Comparing 'Different Distance' races

[sq764]

(Sorry if the heading is confusing)

Sometimes I have a hard time comparing horses past performances in a race when many of them have run different distances in their past 2 or 3 races. (Ex: 1 mile race, 5 horses went 6F last race, 2 went a mile and 2 went 1 1/8)

How do you compar these, or at least make it a little easier to do?


Scott

[Dick Schmidt]

SQ764,

What your are asking about is, in my opinion, the very heart and soul of handicapping. Some friends of mine and I asked that very same question about 15 years ago and wound up spending two years developing a complete handicapping technology (Total Pace Ratings, or TPR).

We felt that if we could answer that question, we could know which horse was the fastest in the race and would win. Not 100% of course, but most of the time. I know there are other aspects to predicting which horse will prevail, but in every type of racing I am aware of, be it horses, people or stock cars, going fast is a good thing. Bet on the fastest horse based on an accurate historical analysis and you will win far more than your share.

If you want a more complete answer, American Turf Monthly or GBC still carry our book. Good luck in your search for an answer.

Dick

"The race is not always to the swift, nor the fight to the strong, but that's the way to bet." - Ring Lardner

[BIG HIT]

Hi sq764 If the race today is a sprint would look at a router that had early spd and fractions say all sprinters ran 6f lr at 111.3.I would want the router to hit 6f mark at least 112.3 and preferably faster regaurdless how he finished the route race.I today is a route a sprinter that ran a 1/2 in his sprint when leading that was 2 sec faster then all routers in race or must have closed ground in a 24 sec final furlong.Wish could be more help Have great day