Ah Woe! Picking Horses Is Not An Easy Task

Any public selector of horses must inevitably end the year in the red. There are several reasons for this.

First, he must make his selections from the chart books--The Morning Telegraph (the daily trade paper of racing) is put on the news stands too late for use.

Second, late scratches in a race can drastically alter its complexion, especially with reference to pace. Professional horsemen know that two front-running horses tend to tire each other. Thus, a strong come-from behind horse entered against two front-runners becomes a bad investment when one of those front-runners is scratched. A lone front-runner entered against off-the-pace horses can control a slow early pace and have plenty of gas left for the stretch drive.

Third, rain plays havoc with the chances of a favored selection. Sore-legged horses and horses with small hooves (sons and daughters of Olympia, for example) improve their performance over a wet track. The extent of the rainfall can also be significant. On a sloppy track the front-runner prospers. In gummy footing--good, muddy, slow, heavy--a stretch runner has the edge, provided he does not mind glop being kicked on him.

Fourth, the newspaper handicapper cannot get any indication of the current condition of his selection by inspecting him in the paddock just before the race. A seriously washy or sore horse can usually be discounted from contention in a race.

Fifth, many hands in poker are poor betting propositions and the same is true for many races on the daily card. Thus, the public handicapper fights variables which are beyond his controls and which during the course of a year insure that his selections will not show a profit.

However, none of these reasons explain a day in the red for July 18. They lone winners were SUN TICCO ($8.60) and WOLF WILLOW ($5.20). The night before the Scientist had enlisted the handicapping aid of a high rolling horseplay from New York, the Wellesley Kid. It was a very hot and humid night. In a fifth floor apartment two blopcks over some well-shaped young ladies fought the heat by not wearing andy clothes. The Wellesley Kid enjoyed the Cambridge view as he never had. He spent the night focusing his binoculars, occasionally puncturing the evening with such remarks as "Wow! I really must become a voyeur."

To get to Rockingham Park follow route 93 North. Here are the selections for each race today.

FIRST--WEE DEE was close up in last.

SECOND-RELAXED ROMAN was running for better purses in N.J.

THIRD--MAKE THE GRADE has nice workouts.

FOURTH--BOUNDING IMAGE has good speed

FIFTH--COSMIC PIC loses five pounds off solid effort in route.

SIXTH--GOLD AND BLACK drops down to best class level.

SEVENTH--OLYMPIA VAN trained by nation's leading conditioner.

EIGHTH--M. H.'s GALAXY will be a tough horse to beat.

NINTH--RED SOX FAN has all the speed and should sock it to them.

TENTH--SHOWBILL will sprint ahead of slow routers.

Best Bet: M. H.'s GALAXY. Long Shot: Game Profit in ninth.