around the Track

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1 HOW TO PLACE A BET Bet On Havin' Fun!!! Learn How To: Find Your Way Around the Track Place a Bet Read the Program Understand Wagers Find Out More Info through Web Sites

2 Information Sheet Address: General Information: Dining & Seating: Group Sales: Web Site: Retama Park 1 Retama Parkway Selma, Texas (210) (210) (210) Retama Park is open for simulcasting every day except Christmas Day. Gates and parking for simulcasting open at 10:30 a.m. with the first track starting usually between 11:10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. In 2015, Retama Park will be open for live racing as follows: Quarter Horse Meet: June 5 - August 8 Thoroughbred Meet: August 21 - October 17 (See Live Racing Calendar on next page.) Simulcast Admission: $2.00 General Admission FREE Selma Residents (must show I.D.) Live Racing Admission: Parking: $5.00 General Admission $3.00 Seniors $3.00 FREE Selma Residents FREE General Parking $.00 Valet Parking Children 12 and under admitted free with adult. Minimum admission age without adult is 16.

3 2015 Retama Park Revised Live Racing Calendar Quarter Horse Meet - June 5 through August 8 (20 days) Fridays and Saturdays, Post Time 6:45 p.m. Central Except June 6 Post Time 4:15 p.m. Central Except June 12 Post Time 4:45 p.m. Central Represented by 6 12 Thoroughbred Meet - August 21 through October 17 (26 days) Fridays and Saturdays, Post Time 6:45 p.m. Central Sundays & Monday, Post Time 3:00 p.m. Central Represented by Jun-15 Jul-15 Aug-15 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Sep-15 Oct-15 Nov-15 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Quarter Horse (20) Thoroughbred (26) 6 Belmont Stakes Day Early Post 4:15 p.m. Central 12 Shell Rotella Early Post 4:45 p.m. Central This calendar has been approved by the Texas Racing Commission.

4 Common Racetrack Terms Added money - Money added by an association to the purse of a race; usually in addition to nomination fees and entry fees. Agent - Many jockeys employ agents whose job is to line up (hustle) mounts for the jockey. Acting as salespersons, agents roam the stable area and racing office to encourage trainers and owners to employ their jockeys. Also ran - A horse which does not finish first, second or third is considered an also ran. Apprentice - A beginning jockey, denoted by an asterisk next to his name in the program, who is allowed to carry five pounds less weight due to limited experience. The apprentice loses his bug, or must carry full assigned weight, one year after he rides his fifth winner. Backstretch - The straightaway on the side of the track that is opposite to the finish line. Also, the stable area. Bandages - Many racehorses wear light-weight, stretchy bandages on their legs during a race. These bandages are used to support the horses tendons and ligaments, and also to protect from nicks, cuts and bruises which could occur during the running of the race. (See Run Down) Bleeding - Tiny blood vessels in horses air passages can be damaged and break during exertion. It has been estimated that 80% of all racehorses bleed to some degree. Occasionally, the blood can be of sufficient quantity that it trickles out of a horse s nostril. Lasix, an approved medication which acts as a diuretic and lowers blood pressure, helps to control bleeding. Blinkers - These blinders have a plastic cup just behind the horse s eyes and are used to keep the horse s attention on his business (running) and focused ahead. Bolt - When a horse runs towards the outside rail instead of following the path of the racetrack. Breeze - A horse breezes when it exercises at near-racing speed during morning training hours. Bug - An apprentice jockey. Bullet work - A horse who has worked faster than any other horse at the same track and distance on that day has had a bullet workout. These workouts can be identified in the track program by a bullet, or round dot, in front of the workout description. Bute (Butazolidin) - A legal medication used to control inflammation. Can be compared to aspirin. Card - One day of racing, as in Tonight s card features the Tejas Stakes... Chalk - The favorite (horse with lowest odds) in a race. Checked - If a rider has to suddenly slow his horse down during a race, usually to avoid a fallen horse or to keep from stumbling on the heels of a horse in front, he has checked the horse. Colt - A male horse four years old or younger which has not been gelded (see gelding). Common pool - A pool in which wagers made at the receiving track are joined with wagers made at the sending track. Odds and payouts on a particular horse are the same at both tracks. (See Separate Pool) Conditions of a race - Special features of a race such as distance, sex, or number of wins. For example, Race Three: For Two-Year-Olds who have never won three races. Six Furlongs. Days - If a jockey is disqualified during a race for allowing his horse to endanger or interfere with another horse, the stewards can give the jockey days, meaning he is not allowed to ride for a prescribed period of time; often seven days. Dead Heat - Occurs when two or more horses cross the finish line at exactly the same time. Distaff - A race for female horses. Drop - When a horse is placed in an easier race than ones in which it has been running, the horse has been dropped. Eased - If a rider decides that his horse is hopelessly beaten and ceases to encourage the horse to run at full speed, he has eased the horse. Entry - If two horses in a race are owned in whole or in part by the same individual or entity, or if the trainer owns an interest in either horse, the horses are coupled as an entry, and run as

