ARs - What's their Worth?

Ability Reports. Every horse has one. Some may be a bit shorter in length... but every horse gets one. Most owners will be recieving ARs for their new horses - either bought at the auction or for their new foals.

But what should be done with them? Should they go into the bin and discarded? Or should a trainer analyze each and every line; squeezing it for information.

Let me tell the newbies something they may not have heard, and some older players who may need a reminder. Ability Reports and not the hard fast truth. I know, it's amazing right? They are not the ultimate word of a horse's ability... yes, you still must look at the horse's race results.

AR's are a guide, and nothing else. Some times a guide is wrong (yes, I know crazy right)... sometimes they are mistaken... and other's they are as close as you can get. They are like a Trainer's Report. They give an owner an idea of their horse's ability, but you never really know how they'll behave when they eyeball another horse in the homestretch.

For instance, some of the fastest and greatest racehorses have an AR that states "Average Speed" and some plodders in Allowances that have never beat another horse has an AR that says "Lighting Speeed, Certain record setter."

So, my bit of advice to all who may read this: Accept ARs for what they are. They are pieces of paper that give you an idea of what you horse may do once he/she reaches the tracks. No, they are not all powerful, but they are a helpful guide.