I went to the Kentucky Derby with a colorful hat but no clue about horse racing.
I quickly discovered that betting on horses is like picking people for your team – knowing their backstory is essential to creating their front story.
On advice from a friend, I placed a $2 bet on every race just to be part of the excitement.
But how does a novice pick a race horse? Admittedly, I was initially seduced by their names: Irish War Cry, Patch, Classic Empire, Thunder Snow.
And then I was introduced to The Daily Racing Form, a publication of facts and statistics on past performances for race horses – this gave me the backstory for every horse in every race at the Derby:
- number of races won
- performance in distance races
- results on turf vs. dirt, wet vs. dry tracks
- trainer and jockey statistics
I also watched the horses parade from the paddock to the starting gate before the race. I noticed if they were skittish and panicked from the roar of the crowds, or and if they seemed edgy and eager to run.
I studied their backstory to determine how they would perform in the race – their front story.
And that’s exactly how horse trainer Todd Pletcher and horse jockey John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby with the horse Always Dreaming. They knew the colt’s backstory, allowing them to adjust his exercises before the race and his pace during the race.
Similarly, people come to us with their own backstory. Unfortunately, we don’t have a Daily Racing Form to guide us.
So we need to ask more questions about their past experiences and pay attention to their current actions and behaviors in order to help people create their own front story.