5 Common Racetrack Terms (cont.) one betting interest (i.e., #1 and #1A). A bet on #1 is the same as a bet on #1A. Filly - A female horse four years old or younger. Furlong - One eighth of a mile. Frequently used as a measure of the distance of a race. Gelding - A male horse which has been castrated, usually to make it more manageable. Hand - The unit used for measuring horses, a hand is four inches. Horses are measured from the ground to the withers, the bony protrusion at the base of the neck just in front of the saddle. Most racehorses are 15 to 16 hands. Handle - The total amount of money wagered over a particular period of time. Hot Walker - A stable area employee who leads a horse around the shedrow to cool it out following racing or during morning training hours. Some trainers use mechanical hot walkers; machines (often set up between barns) which lead horses slowly in circles. In the money - A horse which finishes first, second or third. Inquiry - If the stewards feel that a questionable incident has occurred during the race (i.e., horses getting bumped, shut off, or falling), they post the inquiry sign, which lights up on the tote board. After the race, they review the replays from several angles and decide whether or not to disqualify any horses. Juvenile - A two-year-old race horse (in his first year of racing). Lasix - A legal and approved medication administered to a horse four hours before a race. Lasix (furosemide) is a diuretic which helps to control and prevent bleeding. The name "Lasix" has recently been changed to "Salix" but (L) is still commonly used to denote the drug's use. Length - The length of a horse; used as a measure of distance between horses during a race. Maiden - A horse which has never won a race. Mare - A female horse five years old or older. Morning Glory - A horse which has fast workouts during morning training hours, and doesn t race as well as expected based on workout times. Objection - If a jockey feels he has been interfered with (i.e., bumped or shut off) during the running of the race, he contacts the stewards as soon as he weighs in to lodge an objection. The stewards study the replay and can disqualify the accused horse and jockey if they feel the objection is merited. Off track - When the racing surface is any condition except fast (i.e., muddy or sloppy). Outrider - Serving as policemen of the racetrack, outriders retrieve loose horses and ensure order on the track during the post parade and morning training hours. Overnight - A sheet of paper which lists horses, jockeys, weights, and race conditions of a day of races. Generated by the racing department shortly after entries close, an overnight is available a few days before the race day it describes. Paddock - The area where horses gather before a race to be saddled. Place - To finish second in a race. Post Time - The time when horses for a particular race arrive at the starting gate. Race Classifications: Allowance - Generally for horses of better quality than those found in claiming races. The amount of weight assigned (weight allowances) is based on earnings and/or number or type of wins over a particular time frame. Typical allowance race conditions might be For Three-year-olds which have never won two races. One Mile. or For Fillies and Mares, Four-year-olds and up which have not won a race since September 15, Six Furlongs. Claiming - A race in which any horse can be claimed (purchased) by a licensed owner for the claiming price of that race. Used as a guideline to create races for horses of similar abilities. Example: If you have a horse you feel is worth $14,000, you probably wouldn t run it for $5,000 although it probably could win easily, because the horse would likely be claimed. Similarly, a $5,000 claimer would have a difficult time beating a field of $14,000 horses. Usually allowance horses are of better quality than claiming horses, but this is not always the case. For example, a five-year-old horse who has won 15

6 Common Racetrack Terms (cont.) races and is running in $25,000 claiming races might be a better horse than a threeyear-old which has just won a Non-winners of two lifetime allowance race. Handicap - A race in which weights carried by the entered horses are adjusted by the racing secretary in an attempt to equalize the competition. The goal of the racing secretary is to have all horses finish in a dead heat. The highweight is the horse that the racing secretary expects would win the race if all horses carried equal weights. Maiden - For horses which have never won a race. Stakes - These races are for the highest quality horses. Owners may be required to pay nominating, entry and starting fees. Starter Handicap - A race in which all horses have run for a stated claiming price since the time listed in the conditions of the race. For example, Starter Handicap - For Three-Year-Olds and Up which have started for a claiming price of $8,500 or less since September 7, The racing secretary then assigns weights to all entered horses based on his attempt to equalize the outcome of the race. Starter Allowance - The same as a starter handicap, except that weights are assigned by the conditions of the race, not by the opinion of the racing secretary. Ridden out - A horse wins ridden out when it has received only mild encouragement from its jockey. Route - A distance race. Run Down - During a race or workout, a horse can scrape and bruise the lower parts of his ankles by repeated friction from the sandy track. These abrasions, called run downs, can be prevented, or, if in a healing stage, protected by the use of bandages. Occurs more frequently in hind legs that front legs. Scratch - To withdraw a horse from a race after entries have closed. Separate pool - The money wagered on a simulcast race is not joined in a common pool between sending and receiving tracks. Thus, the odds (and payoffs) are different at both tracks for the same race. Show - To finish third in a race. Silks - The distinctively designed and colored shirt worn by the jockey. Each owner has his own set of silks, which are worn by the jockeys riding all of his horses. Simulcast - The transmission of live audio and visual signals from a sending track to a receiving track so that the receiving track can see and bet on live races from the sending track. Sophomore - A three-year-old horse, thus in its second year of racing. Stewards - The track has three stewards who act as umpires or referees. They have the authority to perform functions such as disqualifying horses, scratching horses, refusing entries from owner or trainers who do not meet certain conditions, giving jockeys days (suspending them for race-riding infractions) and ruling people off of the track. No race outcome is final until the stewards light the Official sign on the tote board. Stick - Common term for the jockey s whip. Tongue tie - A narrow strap wrapped around a horse s tongue and tied beneath its jaw. Used during a race or morning training hours to prevent the horse s tongue from rolling back in its mouth and blocking its airpassages, or to keep the horse from placing its tongue over the bit. Valet - Valets (pronounce the t ) care for the jockey s equipment and assist trainers in saddling their horses prior to racing. Washed out - Before a race, nervousness may cause a horse to wash out, or break out in a white, lathery sweat. Weigh in - After a race, all jockeys are weighed in by the clerk of scales to assure that they carried the correct amount of weight throughout the running of the race. Weigh out - Before leaving the jockey s room prior to a race, each jockey participating in that race is weighed out by the clerk of scales to be sure he is carrying the amount of weight assigned to the horse. If the combination of jockey, silks and saddle is too light, strips of lead are added to pockets in the saddle pad.

