If you are something of a horse racing betting novice and you are preparing to visit a U.S. racetrack in the near future, it might be a good idea to dedicate some time to impressing your friends or family members by learning how to read a racecard. A racecard exists to outline all the available information a bettor needs to make an informed betting decision on every race scheduled during a single race meeting. Without it, you might as well be betting on the horse whose name or jockey silks you like best.

Saturday's $250,000, Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, the local prep race for the Grade 2 Lambolm South Tampa Bay Derby four weeks from now,  brings together a field of 12 (plus one also-eligible) attempting to become one of the betting favorites going into that race.