Database Analysis

[hdcper]

Hi All,

Had a friend at the track ask me today, if I knew of a site which provided a large database which someone could query for a fee. In otherwords, a user friendly site with a database that could be accessed for testing a handicapper's ideas for say a monthly fee or query fee of some sort.

Told him if anyone would know, this was the place to ask. And if it didn't exist, someone might see the merit in providing a service like this.

Thanks in advance,

Hdcper

[Tom]

What a market niche Equibase could fill. Too bad their customers are not on their list of priorities.
Maybe NTRA shold be doing something like tis instead of running racing commercial on racing shows. Oh, I forgot, they don't consider the customer/fan important either.

Tom

[melman]

Hey DaveS, how about your outfit jumping on that request. Would it be "doable" on your part. I know you have a large data-base.

[FortuneHunter]

A service of this type is a development project I have been working on for a couple of years. I believe a service like this has a lot of market potential.

The problem is that a system with a “state of the art” user interface needs to be designed to allow the handicapper to define the Query Input (i.e. what parameters do you want to Query) and the Query Output (i,e, What Statistical Information do you want to know). It needs to be a “point and click”, pull down menu driven, flexible, robust, easy to use in order to appeal to a large enough market share. Simply, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) has to be a developed to allow the handicapper to develop his own Queries.

Without a GIU to automate the query construction process for the customer , developing Queries for customers is programmer labor intensive. IMO, it would cost too much for the query if a programmer has to spend 30 minutes to construct the query for the customer. This is why the major data providers don’t provide the service. They would have to possibly re-architect their current database and develop the GIU, which is a considerable investment in order to automate the process and make it user friendly.

I have started a pilot program to bring database technology to the handicapper via the Internet. We have 30 months of NYRA racing in the database. The GUI I envision is still in development, But you can request a Query and I will see if I can construct it for you.

Our Website is commercial free, and there is no charge for the Query if I can do it.

http//:www.handicappers-datamine.com

Remember, the database is for NYRA racing only.

Good Luck, FH

P.S. I saw a guy advertise a dB program for sale ($50) on Yahoo Horse Players United message board, Post# 23364. Email: database_cruncher@yahoo.com

[GR1@HTR]

www.sportstat.com used to run a dB query service. Not enough demand for him to make money so now he is in selection service.

[Dave Schwartz]

Melman,

Our agreement with our provider prevents us from dispensing data in any form.

That leaves us (and all like us) out of the picture.

Regards,
Dave Schwartz

[BillW]

Dave,

Just what does "any form" mean. Does it prevent discussion of the results of individual queries (as we are apt to do here on the board)? Does this just apply to you because of your commercial nature or to all of us data junkies?


Bill W.

[PaceAdvantage]

Technically, it's most likely everyone....although I've only glanced over the fine print of such end-user agreements. Others will probably have a more definitive answer.

==PA

[Dave Schwartz]

Actually, it is something that we cannot discuss.

Regards,
Dave Schwartz

[Tom]

We wouldn't want to upset the Equi-bastards, now would we?
You start dispensing data and people might actually find a real use for it. then where we be?
It boggles the mind!
They won't sell us what we want, and won't let us get it ourselves.
Answer me this, how, in any stretch of the imagination,
is allowing people to sell par times hurting the data -whores?

Tom

[skyblue1]

There is one site that does promote its queries now. Just finished their interface which was the hard part as has been pointed out already.

The Caveat. The query structure is for the handicapping reports provided by the service. This would be a "might/might not" like it situation. His data does come from Equibase where Dave's data comes from HDW (who uses the Equibase structure I think).

Anyway, if any of you want to check this out he makes all of his handicapping reports available for the last year. It's Jim Kitt at http://www.tracstar.com and his monthly fee is very reasonable although the selection of tracks can vary from day-to-day.