To paraphrase the Dean of handicapping writers, Tom Ainlie:

It's easy to handicap a winner when the race is over. I've done it, you've done it, EVERYONE has done it. You wonder how you could have possibly failed to notice before the race what suddenly becomes so obvious afterwards.

Tom noted in his landmark Complete Guide to Thoroughbred Racing (a book to read over and over again for a refresher on basic handicapping that never goes out of date) that there are many people playing the races who in fact do know a lot about the game but manage to defeat themselves through sloppy handicapping.

In a game where a single thoughtless move can convert profit into loss, why is there such a lack of common sense at the races?

The answer is not even close to "woulda, coulda, shoulda," which may be one of the first thoughts that comes to mind. It's not as simple as "looked like the best horse in the race by far on paper," "ran against a bias," or " didn't like the track" (if you' re a trainer talking to an owner).

The answer is a stunningly simple one that somehow manages to get past the common sense of all players from novice to expert from time to time, that can be summarized in one simple rule:

Of course, this doesn't apply if you're a player who has to find a bet in every race. You are the weakest link. Goodbye.

But for everyone left, we need to change our terminology, because words/ideas repeated over and over really do affect your thinking and in this case, your game. 

It's not an unplayable race; it's an unbeatable race.

When the past performances of the majority of horses in a race do not contain adequate information about the horses' class, condition, or distance and pace preferences, the race is unbeatable.

Sure, you can resort to an angle that rationalizes a bet, but when you do, you're admitting that you're taking a shot because you don't have a clear idea of the merits of the horses in the race. If you're a casual player, this is hard to swallow because it forces you to work harder, and in this age of instant gratification, fewer and fewer people are willing to do that, especially for what they consider a recreational pastime.

But this is how profits are made in the game. Whether your preferred approach is dominated by a particular school of thought--class, speed, pace, whatever--or you are a generalist, when you encounter those races in which the relative abilities of the horses can't be found, PASS the race.

Unless you only play one racetrack, at that track, take advantage of one of simulcasting's greatest benefits--finding the beatable race on your way to turning a profit in the long run.