RIP Cary Fotias

[cj]

Equiform founder.

http://www.drf.com/news/cary-fotias-handicapper-and-author-dies-56

[Storm Cadet]

http://www.drf.com/news/cary-fotias-handicapper-and-author-dies-56

Nice guy, left us way too young, his book Blinkers Off was excellent read for pace and form handicappers! Learned a lot from his appearances on Saratoga CapitalOTB shows during the summer.

[CincyHorseplayer]

Man,56,that's way too young.I was only familiar with his work in the last 2 years but he has been a tremendous influence on me.This is the loss of a great handicapping mind.RIP brother.

[Grits]

Oh my, how sad, how terribly sad. Only 56 years old. Still, young.

Rest in peace.

[Jeff P]

My deepest heartfelt sympathies go out to his wife and family. I know that I will miss him. Cary was a member of the HANA Advisory Board and was one of the guiding forces who helped get our meager organization off the ground.

R.I.P.




-jp

.

[LottaKash]

http://www.drf.com/news/cary-fotias-handicapper-and-author-dies-56

Nice guy, left us way too young, his book Blinkers Off was excellent read for pace and form handicappers! Learned a lot from his appearances on Saratoga CapitalOTB shows during the summer.

I never knew the man, but I got a glimpse of him thru his book "Blinkers Off"....I gained something good from that read, and I was thankful to have gained something from the effort....

Certainly, 56 is before time, Sad...

[proximity]

way too young. there was a lot of handicapping yet to be done.

rest in peace. :(

[highnote]

Cary stood on the shoulders of giants, but he was also a genius.

He was influenced by Ragozin and Sartin, but expanded their ideas. Like Ragozin, Cary made figures, but like Sartin, he added velocity to the mix. Cary's creation was velocity-based pace figures that were used to identify not only the fastest horses, but also horses coming into or falling out out of peak condition.

He once showed me the reams of data he used to do statistical analysis of horses shipping from track to track and dropping in class. He used the knowledge from the research to make sure the adjustments he made to the running times of the races made accurate daily variants. I doubt anyone has ever used such high level math and extensive research to design a system to make figures. I have seen, read and heard a lot about how to make speed/pace figures, but I have never known of any other figures that were made at the high level of Cary's numbers. His methods were revolutionary. His methods were also proprietary, but even if they weren't, there are very few who would be willing or able to follow in his footsteps. The task is simply too daunting for most.

Huey Mahl was a rocket scientist who liked to predict the trajectory of horses running around a track. Cary Fotias was a professional horseplayer who could have calculated the trajectory needed by a rocket to land on the moon.

He came up with so many new concepts that he had to devise names for them -- Reversal, New Pace Top, Cyclical Pace Top, Plunge Line, Turnback and my personal favorite -- Turf Decline Line, etc. I don't know of any other handicapping author who presented so many unique, even revolutionary, ideas in one book.

Noted handicapping auther, James Quinn, Ph.D., summed up Cary and his book, "Blinkers Off" very nicely:

A new voice for the new millennium belongs to Cary Fotias, and he comes in loud and clear. His contribution is both contemporary, one might even say postmodern, and significant. He uses velocity-based pace numbers and energy distribution concepts to identify horses coming to peak condition. The horses can be expected to deliver their best efforts next time, and many do.

A number and variety of figure analysts have depended upon numerical patterns to infer improving form, even peaking form, but none has succeeded, with a high degree of reliability, until now.

A new and important author and book that can enhance handicapping proficiency is always cause for celebration. This one is cause for jubilation.

Nick Mordin may have written the best description of Cary, "Cary was the loudest, funniest, smartest and nicest man I've ever known."

Cary Fotias was a wonderful man. He was never out to hurt anyone or put anyone down. He was as honest and trustworthy as anyone I have ever met. I sure am going to miss him.

[nijinski]

Sorry to hear this . When I first signed on here and lurked a bit , I found his posts on racing and general posts quite interesting .
Too young , RIP !

[Dave Schwartz]

Wow!

Sorry to hear this. He was such a well-respected man in our industry.