7 Backstretch Life Life on the backstretch (stable area) is quite unique. A work day starts as early as 4:30 or 5:00 a.m., and, with night racing, frequently lasts until midnight or later. Work continues in the heat of the summer, and during snow, rain or hail. Grooms and hotwalkers may be granted a day off every other week, though schedules vary depending on the trainer. Backstretch employees may rarely celebrate holidays; even on Christmas Day, someone has to be there to take care of the horses. There are several types of jobs and positions on the backstretch. Following is a description the duties of six people who can be found in any racetrack barn. Hotwalker: A hotwalker is employed by a trainer, and shows up for work around 6:00 a.m. When a horse returns from the track after its morning exercise, a hotwalker holds the horse while it is given a bath, then walks it inside of the barn around the shedrow for about 25 minutes, or until the horse has cooled off. While walking the horse, the hotwalker encourages it to sip out of its water bucket, but prevents it from drinking too much at one time. It is the responsibility of the hotwalker to pay attention to the horse he is walking, not getting too close to the horse in front of him, nor letting the horse walking behind him get too close. After the horse has cooled out, the hotwalker holds it outside to have its legs washed off before leading it into its stall. From 6:00 to 10:00 a.m., the hotwalker will walk about six horses. He or she may then be required to do other tasks, such as raking up hay and shavings from the shedrow, holding horses while the blacksmith puts new shoes on or cleaning mud and sweat from tack (bridles and saddles). If a horse is racing in the afternoon or evening, the hotwalker may be required to come back to walk the horse after the race. Because horses become quite fatigued after a race, they need to be walked an hour or more. Retama Park has 65 hotwalking machines which can be rented by trainers. There are typically four arms on a hotwalking machine; each machine is rented from a private company. Some horses adapt well to these machines and save trainers money. Groom: Grooms are also employed by trainers and care for three or four horses. Grooms arrive at about 5:30 a.m. A groom puts saddles, bridles and bandages on his horses to prepare them for exercising on the track. While the horse is being exercised, the groom gets buckets of clean drinking water and bath water, and cleans the horse's stall. When the horse returns from the track, the groom bathes the horse, and, while it is being walked by the hotwalker, prepares the next horse for morning exercise. Not all horses are galloped on the track every day. Some horses are just walked around the shedrow for half-an-hour, perhaps because they ran the night before and are tired; perhaps because they have a slight injury. After all of the groom's horses have "gotten out," his next step is to "do up his horses." According to the instructions given by the trainer, each of the horses mayhave a particular type of liniment or poultice applied to his legs, and protective and support bandage must be correctly wrapped on the legs. Each horse is thoroughly brushed and has his feet cleaned out. A groom is usually finished with his morning duties around noon, but must return to the barn that afternoon to help feed the trainer's horses. Some stables will split feed shifts, so that grooms take care of twice the number of horses at feed time, but get every other afternoon off. At feed time, manure is "picked out" of the stalls, fresh water given to all horses, bandages checked, and feed tubs placed in the horses stalls. Some horses may be taken out and walked or grazed. If the one of the groom's horses is racing that day or night, the groom must prepare the horse

