Although it is the horse that does most of the work, the jockey, horse racing bettors know, is the brains of the pair. A great jockey, horse racing fans know, makes sure the horse is in the best position in all parts of the race in order to get that all important nose first under the wire. You first need to look at a horse's past performance, and then get a close look at that horse's jockey. Horse racing is a mostly unpredictable sport, but one rule follows: a good jockey in horse racing can bring a three-legged mule to the winner's circle.

Past Performance On That Track

Just like a horse can prefer a certain track, so can an individual jockey. Horse racing bettors need to look at how that jockey has done at that particular track. Although all tracks may look alike, they look a lot different from the back of a hyper Thoroughbred going 40 mph.

A good jockey, horse racing railbirds know, is one that has ridden on that track at least once before. This lets the jockey know where the dips are, how sharp the turns are and what patches of the track get the most water-logged. A great jockey, horse racing fans know, has a mental encyclopedia of how best to ride each track. If a jockey has a streak at a particular track, don't ignore it. He or she knows that track well.

What If No Jockey Is Listed?

The form, whether in print or online, is often made up over 24 hours before the race. In that time, changes can happen to the jockey. Horse racing is unpredictable, so you may find a horse without a jockey listed. Generally, you ignore this horse, unless he or she is clearly the class of the field and has a good jockey. Horse racing may be the sport of kings, but you don't have to be one in order to bet. Remember, you don't have to bet every race.