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Pace makes the maiden race
By Jason Tsujikawa
A key to maiden (non-winner) races that is at times overlooked is the factor of pace. Maiden horses, with generally less experience, are less likely to come from off the pace than experienced runners, and horses with early speed tend to win more often in maiden races than in races for horses with more than one win.
Occasionally you'll see a maiden race field with only one horse that has shown early speed previously. If that horse can clear the field early with little pressure, often that horse can easily wire the field, i.e., take the lead at the start and hold on to the finish.
Horses that have only raced once previously can at times be good wagers, if the price is right. Often trainers utilize the horse's first start as a prep for the next race, and at times the horse's second start can be a dramatically improved one. As with any wager, the tote is the key, and it's not unusual to see a horse with just one sub-par previous performance go off at odds of 25-1 or more.
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