8 Backstretch Life (cont.) by cleaning it meticulously, carefully putting on special lightweight, stretchy bandages, and leading it to the paddock to be saddled. After the race, the groom washes the horse, and, while the hotwalker walks it, cleans out the horse's stall again. When the horse is done walking, the groom may apply poultice to the horse's legs, wrap on bandages, pack the hooves with a cooling mud, feed the horse, and head home to catch a few hours of sleep. Trainer: A trainer can have as few as one horse in his stable or a barnfull. The trainer may or may not own any of his horses. It is the responsibility of the trainer to watch over each of his horses and, like a coach, to learn which need lots of hard exercise and which like to be trained lightly, to know what type of shoes work best for each horse, to check each horses legs for heat, filling and soreness, to tell grooms how to "do up" each horse, to decide which exercise rider suits which horse and to figure out what each horse likes to eat. The trainer, along with the owner, decides what type of race to run each horse in and what jockey to ride. Trainers usually charge their owners a day rate, but most or all of this money goes toward paying the groom, hotwalker, exercise rider and feed bill. Trainers most often earn money by charging their owners 10% of what the owner's horses earn when finishing first, second or third. Exercise Rider: Exercising, or galloping horses can be extremely dangerous. Exercise riders must be very experienced for their own safety, the safety of other riders and the safety of the horses. During morning training hours, the track is full of horses going a variety of directions and speeds, quite unlike during racing hours when there are only about 12 horses on the entire racetrack. Exercise riders must always be on the alert for loose and runaway horses, and must be able to train young, inexperienced horses to accept the racetrack commotion and keep their minds on business. An exercise rider can be hired by one trainer, or can "freelance" and go from barn to barn, getting on horses for many trainers. Exercise riders, who can be just about any size or weight (though lighter riders are generally preferred), ride racehorses to the racetrack, then perform whatever routine is prescribed by the horse's trainer. Typical routines might include one of the following; jogging one mile, galloping an easy (slow) mile, galloping a mile and a half, breezing (running at near full speed) for half-a-mile, or schooling in the starting gate. It takes an exercise rider about 20 minutes from the time he rides out of the barn to the time he returns to the barn. Riders can get on 10 or 15 horses per day during the morning hours that the track is open for training. Pony Boy or Girl: Pony persons are independent contractors who conduct business with a string of well-trained lead ponies. By riding one of their "lead ponies" (which are actually full-sized horses) while leading a racehorse on the racetrack, they provide often required services. Pony riders are commonly seen by the public during racing hours guiding wound-up, bouncing racehorses safely from the paddock to the starting gate. However, their services are also in high demand during morning training hours. Sometimes, perhaps due to a sore back or strained leg, a trainer will want one of his horses to get a light workout day, without the weight of a rider, and will hire a pony person to lead his horse around the racetrack at an easy gallop. Some trainers will call upon pony people to help with horses which are extremely difficult to gallop, and require the combined strength of the exercise rider and pony person to keep them from galloping too strongly or getting loose. Pony riders are also used in the morning to "break off" a horse at a pole, which means to lead a horse and rider at a controlled gallop right up to the pole

9 Backstretch Life (cont.) the horse is working from, and then turning horse and rider loose. Some trainers have their own stable ponies, and do not have to hire independent pony persons. Jockey: There is no height requirement for being a jockey; weight and riding ability are the requirements. A jockey usually weighs about 105 pounds. Jockeys must have their riding skills appraised and approved by the stewards before they are allowed to compete. When jockeys first begin to ride in races, they are called apprentices. Though apprentice rules vary by state, in general apprentices are allowed to carry five pounds less than the weight assigned to their horses until one year after their fifth win. At that time, they "lose their bug," and must carry full weight. Some owners and trainers like to ride apprentices to keep the weight off their horses; others prefer "journeyman" riders who have to carry full weight but have more experience. During morning training hours, jockeys are called upon by trainers to help exercise and breeze horses. Jockeys don't get paid for these services, but help out trainers in the hopes that they will be selected to ride these horses in races. A jockey may ride as few as one or two horses per week (in races), or as many as eight or nine a day. Jockeys are paid for each mount that they ride. If they ride a winner, they are paid 10% of the portion of the purse that goes to the winning owner. For a horse which finished out of the money, they could be paid as little as $50. Forelock Forehead Poll Mane Crest of Neck Nostril Muzzle Throat Jugular Groove Neck Withers Back Loin Croup Point of Shoulder Shoulder Barrel Flank Stifle Tail Chest Gaskin Forearm Elbow Hock Knee Cannon Bone Fetlock Pastern Hoof Coronet Band

