What is your opinion on equipment?

[cashmachine]

Hello, I want to ask experienced handicappers: what is your opinion about equipment in general? There are so many different types of equipment, and horses constantly change it. Some horses have it more than the others.

I herd two opposite ideas about equipment: some people say that some equipment, especially applied first time, can lead to significant improvement in performance, and thus should be viewed as positive indicator. Other people argue that any applied equipment is a negative sign because it means that horse has severe problems and trainer simply tries to minimize horse's bad habits.

What is your opinion on this matter?

[thaskalos]

We all know what logic dictates when it comes to equipment changes...but logic doesn't always win out at the track.

About 20 years ago...a fellow horseplayer tried to alert me as to the importance of taking the blinkers OFF a horse...especially if this horse was a front-runner -- or was running in Canada. For years I ignored him...because I had never heard or read ANYBODY voice the opinion that the blinkers-off experiment was a positive. Everybody would say that removing a horse's blinkers was an act of desperation by the trainer...indicating that the blinkers-on maneuver didn't work.

As it turned out...the man who tried to educate me about the blinkers-off horses proved to be the ONLY verifiable winner that I have ever met at the track -- and the blinkers-off angle remains a very important part of his gambling repertoire.

[DeltaLover]

Hello, I want to ask experienced handicappers: what is your opinion about equipment in general? There are so many different types of equipment, and horses constantly change it. Some horses have it more than the others.

I herd two opposite ideas about equipment: some people say that some equipment, especially applied first time, can lead to significant improvement in performance, and thus should be viewed as positive indicator. Other people argue that any applied equipment is a negative sign because it means that horse has severe problems and trainer simply tries to minimize horse's bad habits.

What is your opinion on this matter?

Here (http://www.themindofagambler.com/2013/02/23/blinkers-on-and-off/) I am summarize how I view equipment changes.

[Robert Goren]

Equipment changes are educated attempts to grasping at straws.

[ultracapper]

To me it's an indication the trainer is trying something. It could be to get a better performance from the horse, or it could be an attempt to show the owners that "Hey, I'm trying anything". Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Each instance is it's own experience for me as a handicapper because I haven't found a single move that absolutely means WINNER yet. I think first time Lasix is probably one of the more powerful "equipment" changes, and first time gelded, but again, each instance is it's own experience.

[barn32]

I used to run marathons in my loafers. One day, someone suggested that I try these new fangled running shoes (sneakers).

I made the change and I improved a lot.

[bgbootha]

Here (http://www.themindofagambler.com/2013/02/23/blinkers-on-and-off/) I am summarize how I view equipment changes.

Great read! Nice work!

I love stuff like that, keep it up

[Fingal]

Equipment changes are educated attempts to grasping at straws.

True. To use an easy number let's say a trainer is 25% winners with putting blinkers on a horse for the 1st time. I say turn it around- that means he has 75% losers when trying that move.

[iceknight]

My opinion on equipment? It not the equipment, it is how you use it :lol:

but on a serious note, I can keep an eye on class dropping maidens that are getting blinkers for the first time. If the odds are good and the track favors early speed, I bet them

[fmolf]

My opinion on equipment? It not the equipment, it is how you use it :lol:

but on a serious note, I can keep an eye on class dropping maidens that are getting blinkers for the first time. If the odds are good and the track favors early speed, I bet them
Totally agree,when young horse or lightly raced maidens get equiptment changes i pay attention.With older horses, for me its a sign that they are not interested in racing and the trainer is trying to bring them back.More important to me are surface and distance changes as well as shippers and barn changes.

[Grits]

Hhhmm. This is a really subjective title for a thread. :lol:

[RaceBookJoe]

I like seeing a trainer put mud caulks on a horse on a wet track..doesn't mean a winner, but makes me feel the trainer has positive intentions. I look at blinkers on/off but again, I don't bet solely on a change..but if I already like the horse and I feel its a positive change I bump up the chances of my selection.

[Sapio]

Here (http://www.themindofagambler.com/2013/02/23/blinkers-on-and-off/) I am summarize how I view equipment changes.

Hi DeletaLOver

Interesting article...

Can you explain how you do the following:

Calculating Chi Square using observed results and expected values based on the odds


observed/expected values using percentages
87.00/ 83.12 140.00/ 143.88 totals = 227 227.0

6591.00/ 6935.26 11509.00/11164.74 totals = 18100 18100.0

total observed=18327
total expected=18327.0

Thank you

Thomas Sapio

[Valuist]

I've always felt its most significant early in the horse's career; 2nd or 3rd start most specifically. Some trainers are very good with 2nd or 3rd time starters, and often times there's an equipment change that accounts for the improvement.