The Right Horse: How to Win More, Lose Less and Have a Great

A primer of sorts for anyone who has wondered whether visiting the track and betting on the horses can be profitable in every sense of the word, this guidebook by an expert is an informative and lively introduction. Murray (The Wrong Horse) begins by profiling trainers, jockeys, owners and spectators, then gets down to the meat of the book, revealing how to decipher the Daily Racing Form--copies provided here--and why it's wise to approach other tout sheets with caution. With his basic tenet that racing exists for gambling, he reveals his approach, which, he claims, has made him a winner more often than a loser, and he lists about two dozen dos and don'ts, urging bettors to do their homework before going to the track. The second half of the book is a detailed examination of a profitable day, October 10, 1996, at Santa Anita, when he finished ahead by $448, explaining precisely why he made each bet throughout the nine-race program. His book is entertaining, but lest it become too seductive for the beginner, he cautions that the surest source of money at the track is the ATM machine. (July)