I'm stating the bleeding obvious here but I have a point.
The only difference between maiden races and others is that in a maiden race no horse has won a race previously (not strictly true).

Disregard quality of horses for the exercise.

The point is that as long as they have records, you can handicap them same as other races.
This is the reason there is little diff. as far as favs. go.

Where you should avoid them is, when there is a number of unknown /to you/ first starters.

But you knew all this already!