Track Trends

NYRA handicapper, Andy Serling, provides daily analysis of track trends and conditions at The Big A in an attempt to share his thoughts and insights into any possible track biases. This can be a helpful resource for handicappers as track conditions can change from one day to the next.

Belmont Park Track Trends   Saratoga Track Trends

Sunday, March 15
Fast
Clear
50
Wind 5 to 10 MPH SE to NE

The majority of the best running continues to be done at least a path or two off the rail. How bad the rail was is debatable, as there are some exceptions, particularly the 4th race. The 4th race seemed to be run in isolation, as not only did the track seem different, with inside position dominating, it was also a much quicker race/track than any other race all day. Worth following this day going forward.

Saturday, March 14
Fast
Clear
53
Wind 13 to 11 MPH SE

While there was some effective running done towards the inside, it does seem like the best running was done at least a little bit off the inside.

Friday, March 13
Good ( 1-5 ) / Fast ( 6-9 )
Cloudy
64
Wind 13 to 19 MPH NE to EAST

Virtually all the effective running was done off the rail, at least two or three paths. Whether or not the inside was bad is at least somewhat questionable, but it seems fairly likely.

Sunday, March 8
Fast
Clear
55
Wind 10 to 12 MPH NE

There is an argument that outside stalker types did best, but this may well have been situational and much more due to race dynamics. The 8th race would argue the rail was good, at least in the stretch. As always, worth following going forward.

Saturday, March 7
Fast
Clear
44
Wind 20 to 12 MPH SE

The track appeared to play fairly.

Friday, March 6
Fast
Cloudy with showers during the day
44
Wind 14 MPH SW

The track appeared to play fairly overall.

Sunday, March 1
Fast
Clear
44
Wind 13 to 11 MPH E/SE

Arguably, unlike the prior two days, the rail appeared to be off, though the 9th race argues against that. Possibly the outside was a bit better than the inside more than the rail being bad. Worth keeping an eye on going forward.

Saturday, February 29
Fast
Cloudy
37
Wind 15 to 18 MPH E/SE

Much like 2/28, being inside appeared to be an advantage. Not to say it was carrying horses, but it seemed to help in many of the races.

Friday, February 28
Fast
Clear
40
Wind 19 MPH NE

The rail appeared to be a distinct advantage, and likely spending at least a reasonable portion of the race inside was beneficial.

Sunday, February 23
Fast
Clear
50
Wind 9 MPH NE

While a lot of the running seemed to be a few paths off the inside, enough successful running was done inside to suggest the rail was fine, as overall the track appeared to play fairly.

Saturday, February 22
Fast
Clear
45
Wind 11 to 13 MPH NE

The rail was good again, how strong is debatable, but it sure didn't hurt. With many logical results, and favorable forward pace dynamics, it's hard to say there was any real bias.

Friday, February 21
Fast
Clear
34
Wind 8 to 6 MPH SE

There is a strong argument the rail was a big advantage. Not specifically speed, and we saw some effective closing outside, but runners inside seemed to benefit greatly from that position. Also, the track possibly sped up the second half of the card.

Thursday, February 20
Fast
Cloudy
34
Wind 7 to 10 MPH SE

The track played fairly but there is a good argument that you did not want to be right on the rail. A path or two off the rail seemed fine, but a number of horses stopped badly right on the rail.

Monday, February 17
Fast
Clear
47
Wind 4 MPH NE to SE

The rail was good, though not specifically an advantage, while overall the track played fairly.

Sunday, February 16
Fast
Cloudy
43
Wind 8 to 5 MPH NE

There is an argument that the rail in the stretch was a disadvantage. Not a dead rail situation, but perhaps deeper than paths off the inside. Otherwise the track appeared to play fairly.

Saturday, February 15
Fast
Clear
26
Wind 5 to 9 MPH NE/N

Arguably it seemed you were better off at least a bit off the inside early in the day, but this did not seem the case as the day wore on. Likely the track played fairly.

Friday, February 14
Good
Clear
32
Wind 14 MPH SE

There is a reasonable question of whether or not the rail was the best place to be. Some successful horses raced inside for at least part of the race, which makes it hard to believe the inside was bad, but some seemingly logical horses faltered badly while running on the fence. Worth watching, with at least some skepticism, going forward. Otherwise, speed and closers faired fine throughout the day.

Sunday, February 9
Fast
Cloudy
45
Wind 7 to 12 MPH NW to North late

The track appeared to play fairly overall. The rail was good but no apparent advantage.

Saturday, February 8
Good ( 1-5 ) / Fast ( 6-9 )
Clear
41
Wind 15 to 11 MPH NE

The track appeared to play fairly but there is a possibility there was some advantage to being inside. It definitely didn't appear to hurt.

Thursday, February 6
Sloppy ( Sealed )
Showers
45
Wind 4 to 8 MPH SW

While speed frequently did well, enough horses made at least somewhat successful runs from the back to suggest the track was fair. Horses often stayed off of the inside, but a number of horses ran well on the rail, all of which suggests a fair track overall.