Our condolences to his family and loved ones.

[woodbinepmi]

I am so sad to hear this news. Man, this sucks!

[pandy]

Very sad news. My condolences to his family and friends. I never met him but I read Blinkers Off and he was obviously an insightful and interesting guy.

[RunForTheRoses]

R.I.P.
I had tried to purchase the Shorts a few weeks ago and got a message he was sick but wow, like others said too young. I remember he provided free Ellis low takeout Pick 4 data a few years ago, learned about it here. They were a unique product.

[wiffleball whizz]

Very sorry to hear this unfortunate news....my condolences to his family and friends.....56 is way to young....hate hearing these things

[fiveouttasix]

RIP Cary...very sad news.

The 3 authors that molded me as a Horseplayer were Beyer, then Mark Cramer & most recently (2002) Cary Fotias - " Blinkers Off"

[Tom]

I had heard he was taking time off due to an illness. Sad to hear this.
His ideas had a big impact on how I handicap with figures.

[098poi]

My condolences to family and friends. I am 56 also. Reminds me to be grateful for good health and another day in this world. RIP

[garyscpa]

They updated the story. He was 60. RIP.

[PaceAdvantage]

Sad to hear of Mr. Fotias' passing...

[highnote]

Equiform founder.

http://www.drf.com/news/cary-fotias-handicapper-and-author-dies-56


DRF updated their post about Cary. He was 60 years old. Still too young.

http://www.drf.com/news/cary-fotias-handicapper-and-author-dies-60

[burnsy]

I don't really use figures, but his work on evaluating the money line and making your own line was so valuable to me. I use to see him alot at the caroseul betting Del Mar after the last race. Seemed like a nice guy, always had a smile or a joke/story to tell. Knew how to find value and was a good handicapper. Some of his interviews on Capital OTB were the best info you could get on that station if you wanted to learn how BET to make some money. Sorry to hear this news.........

[Helles]

Cary stood on the shoulders of giants, but he was also a genius.

He was influenced by Ragozin and Sartin, but expanded their ideas. Like Ragozin, Cary made figures, but like Sartin, he added velocity to the mix. Cary's creation was velocity-based pace figures that were used to identify not only the fastest horses, but also horses coming into or falling out out of peak condition.

He once showed me the reams of data he used to do statistical analysis of horses shipping from track to track and dropping in class. He used the knowledge from the research to make sure the adjustments he made to the running times of the races made accurate daily variants. I doubt anyone has ever used such high level math and extensive research to design a system to make figures. I have seen, read and heard a lot about how to make speed/pace figures, but I have never known of any other figures that were made at the high level of Cary's numbers. His methods were revolutionary. His methods were also proprietary, but even if they weren't, there are very few who would be willing or able to follow in his footsteps. The task is simply too daunting for most.

Huey Mahl was a rocket scientist who liked to predict the trajectory of horses running around a track. Cary Fotias was a professional horseplayer who could have calculated the trajectory needed by a rocket to land on the moon.

He came up with so many new concepts that he had to devise names for them -- Reversal, New Pace Top, Cyclical Pace Top, Plunge Line, Turnback and my personal favorite -- Turf Decline Line, etc. I don't know of any other handicapping author who presented so many unique, even revolutionary, ideas in one book.

Noted handicapping auther, James Quinn, Ph.D., summed up Cary and his book, "Blinkers Off" very nicely:



Nick Mordin may have written the best description of Cary, "Cary was the loudest, funniest, smartest and nicest man I've ever known."

Cary Fotias was a wonderful man. He was never out to hurt anyone or put anyone down. He was as honest and trustworthy as anyone I have ever met. I sure am going to miss him.

Excellent eulogy. R.I.P. Cary.

[rubicon55]

Rest In Peace Cary, read your books and thanks for taking time to take my phone calls. You contributed greatly to the sport regarding horse form.

[so.cal.fan]

This is a major sad loss for horseplayers.
We don't have all that many important advocates for racing and we just lost another one. Very sad to hear this.

