It is a problem for sure. I know certain trainers bring them ready to go. Doesn't mean they will win but at least they usually make an honest effort. As far as money on a horse, betting it down to whatever, I have sat with owners and trainers who had a horse being bet off the board and asked them" Horse doesn't look good on paper, what's going on?" They would say they had no idea. The horse wasn't training well and they thought it would be "short": today. Go figure. Never has a horse like that done a damn thing and there have been many. Other times I have watched a horse being bet off the board that didn't figure and I was right On the other hand, about a month ago I saw and owner/trainer/driver before the races and asked him if he liked any of his horses. He said the one in the 9th race, he thought he could win. The other two he said were dogs.. He was right. Won and paid like $8 on a 10-1 M/L horse. I'm sure he told anyone who asked him the same thing he told me.
Betting horses 101(according to the book) never bet stakes races or prelims. Of course, I don't follow "the book" very often.
