This is my first column for America’s Best Racing. For the past 20 years, I was the turf editor and handicapper for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the largest newspaper in the state of Nevada. I wrote a lot about handicapping, of course, and about things of interest going on in the horse racing industry.

I had a strong built-in audience of horseplayers in Nevada. When you consider the fact that nearly every casino in the state has a race book, that means there are thousands of people participating in horse racing each day via simulcasting.

But when the folks at ABR reached out to me, they had a more focused view of what I could contribute to the industry – education. Some years ago I wrote a Dummies brand book titled Betting on Horse Racing for Dummies.

I suspect practically every household in America has at least one Dummies brand book in their home library. There is no better series of books that can take any subject you can think of and make it understandable for the masses.

When I was recruited by Wiley Publishing to write a newcomer horse racing bible, they told me some interesting things that make their books so successful.

The most important thing is that you must write as if the reader has zero knowledge about the subject. The author cannot assume even the most obvious things. For example, in the early chapters I established the foundation of the book, thus helping the readers follow along with me step by step. In a literal sense, it was like building a textbook for horse racing.

My Wiley Publishing editor sent copy back to me time and again circling facts that I assumed the reader knew. Two obvious ones were that a jockey and a rider were the same, or that a conditioner and a trainer were the same. Once I defined things, then I could move forward using the terminology.

It really opened my eyes on how a complete novice can learn any subject, much less something as complex as horse racing. Some of my critics have accused me of dumbing down the sport into so much baby food. That it was insulting to the reader. I can tell you first hand that that thinking is wrong.

The Dummies formula works because it is incredibly thorough. It takes each reader by the hand and guides them through the learning journey. Once I adapted my writing style to the Dummies format, the second half of the book was much easier to write.

In a way, I am using the Dummies formula right now. This is my first column for ABR, and I am setting up the foundation for our relationship.

In fact, it would be very useful to pick up a copy of Betting on Horse Racing for Dummies because I will be referring to it quite a lot. Also at the end of this column, I have ways for you to get in touch with me via email or social media.

The sport of horse racing has not had a textbook for beginners like my Dummies book since Ainslie’s Complete Guide to Thoroughbred Racing which came out in 1968. I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Ainslie, real name Richard Carter, when I worked for the New York Racing Association in the early 1980s.

His book influenced me into becoming a big horse racing fan. In a similar way, I hope my book and my future writings here can interest newcomers into becoming lifelong fans too.

Richard Eng is the author of Betting on Horse Racing for Dummies, an introductory book for newcomers to the sport of horse racing. For two decades, he was the turf editor and handicapper for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He still handicaps the Southern California tracks and his picks are for sale at www.racedaylasvegas.com. You can email him at rich_eng@hotmail.com and follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.