Harness: Wagering crossover between breeds is a viable option

There is no arguing that Thoroughbred handle dwarfs that of Harness Racing. While for 2018 the Sport of Kings led by nearly a 9 to 1 margin in U.S. handle, Standardbred Racing still accounted for a strong $1.37 billion in money wagered for the year.

The wagering pools may be smaller in Harness, but according to many large players, the opportunities to consistently win are most certainly greater when compared to Thoroughbred Racing.

“There’s a lot of money to be made,” said 2018 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge winner Chuck Grubbs, who focuses most of his attention on betting Harness.

Grubbs is a regular player at Northfield, The Meadows, Meadowlands and Mohawk Park as well as Keeneland, Santa Anita and Churchill on the Thoroughbred side. While people may be surprised to see smaller-sized tracks like Northfield and The Meadows on his list of go-to tracks because handle tends to be lower on half-mile and five-eighths surfaces, Grubbs cited consistency as a main reason.

“Both of those tracks race year-round. You see the same horses, drivers and trainers each week, so you pick up their habits,” said Grubbs. “I definitely would say Northfield is my number one handle. I love to bet Northfield.”

Mark Weaver, a prominent owner in Harness Racing, also enjoys playing both Thoroughbreds and Harness on a regular basis. While not a professional per se like Grubbs, who admits betting on racing is the only job he has had since he was 16, Weaver puts a substantial amount of money through the windows on both breeds.

“I think probably the opportunity to make money is easier in Harness Racing, but to make a lot of money it is not comparable, you have to go with Thoroughbreds,” said Weaver, who tends to gravitate to the best opportunities rather than a specific track. “I check which tracks have the best carryovers or what I’m familiar with, but I’ll play any track. I actually prefer playing Thoroughbreds because since I don’t own any I’m not forced to bet only my own horses.”

Grubbs agreed that the opportunity for the big score is much greater with Thoroughbreds but consistent success really helps the bottom line.

“I like to play the big tournaments in Thoroughbreds. I look at them as a shot to win $100,000 in one day. When I play a Harness track, I’m looking to win $1,000 or $2,000 a day. It is a grind,” said Grubbs. “You can make a way bigger score in Thoroughbreds than you can on Harness. I prefer Harness because even though the pools are a lot smaller, it is the same horses racing week after week. In Thoroughbred, if I see one that gets cut-off or run into, I may have to wait six or eight weeks or even six months, you never know when they will race again. If a Harness horse gets run into or gets in trouble. I know in seven days I can play that horse again.”

When attacking races the races, Grubbs stressed the importance of watching race replays. Before the upcoming Breeders’ Cup in California, he’ll put in 20-24 hours just watching races. With a track like Northfield, which is his bread-and-butter wagering location, despite seeing most races live, he’ll spend an hour or two each day reviewing the action.

“Harness and Thoroughbred is no different for me when it comes to handicapping – it’s replays,” said Grubbs. “If a guy goes to the races and loses all the time, it is because he is not putting the time and effort in. If you sit in front of a computer and watch a replay of the horses’ last two or three races, you will come to a conclusion on what type of form the horse is in.”

Of course there are many available angles for coming up with top selections and Weaver mapped out some of his favorites for each breed.

“I’m a big believer in barn changes and driver changes,” said Weaver when it comes to Harness. “Not that one driver or trainer is better than another, but sometimes things get stagnant and horses just need a different set of hands. There are all kinds of different things, so it is hard to narrow it down.

“In Thoroughbreds it is more about the pace play. I look for horses that can get loose on the lead and get brave. I also look for horses that have shown speed going two turns and shorten up to a one-turn sprint. I like that angle. Every race is its own challenge.”

Both Weaver and Grubbs felt strongly that there was no reason for a divide between the two breeds. The key to success is doing the homework.

“There are a lot of similarities and a lot of differences, but given a couple of weeks most would be able to pick up on it,” said Weaver on Thoroughbred players trying Harness. “If you put your time in and study it, you can figure it out. It is an easy game to fall in love with.

“I grew up watching all three, Harness, Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse at Los Alamitos. To me Harness is the most strategic. I love it. I think people are missing the boat because it is a great sport and great sport to be an owner in; it could be very profitable.”

“The thing about Harness Racing, and this goes for Thoroughbreds too, there are a lot of lazy people,” said Grubbs. “Instead of going to the track and buying the program to handicap. Buy your track the night before and while you are lying in bed winding down, study the program. If you just show up at the track and don’t put in any work, you are going to be throwing away your money.”

Harness Racing may lack the glamour of its Thoroughbred counterpart, which has the Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup on national television and in the public’s eye, but there are many advantages to crossing over and testing the waters. As the saying goes, “Try it, you’ll like it.”