CHECK LIST FOR PLATINUM LOOK FOR: -HI PLATINUM POWER NUMBER-WITHIN 15 OF #1. HORSES DON'T QUALIFY FOR A NUMBER UNLESS THEY'VE SHOWN RECENT SPEED AND RACES. -HI BPP WITHIN 5 PTS OF THE TOP BRIS PRIME POWER -CLOSE UP BTN LENGTHS SHOWING A 0.00 MEANS HE SET THE PACE-SO THIS HORSE WILL ALSO SHOW A "1" IN RUNNING POSITION. IDEALLY, YOU WANT FAST HORSES. YOU DONT WANT A HORSE THAT WAS FAR BACK EARLY. -HIGH SR LAST--ONE OF TOP 3 BEST IS GOOD -HI LATE POWER- DOESN'T HAVE TO BE #1..BUT SINCE HE SHOWED EARLY SPEED- YOU WANT TO WATCH FOR THIS (COMPARED TO THE REST OF FIELD. YOU CAN FIND HIDDEN LONGSHOTS THIS WAY -HI L3SP- THIS COLUMN SHOWS THE "TOTAL" OF LAST 3 SPEED RATINGS--IT IS NOT THE "AVG". JUST ANOTHER BIT OF INFO. I'VE SEEN MANY WINNERS WITH THE HIGHEST L3SP--AND WERE DROPPING IN CLASS TODAY. -HIGH ABILITY RTNG- THIS RATING LEANS MORE TOWARDS "CLASS". SOMETIMES IT CAN BE VITALLY IMPORTANT--OTHER LIGHTLY-RACED HORSES NOT SO MUCH. -PACE RATINGS- EARLY, MIDDLE AND LATE RATINGS CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER..ARE BETTER. SUCH AS 84,86,85. A HORSE SHOWING A HUGE EARLY PACE FIG LIKE 107,74,55 IS USUALLY JUST A ONE-RUN WONDER, AND NOT GOING WIRE TO WIRE. MORE IMPORTANT IS A VERY HIGH LATE FIGURE--COMPARED TO THE REST. IF THE HORSE SHOWS OTHER "CHECKLIST" FACTORS AND IS IN A RACE FULL OF EARLY SPEED--TAKE A GOOD LOOK. -DISREGARD HORSES THAT WON THEIR LAST RACE IF IT WAS A MAIDEN RACE, OR HE ROCORDED HIS HIGHEST SPEED AND PACE FIGURES IN THAT WIN. -TOP TURF BLAST IN A TURF RACE THIS IS PRETTY OBVIOUS. NOT THE SOLE REASON FOR BETTING A HORSE, UNLESS HE'S A LONGSHOT--BUT IF HE'S GOT OTHER THINGS GOING FOR HIM AND IS TOP TURF--WATCH OUT! -SPEED BLAST THIS CAN BE VITALLY IMPORTANT AT ANY DISTANCE. A HORSE WITH A HUGE GAP TO THE REST OF THE FIELD IS VERY DANGEROUS IF IN CONDITION. TAKE A LOOK AT "FERRY TAIL" BELOW--ALMOST TIED FOR TOP POWER, PACE FIGURES STAND OUT, LAST SPEED IS RIGHT THERE, BRIS PRIME IS 2ND HIGHEST--NOW TAKE A LOOK AT HIS SPEED BLAST 187. HE TOWERS OVER THE FIELD. THE BETTORS AT FINGER LAKES MUST NOT USE PLATINUM POWER--THIS HORSE PAID $11.00!