I'm not an expert on pedigree, but it seems to me cloned mules under equal weight should always finish in a dead heat. If it wasn't for ground loss. Which means since the entire difference in the finish can be attributed soley to ground loss, or path bias, that a definite mathmatical formula could be derived which would yield a number that would make cloned mule races absolutely predictive.

Let's say Mule A has the inside Path and beats mule AA by one length, then it can be presumed that the inside path is worth one length and if Mule AA were to exchange gate positions with his clone then he should win by one length because of having less ground to travel. (IN TG numbers both animals would have run an identical, let's say 92--after all they are clones, and mules--but those sharp enough to read the patterns would give the advantage to the inside horse today.)

On the other hand, if Mule AA were to win the first heat, despite having travelled more ground from the two hole, there would be reason to surmise that the two path is the better path to be in, and if Mule A were to break on the outside the next time the advantage would carry him to victory. Again, a big betting advantage for those sharp enough to read the patterns.

This is all based, of course, on the theory that the two cloned animals are, being clones, of identical ability. Of course, the resident pedigree experts like CTC might be able to point out the generic gentic flaws in this admitedly uneducated presumption. And I also recognize that mules, well, being mules might not always exert a maximum effort.

Nor will we know, without mandatory (and consciencious) testing whether one of these animals is a drug mule. But still the notion of numbers that can predict the outcome of every race seems closer than ever. At least for cloned mule races.

And yes, I know I'm being stupid. Hopefully, funny, but definitely stupid.
No stupider than the idea of cloned mule races, though.