Racing Advance?

[pmconway]

I was just getting interested in handicapping after hearing my friend
rave about his luck. Then he admitted that, mostly, he was using the
Vegas Racing Advance and has had poor luck ever since its apparent
demise. Can someone tell me where to find this racing form? Maybe
online? If it's no longer available, are any of you having comparable
success with another form?

Thanks a lot for your help.

[dav4463]

I have always used the Daily Racing Form. I could not handicap without it because it is what I started with and got used to. If you are just starting out, I would suggest that you pick any past performances and start using them. If you get familiar with it, then you will start noticing the winner's patterns. I think you can win with any PP's, but it helps to be very familiar with what you use.

[hurrikane]

IMO,
If you have any computer skills at all I would stay away from the DRF.

Seems the price keeps going up and the service sucks.

Just my opinion.
You can get a lot of pp data for relatively little money for your computer and you don't have all those papers laying around.

now if you have a puppy, that's differnt.

[pmconway]

hurrikane - please remember, I'm a rank newbie. I've only even looked at the DRF a couple of times. However, I am computer savvy and that appeals to me. What data source and software would you recommend to get better results than the DRF?

Thanks again,

Trish

[Zman179]

The Vegas Racing Advance was bought out by DRF, so you can kiss the VRA goodbye. If I were you, I'd go to brisnet.com. Rates are cheap (free if you place a bet with them) and the quality of info is way better than the DRF.

[twindouble]

hurrikane - please remember, I'm a rank newbie. I've only even looked at the DRF a couple of times. However, I am computer savvy and that appeals to me. What data source and software would you recommend to get better results than the DRF?

Thanks again,

Trish

Hi Trish; I've been using nothing but the DRF for many years, been good to me. I sit here hoping more triditional handicappers show up on on this site. How would a rank newbie know about handicapping software?


T.D.

[hurrikane]

I would agree with Z,

I play every track every day so I pay for a monthly download. If you are not going to play at that level then you could start out with bris files.

I personally use HTR. I'm not going to get into marketing mode (you're welcome PA). Search the site, You will find a lot of info from all kinds of software vendors. some post up here and the ones that do post up here from my experience and references they are all very good.

I would not say that the software can get better results that drf. it's really up to the handicapper to make the software work...as well as the drf.

[pmconway]

Thanks for the additional info, hurrikane. I checked out HTR. Definitely more program than I'll be able to manage for the foreseeable future, especially at $119 a month. ;)

I looked into BRIS too. But - how to decide among their 7 software freebies and their countless data packages! Is there any site which evaluates handicapping software or suggests a managed, graduated approach for the newbie just starting out? Maybe there's a good software tutorial?

I really appreciate your help (& patience)!

Trish