Last race acceptable, that is, beat half the field and finished within six lengths of the winner; if entered for $20,000 or more has raced within past thirty days, with three workouts since: if entered for below $20,000, has raced within past twenty-one days, has worked out since.

Has won at the exact distance, or has finished within two lengths at today's distance this season.

1. Any horse dropping 30 percent or more in claiming price: the better its previous race, the better.
2. Horses having the highest speed figures or fastest adjusted times.
3. Horses dropping in claiming price that combine early speed with one of the field's top three speed ratings at the distance.
4. Horses having high early speed and improving form.
5. Horses that won their previous race by three lengths or more.
6. Horses that follow a winning race or a significantly improved performance with a rise in claiming price to a level where they have previously won or where they will not be outclassed.
7. Off-pace horses that have the highest pace ratings in the field plus improving form.

1. Horses indicating deteriorating form in their latest races.
2. Horses unable to satisfy the requirements of the class or form or distance factors in combination with acceptable weight, jockey, footing, trainer, or post position.
3. Horses that are among the bottom half of the field on speed figures or pace ratings.
4. Horses without early speed that do not figure to benefit from a pace battle among the front-runners, unless such horses have a pronounced class edge and run at tracks that do not strongly favor speed horses.
5. Horses that appear in long, front tendon bandages for the first time.
6. Horses that appear sore or lame in the walking ring, or that appear unusually washy or nervous or reluctant during the paddock and pre-race ceremonies.

1. A leading trainer of claiming horses or a repeatedly successful training pattern of any acceptable trainer.
2. Improved form last out, dropdown today, switch to a leading rider.
3. Has won two of last six races, or has won three of last ten.
4. When the higher of its latest two speed ratings is considered, has earned one of top two speed figures in the field.
5. Four workouts in the past twenty days.

Conditioned races, for nonwinners of a number of races since a specified time, prefer:
1. Improving horses having few recent races and one recent win fewer than the permissible number of victories: the higher the top claiming price of the recent win, the better.
2. A consistent winner at a claiming price within the range of today's top specified price, but exempted from today's restrictions.
3. Horses returning to action with sparkling workouts and having an impressive record at comparable claiming prices just prior to the specified time interval.

1. A consistent router at today's claiming price having few recent races and one less recent win than is permissible by the conditions.
2. A sprinter that has recently won at today's top claiming price or better and is stretching out, provided it can control or survive the probable early pace.
3. A consistent winner at a lower claiming price that has won recently and has been exempted from today's restrictions.