Daily variant history

[socantra]

Can anyone help me with when the DRF daily variant first appeared in the Eastern and Western editions of the DRF?

I was rereading some Ray Taulbot the other day and noticed it was NOT in the Eastern edition as late as spring 1973. It is my understanding that different features appeared at different times in the two editions.

I am particularly interested in when the daily variant first made its appearance in the Western edition, but would appreciate any general information on when various features appeared in the two editions.

Thanks,
socantra...

[46zilzal]

did you know that if you do a search for DRF, you also get the Deafness Research Foundation?

I sent an e-mail to them asking your question and will report it when I find out.

[Tom]

It was in Morning Telegraph on the East coast as long as I can remember - in the 60's.

[socantra]

did you know that if you do a search for DRF, you also get the Deafness Research Foundation?

I sent an e-mail to them asking your question and will report it when I find out.
Yep, I knew that. Already did both, but thanks.

socantra...

[socantra]

It was in Morning Telegraph on the East coast as long as I can remember - in the 60's.

Maybe that's why I've always heard that players preferred the Telegraph.

What I'm finding so far indicates between '74 and '77 for the East Coast edition of the DRF. Beyer's Picking Winners shows no variant in late '73 and Quirin's Winning At the Races shows a variant in early '78.

So far, I haven't come up with anyone writing on the left coast at that time.

socantra...

[Figman]

I remember going to Saratoga Race Track when both Triangle Publication's The Morning Telegraph and the Daily Racing Form were available each day. The Morning Telegraph was 35 cents a copy and probably outsold the Daily Racing Form 99 copies to 1 for the Racing Form. I always bought the "Tele" but the Racing Form intrigued me as it was a tabloid unlike the standard newspaper. It was like the NY Daily Mirror or the NY Daily News but with all the past performances. I bought a copy one day and found no fractional times and no race variants and felt cheated. I went right back to the Morning Telegraph.

[kenwoodallpromos]

For sure it was after Secretariat won the Belmont and speed was king!

[AwolAwolAtPA]

[quote FIGMAN:]
I bought a copy one day and found no fractional times and no race variants and felt cheated. I went right back to the Morning Telegraph. [end quote FIGMAN]

hey Figman,

you may have a clue to solving this mystery.

With the year that this happened, then Socantra will know the year when Eastern DRF did NOT have the race variants but Tele was reporting variants.

duane

[Figman]

I have the past performances of the great gelding EXTERMINATOR that raced from 1917 through 1924 and every line in his 100 races (of which he won 50) have a speed rating AND a daily track variant.

And I recall there was just one edition of the Daily Racing Form back in the 1960s, an edition widely available on the west coast and sparsely available in the East. It was brought into the New York racetracks to satisfy any mid-westerners or left-coast people who were used to it and maybe even demanded it.

[socantra]

I suspect that your exterminator past performances may be like the Sea Biscuit and Secretariat past performances on the internet, where the variant was added after the fact.

I have found some DRF past performances from the west coast. They come from William L. Scott's How Will Your Horse Run Today. The book contains past performance reproductions from California in 1982 and shows speed ratings with NO daily variant.

socantra...