Handicapping cheap races can be a double-edged sword. It can be tough, but it may offer great value if you want to make a go of it.
Here are a couple of plays to examine when following smaller circuits.
First, don't ask cheap horses to do something they have never done before. Sounds easy, and it is. Don't ask a 50-time runner trying the turf for the first time, to light up the board. This is a double no-no when they are extremely cheap. When you find this track condition switch, it pays for you to try and find some speed. They can get loose on the lead, and cheap horses have trouble playing Silky Sullivan.
Skip the runners who just broke their maiden, and now try cheap conditions. This will hurt you more than help. Favorites win 33% of the time. But, tell me how often they lose… Don't make this play. Cheap runners can't make the jump. They usually get hammered, and you can play away from them.
I like a rider / trainer combo. If they have had any past, you may want to follow. This means they probably work in the morning, when you are at work. I like to follow this angle. Good riders know how to make a horse perform better. Good trainers can patch an old gelding for many seasons.