Tony, if I might ask, what is your most common reason for including specific long shots on your tickets? Form? Pace? Trainer? Pedigree? Works? All button? WAG? Something else?

Hi Ranch, what a good question!! I'd like to say 'all of the above'. lol I'm always looking for an opportunity to include a marginal horse in my wager. I'd say that generally I'm looking to play against bad favorites and identify horses where improvement is expected. Most improvement is anticipated through better pace scenarios.
Ranch, please feel free to ask any followup questions as I'm not sure I answered your inquiry well. The questions have certainly got my mind grinding!!

Tony

Thanks, Tony! I appreciate your response.

My own thought is the same regarding looking for a better pace scenario and my sniffing out of such situations has improved a lot in recent years.

I must admit that I am still far below where I want to be in evaluating bad favorites. I have improved in this regard, but I feel I should have this alarm go off in my head more often.