Sunday, February 2
Fast
Clear
43
Wind 11 to 14 MPH E/NE

Forwardly placed runners did well throughout the day, but it was probably at least somewhat situational, as enough stalker types did well enough to suggest the track was fair. Pretty much all the successful running was done a couple paths or more off the rail, but there is no real evidence to suggest the rail was off.

Saturday, February 1
Fast
Cloudy
43
Wind 2 to 3 MPH SE

While the rail was good, it wasn't clearly an advantage, and the track appeared to play fairly.

Friday, January 31
Fast
Cloudy
44
Wind 5 to 8 MPH NW

The track appeared to play fairly.

Thursday, January 30
Fast
Clear
35
Wind 1 to 5 MPH SW to NW

While we saw some logical results, we saw some longshots as well, and it seems the rail was an extreme advantage. While horses were successful outside, and clearly not hindered, quite a few horses clearly seemed to benefit from being inside, both forwardly placed and closing from well back. Interesting track.

Sunday, January 26
Muddy ( harrowed ) 1-2 / Good 3-8
Clear
45
Wind 13 to 11 MPH E/SE

The rail was good, though not clearly an advantage, and the track appeared to play fairly overall. Speed did well, but wasn't necessarily an advantage.

Saturday, January 25
Good ( sealed ) 1-2 / Muddy ( sealed ) 3-4 / Sloppy ( sealed ) 5-9
Rain
48
Wind 23 to 12 MPH West to NW

The track appeared to play fairly overall, though most of the best running was done at least a few paths off the rail, especially as the day went on and the track turned sloppy.

Friday, January 24
Fast
Clear
51
Wind 7 to 9 MPH West

Overall the track played fairly. We saw closers be effective in the majority of the races, but it was likely situational, and not a bias of any kind.

Thursday, January 23
Fast
Clear
42
Wind 3 to 5 MPH NE

The track appeared to play fairly, though speed and the inside did well, but it was likely situational and not really an advantage.

Monday, January 20
Good
Clear
30
Wind 15-12 MPH SE

The track appeared to play fairly. While much of the running was done off the rail, horses were effective inside. Overall there appeared to be no path bias.

Sunday, January 19
Sloppy (Sealed)
Clear
44
Wind 17 MPH SE

The vast majority of the running was done at least a few paths off the rail. Hard to know if there was anything wrong with the rail, or if the track was other than fair, given the logical results throughout the day. Speed did well, but it's not clear it wasn't situational.

Saturday, January 18
Fast
Cloudy/Snow
32
Wind 11 to 7 MPH NE

While many of the results were logical, it was clear that speed, and perhaps the inside as well, was an advantage, as few, if any, horses made significant runs from even relatively far back.

Friday, January 17
Fast
Clear
28
Wind 17 to 13 MPH SE

The races were dominated by forwardly placed horses, with few horses making any effective runs from well back, and while the rail was good, it did not appear to be a significant advantage, if even one at all.

Sunday, January 12
Fast
Cloudy
60
Wind 19 to 14 MPH E/SE

While speed did OK, there is no evidence it was a distinct advantage, nor was there any particular path bias ( inside or out ). Overall, the track seemed fair. 

Saturday, January 11
Fast
Clear
58
Wind 19 MPH N/NE

An argument can be made that inside speed was an advantage, though in most cases speed more than path position, but it wasn't impossible to make up ground. Can't call it a strong bias but worth monitoring going forward.

Friday, January 10
Fast
Cloudy
49
Wind 6 to 8 MPH NE

Speed was possibly an advantage, as was the rail, though a number of successful speed horses drifted off the inside during the stretch run. Still, it's worth at least entertaining the possibility that inside speed was somewhat of an advantage.

Thursday, January 9
Fast
Clear
32
Wind 5 to 2 MPH S/SE to E/SE

Speed did well but it may have been situational, as we saw some stalkers also perform well. While much of the running was done off the rail, the inside was good, if not an advantage, as the 4th winner excelled inside. Likely a fair track with, perhaps, a slight lean towards speed.

Sunday, January 5
Muddy ( 1-6 ) / Good ( 7-9 )
Clear
42
Wind 22 to 18 MPH SE

While track was listed as "muddy" for much of the day, it felt more like "good" pretty much from the start. While most of the running was done at least a path or two, if not more, off the rail, it's far from clear the inside was bad. At the very least, it was better than 1/4. The track was fair for speed and closers.

Saturday, January 4
Sloppy ( sealed )
Foggy ( 1-2 ) / Cloudy
49
Wind 4 to 6 MPH NE to SE

The track played relatively fairly, except the inside was bad and it was best to be at least a few paths off the rail, though it was better to be at least somewhat forwardly placed. The exception was the 5th race, but this was a pace meltdown.

Wednesday, January 1
Good
Cloudy
41
Wind 18 to 15 MPH E/SE

Another day where the majority of the running was done at least a few paths off the rail, yet there is no evidence the rail was off, and the 4th race in particular suggests it was fine.

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