10 What is Simulcasting? WHAT IS SIMULCASTING? Simulcasting is televised live horse racing from different tracks around the country. You can watch and wager on these races just as if you were wagering on Retama Park races. (The types of wagers offered at each track may vary slightly.) Through simulcasting, you can wager on the best races in the nation. And because Retama Park offers simulcasts from so many different tracks, there's never a dull moment! Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Standardbred and Greyhound simulcast racing is offered regularly, and occasionally Arabian, Paint and other breed races are also available. WHAT TRACKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SIMULCASTING? As many as 40 different tracks from around the country may be available at Retama Park on one single day. You can bet on as many or as few tracks as you wish. A current simulcast calendar is available on our website ( Post times (starting time for the first race) are also listed for each track in the calendar. HOW OLD MUST YOU BE TO PLACE A BET? You must be 21 years of age or older. HOW DO I GET WAGERING INFORMATION ABOUT A TRACK I MAY BE INTERESTED IN? 1. Simulcast Programs ($1.50) are available for each different track. Each program contains detailed information about every horse running on that day, the types of wagers available on each race, and usually contains a page of jockey and trainer statistics. The Program is very important because it contains official program numbers for each horse. To place a bet on a horse, you must refer to the horse by its program number. 2. You may purchase a Daily Racing Form for $9.00 (tax included). The Form is a tabloidsized, horse-racing newspaper which contains a few pages of general horse racing news followed by information on each horse running at about four or five different tracks. Retama Park generally has two or three versions of the Form available daily. Look at the front page of the Form to find one with the tracks you are interested in. 3. Scratch Sheets are $1.50 and contain an abbreviated listing of horses running at every track simulcast to Retama Park on that day. The official program number for each horse and wagering format for each race are listed on the Scratch Sheet. Also included for each horse are the jockey, trainer, earnings and finish position in recent starts. If you have purchased a Daily Racing Form, which does not list wagering numbers, you can use the Scratch Sheets to find out the correct wagering number for each horse. Programs, Forms and Scratch Sheets are available on the grandstand level (second floor) of the grandstand near the escalator during simulcasting. WHERE IS THE SIMULCASTING LOCATED? The grandstand level (second floor). When live Retama Park racing is also going on, simulcast tracks are also shown on all three levels. DO I NEED TO RESERVE A SEAT? No - all seating for simulcasting is open and free. Many tables and chairs are located throughout the grandstand level. HOW DO I KNOW WHICH TELEVISION SETS WILL BE SHOWING MY TRACKS? Included in each Program and in the Scratch Sheets is a page listing the day's Television Numbering System. Locate a television which is color or number coded with the track you are interested in watching. Also, notice that the name of each racetrack appears frequently on the television feed from that track. HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT CHANGES SUCH AS SCRATCHED HORSES AND JOCKEY CHANGES? Please refer to the television monitor of the track or tracks you are interested in. Changes, corrections and announcements such as overweights, jockey changes, scratched horses and track conditions will be frequently displayed on the monitor. (Please do not rely on listening for these changes to be announced. Since we have so many different tracks being simulcast at the same time, we cannot release the audio feed for every track.)

11 What is Simulcasting? (cont.) HOW DO I MAKE A WAGER? Tell a mutuel clerk the following: 1) Name of simulcast track 2) Race number 3) Amount of wager 4) Type of wager 5) Number of horse EXAMPLE: "Churchill Downs, Race 5, $10 to Win on the 6." Please check your ticket before leaving the window. No ticket can be changed after leaving the window. Instead of going to a mutuel clerk, you may wish to try an easy-to-use self-service betting machine. More detailed wagering information is included later in this handout. HOW DO I FIGURE OUT WHICH HORSES TO WAGER ON? Many books have been written about "handicapping" horse racing. Your chances of winning increase as you learn how to read past performance lines in the program or Form and can compare the horses in a race to see which have the best chances of winning. It also may be helpful to study jockey and trainer statistics to see who is winning a greater percentage of races at that track. Of course, you can always bet on a lucky number, name or color! Keep in mind that longshots can win, and that favorites do get beaten. Additional wagering information is included later in this handout. WHAT IS THE MINIMUM WAGER? The smallest amount you can wager on basic bets (win, place, show, etc.) is either $1 or $2, depending on the rules of the track you are wagering on. Many combination wagers (exacta box, trifecta box, wheels) have a 50 cent minimum. Many tracks offer 10 cent superfectas. Check with any mutuel clerk if you have questions. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAGERS ARE...The most basic wagers are Win, Place and Show. WIN - You collect if your horse finishes first. PLACE - You collect if your horse finishes first or second. If it wins, you collect only the place payout, not the win payout. SHOW - You collect if your horse finishes first, second or third. You collect only the show payout, even if it finishes first or second. There are many more types of wagers. HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH I HAVE WON? There are several ways to find this out. After each race is official, the payouts will be shown on the television monitor. Payouts for each race are posted on a board located near the mutuel information window. You may ask a mutuel clerk for a "Price Report" for that race. Or, if you're at home and have internet access, you can go to for charts and results of every race at each track. WHAT DOES COMINGLING MEAN? Retama Park comingles with simulcast host tracks. That means that the odds, payouts and takeouts offered at the host track are the same as those offered here. For example, wagers taken from Retama Park, Laurel and Philadelphia Park on a race at Louisiana Downs all go into one big pool and the odds at each of these tracks is exactly the same. ARE FOOD AND DRINKS AVAILABLE? Yes, concession stands are open during simulcasting. WHERE ARE THE RESTROOMS? Restrooms are located at each end of the grandstand. ARE THERE ATM MACHINES? Yes. ATM machines are located on the Track level (by Security), the Grandstand level (by the escalator) and the Clubhouse level (by Terrace Dining and by Deli Double). Buena Suerte!

