Very good point about the trainers. I have found that there are often as many or more telling angles when considering the trainer. A horse inching up in classes to suddenly drop down for the try; a horse that always seems to 'tire in the stretch' in higher claimers -- then cleans up at 17:1; a horse that has been off for 7 months and shows inconclusive workouts; and so on.

The bottom line is that trainers are into horse racing to make money. It's their business -- their livelihood! The horse wants food and likes to run. The jockey wants to be known for doing what is asked and winning some races looks good on the resume. But the trainer puts his supper on the table by correctly mixing all the factors.

Hmmm, I suddenly have an urge to start looking into a more-than-less mechanical 'trainer-based' system. Though I'm sure this has been done before. Anybody know of these types of posts -- or more importantly, their outcome -- before?