LAGNIAPPE

The Publisher

I’ve worked in IT since 1982 in IBM mainframe applications. Building websites is new to me, but thoroughbred racing is not. I'm not a programmer that was hired to learn the form and create a tip sheet, but rather an experienced horse player and software developer by profession. I have enjoyed this sport since I was old enough to drive. I’ve been testing my system and printing race reports since 1995. Automating this product has been a passion of mine since the OTB’s were born. I remember the headaches of speed reading races all around the country, and saving multiple page markers in my racing form. I thought there must be a better way to make this game more enjoyable without investing hours of study every day. My goal was to develop software that mimics my handicapping methods, and predicts races in much the same way as I do – handicapping speed, class, pace, and pedigree. I work during the day, and play golf on Saturday, so I like to play the night tracks, particularly the Louisiana and Texas circuits.

Software

I’ve had numerous inquiries about purchasing my software, but my response is always the same. It’s my own little workspace, my method of choice for handicapping races. It was not written to be packaged or distributed. It began as a DOS program in the mid 90’s using my Turbo Pascal compiler, and I converted it into a Windows application written in VB.Net. I've coded and debugged my program with thousands of test races, and it only gets better with every 'tweak' and upgrade. My goal is to get it right for every race, which is impossible, as we all know. But, my predictions are as good or better than any tip service out there.

The Sheet

I think it’s important to identify the speed, how much speed is in the race, who is the class of the speed, who are the closers, and which closers can win. My program illustrates this in the +/-, SPD, $$, and FIN columns, and makes it easy to picture just how the race should set up. I first got the idea for my sheet while looking at some result charts. Predicting the finish can be easier if we build the race beginning with the first call. For those looking for spot plays, read my Sample Selections page, and learn how to identify pace selections. You may only find a handful of these on a given day. Spot plays can also be found by considering the morning line. If the odds-maker is doing his job, then most races should be listed in the order of M/L odds. Find races in which one or two horses deviate from this order. I also look for races that have a good combination of speed and closers at the top.

Horse Racing

There is no other sport like it. Where else can you turn a $2 bet into $200? Laying 11 to 10 odds in team sports betting doesn’t turn me on as much as managing a bankroll for a day at the races. And, you don’t often come back from 21 points down in a football game, but it only takes one race to make you a winner at the races. And, if you don't get goose bumps when they come on the track on Derby Day to 'My Old Kentucky Home', then you'd better check your pulse.

Betting Strategies

As you can probably tell, I am a daily double, pick three, pick four, trifecta, and superfecta player. A horse player should always concern himself with the possibility of taking an entire pool in a race. The wager types I mentioned often times pay 3 out of 4, or X-X-X-ALL, for example. Beating the favorite in all legs of pick 3’s and 4’s will almost certainly yield big payoffs. Favorites running out of the money result in huge trifecta and superfecta payoffs. Some favorites can’t be beat, but most favorites can, and my goal in most races is to beat the favorite. Building pick 3 and 4 tickets wisely is a must if you are to last at the track. For example, 3with3with3with3 in a pick four costs $81, but finding one or two singles will make the ticket a lot less expensive. These singles have to win, and I usually find pace selections to use in these spots – lone speed, speed-class, or sometimes lone closers. Lone closers don’t always win, but they hit the board often, and should be used on trifecta and superfecta tickets. I often times key the lone closer in two positions in tri's and supers. You CAN pass a race if you don't have a good feel for it, and it's very important to keep your unit bet the same no matter how well you are doing.

Super Equine Effort in '73

Secretariat's Belmont romp gave him the triple crown, but his Kentucky Derby victory gave us the ultimate running line. He ran every quarter faster than the previous one, going :25-1, :49-1, 1:13-0, 1:36-2, and 1:59-2. My +/- figure only compares a horse's quarter and half, but if we extend this out for Big Red's effort, we get +6,+1,+2,+2 for the mile and a quarter. He got the last quarter in :23-0. Are you kidding me? Was he running downhill? There may not be another one like him..