The main requirement in predicting the winner of most horse races is an understanding of four basic handicapping principles - condition, class, speed and pace.
Most winners are in relatively sound physical condition, and racing at an appropriate class level.
Usually they will have run as fast as their competition, and the probable pace of the race suits their style. Determining condition can be a simple matter of evaluating a horse's recent races. For horses returning from layoffs of a month of more, or who never have raced, workout patterns are the key to condition. The handicapping puzzle starts with the conditions of the race, including distance, purse, age categories, and weight which qualifies a horse for entry into a particular event. By evaluating the past performances of each horse, handicappers attempt to pinpoint speed, form, pace style, class and consistency of the entrants.