What's Happened to Hanidcapper-Sweep

[Maxspa]

All,
Sweep used to be featured in nearly every track that the DRF covered. Lately, I've seem less and less of his handicapping line. Has he retired or is he being phased out? His line used to be pretty accurate and if he had graded a horse 20-1 or greater you could safely throw that horse out and concentrate on the remaining entries.
Maxspa

[toetoe]

Okay, I'll bite. Sweep is different pickers to different people. Give me Scott Ehlers or Michael Hammersly or, well, give me death. Yeah, death. Sure.

[midnight]

"Trackman", "Handicap", "Hermis," and "Sweep" have been used by the Daily Racing Form for many decades, the latter two trademarked. Different people have assumed each role over the years, and usually the DRF employees would split up the various roles at the tracks covered: for example, one employee might be Handicap at one track, Hermis at another track, and Sweep at two others. "Sweep" was usually the person who had the best grasp on a particular track, (other than "Trackman").

[Maxspa]

Midnight,
Thanks for the update regarding Sweeps! If I interpret your post correctly, any handicapper in the DRF that posts all the entries and gives them an odds rating really is the same handicapper as Sweep only the name is different!
Maxspa

[Steve 'StatMan']

Basically, when a nom-de-plume is used, there is no guarantee from day to day who the handicapper(s) is(are). If you see an actual person's name underneath it, then it is that person, or that person in the 'role' of 'Sweep' or 'Hermis' or whatever handicapper for that track's card on that day.

[midnight]

I don't know how the DRF does it nowadays. I know that back in the 70's and early 80's, Each DRF employee would be assigned a number of tracks in a regional area.

My first post here was a slight error, because each employee would generally be assigned as "Sweep" to only one track, due to the extra work needed to create the line and comments. That employee would be "Hermis" and "Handicap" at other tracks, where only the three selections would be needed.

I've been told that "Trackman" was generally one of the chart callers/clockers for a particular track, and that person didn't generally act as a handicapper for any other tracks.

[maxwell]

I read somewhere that each DRF capper does one aspect of the process : speed, form, class, etc. And then they tally the points. A sort of equine puzzle.

Some of them do 5 or 6 tracks in a given day. Which wouldn't be too difficult if you were doing 1/4 of the process?

[Maxspa]

Guys,
Appreciate all the responses to original question.
Thanks very much,
Maxspa