12 Handicapping 101 When learning how to play the races, many novices pose the same curious question: What is handicapping? Experienced horseplayers generally pause for a moment of reflection before offering this response: Do you have a couple of hours to spare? Handicapping is not an exact science. But if a person takes a little time to learn about the variety of information available involving the Sport of Kings, he or she will most likely become a fan for life, and could even bolster their bankroll with a little handicapping experience. Of course, a little luck every now and then never hurts. In short, handicapping is a subjective method a person uses to decide the possible outcome of a particular race. Handicapping tools include horses past performances, jockey statistics, trainer statistics, owner statistics, and even breeding. The first and most important thing a prospective handicapper needs to learn is how to read the track program. This program is not a souvenir like those sold at football and basketball games. Rather, the track program lists vital information such as horses running that particular day, the race number each horse is in, and the conditions of each race. The track program identifies the wagering number of each horse in a race. This is extremely important because it informs the handicapper what number to tell the mutuel teller when wagering tellers accept wagers by numbers, not horse s names. The track program also provides useful tables which explain how much different bets will cost and what the payout would be if betting $2.00 on a horse with various odds. With each horse, there is a past performance line. This line informs the handicapper how the horse has been racing during its past 6 to ten races. This data may initially look like Chinese scripture to neophytes. But, in all seriousness, these notations and numbers can easily be deciphered and include vital handicapping information. Each horseplayer s mission is to compare and contrast the form of each horse in a particular race and make selections. Hopefully, these will be winning selections that will stuff their pockets with Ben Franklins. Once a handicapper decides on a selection, he then must decide what kind of wager to make. For the beginning handicapper, straight wagers are the way to go before trying more difficult, or exotic wagers. Straight wagers are win, place and show bets. When you bet to win, your horse has to finish first for you to collect. On a place bet, you collect if your horse finishes first or second. But if that horse wins, you only get the place payout. On a show wager, you collect if your horse finishes first, second or third, but you only collect the show payout. Place and show payouts usually pay less than win payouts, but are easier to hit. When a person is just beginning to play the ponies, it is wise as well as cost conscious to make show wagers. They don t pay much, but you have a better chance of return on your investments while learning more about the game. Once you feel ready to graduate from the straight wager school of handicapping, you might try to fatten your wallet with the financial lure of exotic wagers. There are a number of exotic wagers including the daily double, exacta, quinella, trifecta, pick-3 and pick-6 wagers. Winning these wagers usually delivers larger payouts than the straight wagers. In a daily double wager, you must select the winners of the first and second races. An exacta is picking the horses you expect to finish first and second in precise order in the same race. A quinella is like an exacta, but the two horses can finish in any order. A trifecta means picking the first three finishers in one race in exact order. A pick-3 is choosing the winners of three consecutive races; for a pick-6, six consecutive races. Look in your track program at the beginning of each race to see what type of wager is available in that race. Handicapping, admittedly, isn t an easy game. But once you ve become accustomed to the various tools and jargon, you ll discover what makes the great game of horse racing so fascinating. Just be patient and seek out as much information about the game as possible, whether from books, videos or handicapping seminars. Before you know it, you ll be a professional handicapper.

13 How to Read the Program/Quarter Horse Below is a sample Quarter Horse "past performance" from the program. Past performance lines show you how a horse has been running lately. When you learn how to read the past performance lines and look at other program information, such as statistics of leading jockeys and trainers at the meet, you'll be able to compare all the horses in a race to figure out which ones you feel have the best chance of winning. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with reading past performances. You'll be surprised at how easy it is! Have questions? Visit our Wager and Win Fan Education Center located on the Track level under the escalator. The Center is staffed with people who love to answer all kinds of questions about horse racing. Good luck! Color, sex, age, Wagering number breeding, state bred in Morning line odds Horse Lasix symbol Owner's silks (L) Jockey, Assigned weight Racing record (Year, starts, wins, places, shows, earnings) Performance comment Date Track, race number Workout Track condition Race description Age of horses in race Winner's time Post position, position at break, position during race, finish position Horse's time Wind condition (tw=tail wind, hw=head wind, cw=cross wind) Jockey Weight carried Speed index (the faster the better) Post time odds B=Bute (a medication) b=blinkers f=front bandages Number of horses in race First 3 finishers, distances apart Workouts, which may appear below Past Peformance lines, include date, track, distance, track condition, time of work, description, b = breezing h = handily g = from the gate Fraction denotes rank of this horse's work/ number of horses that worked that distance, that track, that day. Track Condition: (for dirt track) ft = fast gd = good my = muddy sy = sloppy fz = frozen wf = wet fast TX next to a horse's name indicates the horse is an accredited Texas-bred. A solid line under the past performance line indicates that the horse had 45 or more days between races. Race Descriptions: 2 = 2 year olds 3u = 3 year olds and upward S = State bred R = Restricted F = Filly Types of Races Mdn = Maiden Alw = Allowance Hcp = Handicap Clm = Claiming Sta = Starter Allowance Shp = Starter Handicap Stk = Stakes Dtr = Derby Trial Trl = Trial Ftr = Futurity Trial Medication symbols: (L) = Lasix (L1) = 1st time on Lasix (LX) = taken off Lasix (BL) = Bute and Lasix Note: Lasix (technically now called Salix) is a medication used on some horse to help control respiratory bleeding. Bute is similar to aspirin. Don t forget! Get your bets in early! Don t wait until the last minute. Mutuel windows close for live racing when the first horse enters the starting gate.

