Has raced within thirty days, shows sharp regular workouts since; has not raced green or rank in its latest race.

Has won or finished within two lengths at the exact or related distances.

1. A lightly raced three-year-old that has been a powerful winner of two allowance races and has run evenly or better when entered in an open stakes.
2. A consistent foreign-raced horse that has won a graded or listed stakes having a relatively high purse value.
3. Multiple allowance race winners, aged three or four, that recently have performed impressively and
consistently in few tries under conditions similar to or better than today's.

4. Highly consistent high-priced claiming horses, preferably aged four or five, that formerly won two
allowance races and recently have won or finished close while competing for purses comparable to or better than today's.

1. Horses that have lost more than four similar races.
2. Horses that last out won under nonwinners twice conditions in ordinary time or manner.
3. Three-year-olds badly beaten in stakes restricted to three-year-olds.
4. Horses badly beaten in a conditioned stakes.
5. Horses unfamiliar with the footing or unseasoned at the distance.
6. Unexceptional claiming horses, and claiming winners
below the highest selling prices on the local schedule.
7. Shippers from a minor circuit that have not won a major stakes there.
8. Horses that won their most impressive race last out, winning barely while engaging in an all-out drive or earning their highest speed rating while tiring in the stretch.
10. Three-year-olds that once started in a maiden claiming race.
11. Four-year-olds that have started for a claim since the second allowance win, regardless of its performance in that race.

1. Obvious signs of higher class under previous allowance conditions, i.e., successive powerful wins indicating ample reserves of power and speed, or high speed or acceleration and determination under pressure in the late stages of races.
2. An in-the-money finish in an open stakes.
3. Has high early speed, rates kindly, figures to be the only pace-setter in the field.

In races open to three-year-olds and older, prefer:
1. The nicely bred, lightly raced improving three-year-old from a good barn that has accomplished everything asked of it in fine style, especially a notable performance in a stakes race.
2. A similar four-year-old that qualifies well on all counts--distance, footing, form, pace, jockey.

1. Horses that have won or run big over grass in the past.
2. Horses that have won or finished close in an open stakes on dirt, and are bred to race well on turf.