Best Horse Racing Handicappers
By the MyHorseBets team · Updated · 3 min read
Who are the best horse racing handicappers? There’s no single answer, because the best handicapper for you depends on the tracks you bet, the bets you like and how much you want to pay. What we can do is show you where serious handicappers publish their picks and how to tell a good record from a lucky streak.
This guide covers US racing. For UK and Irish racing, see our guide to the best horse racing tipsters.
What makes a handicapper worth following
A public, complete record
The first test is simple: can you see every pick, winners and losers, published before the race? Track handicappers and racing media pass this test by default, because their picks are posted on the card every day. Be cautious with anyone who only shows highlights, screenshots of big tickets or results that start after a good run.
Profit at the prices, not just winners
Strike rate on its own tells you very little. A handicapper who hits 40% winners at short prices can still lose money, while one who hits 20% at bigger prices can make it. The usual yardstick in US racing is the return on a $2 win bet on every selection. If $2 on each pick returns more than $2 on average, the picks have shown a profit at those prices.
Our odds calculator helps here: it shows the implied probability of any price, so you can see the strike rate a handicapper needs at their typical odds just to break even.
A meaningful sample
A few weeks of results can be luck in either direction. Look for hundreds of picks across more than one meet before you draw conclusions, and expect long losing runs even from good handicappers.
Track and race-type specialists
Most handicappers are sharpest on their home circuit. A handicapper who works Southern California every day will know its trainers, track biases and turf course better than a generalist. Some specialize further, in turf races, maidens or multi-race bets such as the Pick 4.
Reasoning you can learn from
The best published analysis tells you why a horse is picked: the pace setup, a trainer pattern, a class drop. That makes the picks easier to judge and helps you improve your own handicapping.
Where US handicappers publish their picks
These are good places to start, because the picks are public and the records can be checked. We checked each page on 1 October 2026.
- Racetrack handicappers. NYRA publishes expert picks for Belmont Park, Saratoga and Aqueduct. The Del Mar handicappers page lists picks from Brad Free of the Daily Racing Form, Frank Scatoni, Dean Keppler, Today’s Racing Digest and others. Santa Anita carries expert picks on its wagering page.
- Daily Racing Form. DRF’s handicappers publish selections on the DRF picks page, some free and some for subscribers.
- Handicapping contests. Tournament leaderboards are a public record of a kind: players who qualify for the National Horseplayers Championship have had to beat a field of other handicappers. See our handicapping hub for how contests work.
Our guide to free horse racing handicapping picks has more on using these sources day to day.
Before you pay for picks
Paid handicapping services can be worth it, but the subscription has to be beaten before you’re in profit. A few checks:
- Work out the cost per bet. A service at $39 a month that sends 20 picks costs about $2 a pick before you’ve staked anything. If you bet small, the fee can wipe out any edge.
- Find out how the record is measured. At what odds? Morning line, the price when the pick went out or the final tote price? Pari-mutuel prices move, and a record at the morning line may not be achievable.
- Look for a trial or refund policy, and read the terms before you pay.
- Ignore promises. Nobody can guarantee winners, and talk of “locks” or guaranteed profit is a reason to walk away.
A paid option for North American racing
If you want to learn one handicapper’s method rather than follow daily picks, HorsePlayerHaven sells Mike Lane’s handicapping course, with a members area of North American picks. Apply the checks above to it like any other service.
Betting always carries a risk of loss and no tipster, system or staking plan can guarantee a profit. Only stake what you can afford to lose, and set a budget before you start. Gambling responsibly.