[jimmy m]

I was one of the few people that bought the Handicapping Expo 2004 from drf after it came out.It was pretty boring and useless until I came to the Pace Figure Cd and that is where I saw Cary for the first time and I really got interested in his numbers I emailed him and told him I just found his numbers and said im just a 2 dollar better who just kills time between meets told him I was the Announcer at Prairie Meadows and we then emailed each other for a few years and a few years ago when we ran on Mon and Tuesday would send me the Figs for some big races we had.I got to meet him a few times at Santa Anita when they had the breeders Cup and talked in person he even came down between races while he was busy with the BC Handicapping torney to talk and meet my friends just seemed to be a really nice guy and genuine im sure he will be missed by his family and Friends.

[Bullet Plane]

I have many fond memories of Cary. I went to his seminar in Vegas a few years ago, tuned in to many of his handicapping seminars on the Kentucky Derby, and read his book, "Blinkers Off."

His seminars with Nick Mordin on the Breeders Cup were outstanding as well.

I enjoyed his value approach to the game, his insight on pace and speed, and his many great stories of the game. He was also a wizard of the history of the sport.

He was one of the top teachers and communicators of the game.

It's very sad to see him go, and especially so suddenly.

I'll miss him...as will horseplayers all over the country.

[crusader222]

I too wish to express my sorrow to his family at his passing.I live in Astoria,Queens so did Cary Fotias.We were not friends just friendly.I attended his fist seminar at Joe D's resturant in Manhattan when his book first came out.He was so nervous that he spilled coffee on his pants and had to hold up the seminar to buy a new pair, not an easy task in lower Manhattam.I was fortunate to win a free copy of the book that day.I followed his career,attended some of his phone seminars.One day I decided to visit him.At that time he was working out of a store front in the still Greek area of Astoria.I knocked on the door and he came to open it and I remarked who's the Greek here and he said He was.We both laughed and he bought me a coffee and showed how he rated his horses.Over the next months we spoke once in a while.I like to think I helped create the idea of the shorts.I told Cary it was difficult to screen all the entries to look for his betting angles.Later the shorts were created which did it for the reader.Cary spent a great deal of time at his work and put his money where his mouth was since he was a betting man.I asked him one time what his wife thought about his gambling.He said she doesn"t mind especially when I throw the piles of cash on the bed after a big hit.Cary will be missed.He drank alot of coffee,he smoked too much and was a little overweight but so are alot of people.He loved what he did,he loved the way he did it,that was his way.He was a hero to me even though he could have been a son.I wish his family well and they should know how much respect his fellow players had for him.Rest in Peace CaryJim C.

[BetPTC]

Loved Cary. He was a great handicapper but an even better person.

[BetPTC]

I too wish to express my sorrow to his family at his passing.I live in Astoria,Queens so did Cary Fotias.We were not friends just friendly.I attended his fist seminar at Joe D's resturant in Manhattan when his book first came out.He was so nervous that he spilled coffee on his pants and had to hold up the seminar to buy a new pair, not an easy task in lower Manhattam.I was fortunate to win a free copy of the book that day.I followed his career,attended some of his phone seminars.One day I decided to visit him.At that time he was working out of a store front in the still Greek area of Astoria.I knocked on the door and he came to open it and I remarked who's the Greek here and he said He was.We both laughed and he bought me a coffee and showed how he rated his horses.Over the next months we spoke once in a while.I like to think I helped create the idea of the shorts.I told Cary it was difficult to screen all the entries to look for his betting angles.Later the shorts were created which did it for the reader.Cary spent a great deal of time at his work and put his money where his mouth was since he was a betting man.I asked him one time what his wife thought about his gambling.He said she doesn"t mind especially when I throw the piles of cash on the bed after a big hit.Cary will be missed.He drank alot of coffee,he smoked too much and was a little overweight but so are alot of people.He loved what he did,he loved the way he did it,that was his way.He was a hero to me even though he could have been a son.I wish his family well and they should know how much respect his fellow players had for him.Rest in Peace CaryJim C.

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing this Jim.