Whether you believe in New Years Resolutions or not the end of the calendar year is as good a time as any to look at your horse playing over the last twelve months.

If you play for fun or recreation, it really doesn’t matter. If you play to win and try and stay in that small percentage of those who beat the game this is the time to make some adjustments if you did not have a profitable year, or even have had a few losing years.

You must change and adapt. The game changes as do the players. This is a pari-mutual game we play against each other. You must identify where you excel and have an edge and where you don’t.

Replays are critical and we have spoken about them a lot here. Replays when watched properly can give you your biggest edges. Not everyone sees things the same and not everyone watches replays correctly. It takes patience and you must go against the grain. Don’t strictly watch who you bet, who is on the lead, who is making a move or who the announcer is calling. Watch who nobody is watching and is not getting a call. That is where you can find a hidden gem.

Don’t get roped into leaning too heavily on multi-race wagers. Look at the forgotten bets. All day long pick 3’s 4’s 5’s and 6’s are pushed down our throats. This is what we hear at the start of most all the televised races despite the practice tying up the churn. Don’t let it tie you up as well.

Exactas, triples, superfectas and even win and doubles can offer great value and sharp alternatives to the traditional multi-race bets. In this game it comes down to being right and it is easier to be right in one race than in 2,3,4,5, or 6. When you have a strong opinion on one race make that the race you focus on. That is where the bulk of your wagering dollars should go. This is the essence of money management at the racetrack.

To continue playing the same bets and going about your wagering the same way if you aren’t winning is just not the smart play. Don’t fix whet is not broken but look at your year-end stats and read it like a P and L or profit and loss statement. If it was a business, would you like how it reads? Your answer tells you if it is time to change the approach.

There are a lot of players, and many take the game seriously. If you want to compete with them, you must come ready and heavy. Homework must be done, and time and effort should be put in. Do more work on less tracks and races and know those races as well as anyone in the pool. We can only do that so many times a day so if you are playing multiple tracks and races, you are hurting your chance at any consistent success.