Do you play more than one racetrack?

[WJ47]

I generally only play NYRA tracks and by the time I do all of my trainer records, key race research, and handicap, it takes hours! I'm wondering how those that play multiple tracks keep up with it all? I'd love to add a few more tracks, but I just don't have the time.

[levinmpa]

I guess it all just depends on your handicapping methods. Many players are now using software to handicap. This means that they can crunch numbers in seconds instead of several minutes or hours if done manually. This time savings means that more tracks can be handicapped. I for one concentrate on finding what I feel are value plays. There is obviously an opportunity to find many more of these plays by handicapping multiple tracks. These multi track players may not know any one circuit as well as you know NYRA, but they have the advantage of spreading out and finding opportunities that aren't available to a one circuit player.

If you're winning doing it your way then no one should criticise your methods. If on the other hand you're struggling to show a profit and just enjoy the handicapping process, then perhaps you should think about looking into ways to find more and better wagering opportunities. I don't think multi track handicapping for profit can be achieved without the assistance of software. The time savings and the elimination of mistakes compared to manual handicapping makes this possible. Perhaps there is a software package out there that can automate much of what you do. Make some inquiries.

Good luck.

[bettheoverlay]

I can only go to the SPhilly Turf Club on Saturdays (no legal internet gambling in Jersey), I'm usually chomping at the bit so I play 8 tracks, sometimes more. I use the Bris Prime Power #s to get contenders, and spend about a minute a race looking for favorite angles among those contenders at a fair price. Strangely, I do much better with this simple approach than when I agonize for hours over one race card.

[kenwoodallpromos]

I save time by not considering weight, finish times, speed figures, pace, key races, etc. I only consider consistency for show; and running style matching surface speed and bias for win bets. If you cannot point to at most 3 major factors that will make your horse win or lose you are studying too hard! For show i handicap the whole DRF in 2 to 2 1.2 hours, 40 races. For win i handicap a track in at most 1/2 hour without the computer. / The jockey Club already handoicaps the race by weight for me, and at most tracks speed figures correlate with speed.

[Fastracehorse]

It's very hard work - but the better you get at it the faster it goes.

I'm not a software player - and it takes me a good hour per card. That is still pretty good time-wise.

I think the key is: The research your doing now - Is it worth it??

You will probably say yes - but I've proved myself wrong many times.

In otherwords., distill the game to what works.

fffastt

[WJ47]

Thanks, everyone. I pretty much handicap only by researching key races and spreading my bets accordingly (like using the horse from the key race in exactas, trifectas, and win bets). I do a little basic handicapping for pick 3s and pick 4s if I have a horse or two in any of those races. But generally I hate to do regular capping. There are too many factors to consider and my head starts to hurt. I pretty much identify key races, put the horses on my "to watch" list and if the horse is entered, I place a wager on it. Not too much to think about, which is what I like! :) I don't get too many plays though. Today, I had two plays (2 of the horses on my watchlist at Aqueduct were racing at Tampa Bay and Finger Lakes). I guess it gets a little tedius and I'd like more action, but I don't like to put more than a small bet on a horse unless I have done my homework on him. I may try reading some of the books from the handicapping library board and look into some software too! :) I spend an average of 3-4 hours daily researching NYRA, so I'd have to change my method greatly to play more tracks. I do look at some other tracks, but that is only if a horse is coming up to a NY track and I want to check out who he has raced against at the previous track.

As far as if it is worth it, lets just say that I do have alot of losers because I don't consider the competition in the current race, just the fact that the horse I am betting because he is on the list. I know that sounds crazy, but if I over analyze the competition, I second guess my horse, and I have learned that this has the potential to cause alot of agony! Once I had a horse on my watch list (named Wild Term). He had been in a key race, but finished poorly. I thought that another horse in the race was stronger, so I didn't bet Wild Term, and of course he won and paid $147.00 and I felt like jumping off a bridge for being so stupid to go against my own "rules" of wagering. So while I don't have a super high win percentage, one long priced winner goes a long way in padding a bankroll, I don't bet a horse unless I can get 8/1 or higher.

I love this board! Everyone is so knowledgeable. I don't post too much, but I read everyday! :) I was just curious on how some play so many different tracks!

[Fastracehorse]

This game can hurt alot.

I developed a speed fig from doing key races - which I like alot.

Good Luck,

fffastt

[Fastracehorse]

Originally posted by Fastracehorse@DRF
This game can hurt alot.

I developed a speed fig from doing key races - which I like alot.

Good Luck,

fffastt

Just wanted to see how the quote button worked - lol.

fffastt

[kenwoodallpromos]

If you consider the relative value play of each of your horses, you should profit even if you do not consider the competition.

[Valuist]

WJ47-

I agree 100% on the watch list. I don't think its crazy; sometimes you have to bet back those horses without overanalyzing. There are exceptions; like if its primarily a turf horse and they switch to dirt (or vica versa). Nothing worse than having a horse listed as a betback, then start handicapping and talk yourself off a good priced winner.

[Exactaman]

Originally posted by Valuist
Nothing worse than having a horse listed as a betback, then start handicapping and talk yourself off a good priced winner.

How about betting said horses when they don't fit and losing money over the years because of it?