Listen to the talking heads on the tube expound about baseball, football or basketball as they cite stat after stat and it really just brings to the fore once more that stats lie. Figures are not always what they seem, and for those that are inflexible in the handicapping game, know you are in for a long tough road.

There is not octane flowing through these horses. They are creatures, just like you and me, and have good days, bad days, sick days, happy days, and bad hair days.

Reading in between the lines is one of the most important things about handicapping horses and the sooner one learns how not to be so stringent, the better.

It's not easy to get an edge in horse racing in this day and age but it can be done if a horse bettor is willing to go the extra yard, look under the rocks for the hidden gem and not just rely on the numbers that the masses have access to on a daily basis.

Remember, this game is about beating the other guys at the track or on the computer and if a clever horse bettor can get ahead of the curve, he is well on his way to gaining the edge needed to put the numbers in the black at the end of a meeting or end of a year.

Watching races and watching trips is an acquired skill and art but horse bettors can improve in this facet of the game if they are willing to put in the time.

When reviewing races, don't get hung up about where the horse you bet is but where every other horse in the field is at all times.

First off, get out the Form and try to project how the race will unfold. Know which horses are likely to be forwardly placed and when watching film, if those horses are not prominent it is the bettor's duty to find out why.

This game is not for the lazy. Successful horse bettors are few and far between because most lack the will power, smarts, time and work ethic to make a go of it but those that do have detailed notes about everything from how a horse looks going to the post to how certain trainers get their horses primed on a daily basis.

This is where workouts come in. Without watching every single work, which is almost impossible if gambling is not your full time devotion, cagey bettors have to have a game plan and know the trainers on the circuit who work their horses slow but get them fit without showing the ace card.

Other horses may train faster, but they may not be fit enough to win a race and sharp horse bettors know the idiosyncrasies of each trainer on the circuit.

Like Kenny Rogers said in the song, you have to know 'when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away and know when to run.'

Smart horseplayers pick their spots and go for the juggler. Those that have to dance every dance at the betting windows are seldom around when the smoke clears. But the best horse bettors wager big with confidence when the right time presents itself.

As far as value is concerned, the best players would rather not bet a 2-1 shot straight, but use that runner either horizontally or vertically in the exotics. That is really the only way to put the take out in your favor.

One of the best things that the successful guys subscribe to is to limit their losses but not the winnings.

Some novice bettors will think nothing of betting $100 on a 5-2 shot, but if they like a 15-1, they'll back off and only bet $20.

Wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

When the price is right, that is the time to throw for the 50-yard touchdown and not settle for the field goal.

The reality is after all that a cagey bettor is in it to win it, not to break even or eek out a living.