14 How to Read the Program/Thoroughbred Below is a sample Thoroughbred "past performance" from the program. Past performance lines show you how a horse has been running lately. When you learn how to read the past performance lines and look at other program information, such as statistics of leading jockeys and trainers at the meet, you'll be able to compare all the horses in a race to figure out which ones you feel have the best chance of winning. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with reading past performances. You'll be surprised at how easy it is! Have questions? Visit our Wager and Win Fan Education Center located on the Track level under the escalator. The Center is staffed with people who love to answer all kinds of questions about horse racing. Good luck! Color, sex, age, Wagering number breeding, state bred in Morning line odds Horse Lasix symbol Owner's silks Jockey, statistics at meet (starts, wins, 2nds, 3rds, win%), year to date stats, assigned weight Horse's racing records (Year, starts, wins,2nds, 3rds, earnings) Performance comment Date Track, race number Race distance (T=Turf) Workout Race fractions Race description Age of horses in race Winner's time Track condition Jockey Post position, position at break, position during race, finish position Weight carried Post time odds Beyer's rating (the bigger the better) B=Bute (a medication) L=Lasix (a medication) b=blinkers f=front bandages Number of horses in race First 3 finishers, distances apart Workouts, which may appear below Past Peformance lines, include date, track, distance, track condition, time of work, description, b = breezing h = handily g = from the gate Fraction denotes rank of this horse's work/ number of horses that worked that distance, that track, that day. Track Condition: (for dirt track) ft = fast gd = good my = muddy sy = sloppy fz = frozen wf = wet fast TX next to a horse's name indicates the horse is an accredited Texas-bred. A solid line under the past performance line indicates that the horse had 45 or more days between races. Race Descriptions: 2 = 2 year olds 3u = 3 year olds and upward S = State bred R = Restricted F = Filly Types of Races Mdn = Maiden Alw = Allowance Hcp = Handicap Clm = Claiming Sta = Starter Allowance Shp = Starter Handicap Stk = Stakes Dtr = Derby Trial Trl = Trial Ftr = Futurity Trial Medication symbols: (L) = Lasix (L1) = 1st time on Lasix (LX) = taken off Lasix (BL) = Bute and Lasix Note: Lasix (technically now called Salix) is a medication used on some horse to help control respiratory bleeding. Bute is similar to aspirin. Don t forget! Get your bets in early! Don t wait until the last minute. Mutuel windows close for live racing when the first horse enters the starting gate.

15 Additional Resources and Information Web Sites Magazines American Quarter Horse Journal Serving as the voice of the American Quarter Horse industry for more than half a century, The American Quarter Horse Journal has brought its readers the greatest events, introduced them to legendary horses and people, and provided tips on riding, training, racing, management and health. American Racehorse Formerly Southern Racehorse, this magazine covers the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry in Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. American Turf Magazine The thoroughbred handicapping publication that has been entertaining horse racing enthusiasts since Bloodhorse A weekly publication of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing. Includes feature stories, stakes recaps, leading sires lists, editorials and more. Gallop Magazine Gallop Magazine is the first global horse racing magazine. A magazine for all the millions of people who love racing, but who are not necessarily die-hard-racing fans. Yet. We call it a feelgood-magazine. All about horse racing. We tell stories about people and horses. Quarter Horse Track Magazine The nation's oldest and largest independently-owned publication serving the Running Quarter Horse business, TRACK Magazine has been providing monthly coverage of this industry for 40 years. Daily Racing Form (daily newspaper) A daily newspaper-type publication and a vital handicapping tool. Includes industry news, feature stories and past performances of horses racing that day at tracks around the country. Different editions available daily which feature different racetracks and regions.

16 BASICS OF WAGERING PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING Welcome to the world of Pari-Mutuel Wagering! French in origin, the term Pari- Mutuel means to wager amongst ourselves. This means that racetrack patrons are betting against each other, NOT against the racetracks. The track, serving as an agent, receives a small commission, or takeout, for handling the wagers. The takeout is split among Retama Park, the simulcast track, and various state and racing organizations. However, the bulk of the money wagered is returned to winning patrons. Payoffs are based on the amount of money wagered. Racetracks do not set the final odds patrons do! There are several different wagers one can choose when betting at the track. At the beginning of each race is a list of the types of wagers available on that race. Unless otherwise posted, win, place and show wagers are available on all races. The basic wagers are described below: STRAIGHT WAGERS Win: You collect only if your horse finishes first. You collect the Win payout. Place: You collect if your horse finishes first or second. However, if your horse wins, you collect only the Place payout. Show: You collect if your horse finishes first, second or third, but collect only the Show payout. The minimum amount you can bet is $1.00 or $2.00, depending on the track. 3 Win Place Show In this example, if you had bet $2 to win on the 3, you collect $ If you had bet $4 to show on the 10, you collect $14.00 (2 x $7.00). If you had bet $2 to place on the 7, you don t collect. If you bet $10 across the board (this means to win, place and show) on the 10, your wager cost $30 and you collect $92.00 (5 x $11.40 plus 5 x $7.00) COMBINATION WAGERS Daily Double: The Daily Double is a multiple race wager. To collect on the daily double, you must select the winner of both of the consecutive Daily Double races. You must place the wager before the first race in the Double. Exacta (or Perfecta): To collect, you must pick the horses that finish first and second in a race, in the exact order. For example, if you pick #3 and #5, #3 must win and #5 must place for you to collect. Quinella: To collect, you must pick the horses that finish first and second in a race, in either order. For example, if you pick #3 and #5, either horse may win with the other finishing second for you to collect. Trifecta (or Triple): To collect, you must pick the top three horses in a single race in the exact order. The winning payout of a trifecta is usually fairly high because picking the top three finishers in the precise order can be challenging. Pick 3: The Pick 3 is a multiple race wager. To collect, you must pick the winners of three consecutive races. You must place the bet before the first race of the Pick 3. (over)

