As I write this, there are still 6 weeks left in 2019, but most of the major races have been completed, so I thought I would review my season results. I put even fewer deposits into my online account this past season. I often played the free contests and needed a minimum amount of wagering activity to maintain my account. I got $50 from contests and promotions. My biggest win was a $50 trifecta. For every dollar I wagered, I got about 75 cents back. Still not coming out ahead, but that’s an improvement from past years. One good win would easily close the gap. My favorite bet this year has been the four horse trifecta. That’s when you put your A,B picks on top, A,B,C under, and A,B,C,D in the third position. This will cost $4 on a 50 cent trifecta. You have to pick your top 2 horses carefully, but I find that having the extra horse improves your odds of winning. There is also a 5 horse version where you add an extra horse to the third position for a $6 total bet. Handicapping has been a challenge on stakes races. I find its much easier to evaluate past performances on lower level races. You can often rule out horses that haven’t been performing well or are trying a new surface or distance for the first time. Maiden races are hard to predict. Horses with experience do not always do well against first time starters with good connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n