17 Pick 6: Superfecta: Twin Trifecta (or Double Triple): The Pick 6 is similar to the Pick 3. You must pick the winners of six consecutive races. Since this wager is so challenging, the winning payoff can be extremely high. If no one correctly selects six winners, a payout may be awarded to those holding 5, or fewer winners. To collect, you must pick the top four horses in a single race in exact order. The winning payout of a superfecta is usually quite high since correctly selecting the top four finishers is quite a challenge. If no one selects the top four finishers, payouts may be made to those selecting the next greatest number of finishers. The Twin Trifecta is a multiple race wager. Select the first three finishers in exact order in the fifth race. Winning ticket holders receive both a payout and an exchange for a wager in the eighth race, which is the second half of the twin trifecta. This is your chance to hit the super jackpot. The net pool is divided equally among those who hit the first half and the second half. If no one selects both halves, the second half money is carried over into the super jackpot for the next day's twin trifecta. This jackpot can become quite large, and lead to astronomical payouts. You must make your second half selection when cashing your first half winning ticket. This wager not available on Self-Service machines. HOW TO PLACE A BET Locate one of the mutuel windows, and approach a mutuel teller. 1. State the TRACK you wish to wager on. 2. State the RACE NUMBER. 3. State the AMOUNT you wish to wager. 4. State the TYPE OF BET you wish to make. 5. State the HORSE(S) NUMBER(S), as shown in the program. For example: Oaklawn Park, third race. Ten Dollar Exacta on numbers 3 and 5. Always check your tickets and change for accuracy before leaving the betting window, although tickets can be cancelled up until wagering closes for that race. Never rip up or throw out a ticket until the race is declared Official. There also are self-service betting machines, or Sprint Bets, located throughout the facility. You can insert either a credit voucher (purchased from a teller) or a winning ticket into the machine (Some will accept cash as well). By pressing a few simple, clearly marked buttons, you can tell the machine what type of wager you wish to place. Press PRINT TICKET and your ticket will pop out. Press RETURN BALANCE to receive a voucher for any change you may be due. You may bet with credit vouchers throughout the day, and collect your earnings from a mutuel teller when you re through. HOW TO COLLECT YOUR WINNINGS If you have made a winning bet, take your ticket to any mutuel window after the race is declared official. You may cash your ticket immediately, at the end of the day, return on a later date to cash it, or cash it by mail. You also may wager back all or part of a winning ticket on an upcoming race. (Pari-mutuel tickets and vouchers purchased on or after September 1, 2007, will expire one year from the date of purchase.) To find out how much you will collect, refer to your track s television monitor immediately after the race is official. Or, feel free to ask any mutuel teller or to check the area near the information windows where the day s payouts are posted. Buena Suerte!

18 USING A SELF-SERVICE MACHINE Self-Service Betting Machines, located throughout the grandstand level, are very easy and convenient to use. Please feel free to give them a try! To begin, you need either money, a winning ticket or a credit voucher (bet slip). A credit voucher can be purchased from any mutuel clerk. (Most of the self-service machines accept money as currency; all accept vouchers or winning tickets.) 1) Insert money, ticket or voucher in machine. At this time, a yellow button (ITW Tracks) in the upper right hand of the machine will light up. Press this button to see what simulcast tracks are available. As you proceed through the following steps, check the read-out information screen to keep track of your steps. 2) By looking at the information screen, you will see that each simulcast track is assigned a number. Select the track you wish to wager on by pressing on that track s yellow number on the screen. 3) Select the race number. 4) Select the amount of money you wish to wager. 5) Select the type of wager. (Only wagers allowed on that race will be available.) 6) If your wager involves a box, wheel or key, press the appropriate buttons. 7) Select the horse number (s). If you have made a mistake during your selections, press the START OVER button at the bottom of the machine. Once your ticket has been printed, you cannot make any changes. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask at the mutuel information window. 8) Press PRINT TICKET on the lower right of the machine. 9) PRESS RETURN BALANCE!!! If you do not press this button, any change or balance you have left over from your wager is left behind.