Dave Powers-RPM Picks

[PMANN1]

Has anyone used Dave Powers picks for Del Mar or any other So Cal meet. I know his claims on the systems he sells are exagerated (I need spell check here) but he does sell some decent stuff and I've found him to be great to work with on the business end. I actually broke down and tried him for a Santa Anita meet and it wasn't pretty. Luckily I took a wait and see approach and only bet 2 of his picks. I know everyone has off meets but if you're selling you shouldn't lose a lot more than the track take for a meet. Anyone else tried him?

[JimG]

I actually used him at Del Mar a few years ago and he did well when I used them. By his own admission, Del Mar is his best track.


Jim

[dav4463]

RPM is in it to make money and they do have some pretty outlandish claims. However, any time I have called them they are always more than happy to help out. I bought System 17 a while back and found that by adding one more rule (eliminate horses with a negative or suspicious class move) it is a great win/place system for sprint races. I am not that good with sprints.... I specialize in races over 1 mile and turf races, and use System 17 for sprints and have shown a profit over my first 50 sprints using the method. I know 50 races is not enough to base an opinion, but a profit is a profit !

[JimG]

I've always had a degree of respect toward David Powers given the cordial dealings I have had with him over the phone, but this latest thing has really got me steamed.

In the latest issue of Thoroughbred Investor Monthly, David Powers talks about money management. No big deal right??..well this is where it gets interesting. He talks about starting out playing the horses and having poor money management techniques when lo and behold his old high school pal Clint Tracy teaches him correct money management techniques. Seems Clint was the only other person in high school that also liked to play the horses, therefore, he and David Powers became life long buddies.

The kicker...David Powers has admitted to me in the past that he and Clint Tracy are the same person. It is one thing to write handicapping systems using two names and quite another to tell big lies concerning friends that helped you win at the races.

I am not going to quote anything for the article due to copyright stuff but if you happen to subscribe to this monthly, you'll have to read it to believe it.

Jim

[anotherdave]

That stuff is all through "Power Handicapping" too. Talks about meeting him in high school, etc. Basically has him interviewing "Clint Tracy".

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[dav4463]

Maybe he is like that old movie "Sybil "...lots of other personalities!

[sligg]

I bought a system from him "Hammering The Chalk" which I returned for a refund. The system did not live up to his usual exaggerated hype but he only refunded part of the money the refund stated-so he beat me out of 10 bucks.

Most of his emails use the Clint Tracy signature.

Most of the systems and methods he sells are the usual junk that naturally the sales hype says shows a profit. But who at RPM does the testing-certainly not Dave Powers nor anyone else.

RPM is just as bad as Philips Racing Newsletter.

[Rick]

If Powers were posting on this board he'd say you should give him the benefit of the doubt, and quote somebody who swears he really can do it, and you're just jealous if you think he can't do it. And if you asked "where's the proof", he could tell you about how he tested it on 800,000 races. Any skepticism, of course, would provoke verbal retaliation.

[Lefty]

Sligg, don't lump Powers with PRN. PRN sells nothing but their newsletter and does a great service. Just because Barry Meadow has done a hatchet job on them doesn't mean it's true. PRN has saved me hundreds if not thousands over the yrs by keeping me off obvious junk. And they have been instrumental in lots of these system sellers giving refunds.

[Rick]

Lefty,

I haven't seen PRN for years. I understand it's the son writing it now. In the past (father writing) it was always a good way to learn about what new products were available. Their home-grown systems were never too good and the ratings of other's systems were always debatable, but the descriptions of what was available were always worthwhile.

[Lefty]

Yes, the son, Alan took over when Russ, the father died a few yrs ago. For the time constraints they're under they do a worthwhile job. I've never paid much att to their "homegrown" systems. When they say a system or method is below 5 better leave it alone.
And nothing gets a real high rating if the seller doesn't offer a refund of some sort.

[Rick]

Lefty,

It's a service that nobody else provides. BM hasn't impressed me that much since telling me I need to be skeptical is "teaching to the choir".

[Lefty]

Rick, back in 1977 I decided to start my own newsletter and compete with PRN and the now defunct Systems & Methods. I only lasted about a yr. It's a ton of work and impossible to do extensive reviews of everything "out there" and that was before the advent of all the computer prgms.

[Rick]

Lefty,

It seems like one of the problems would be getting copies of all of the systems and methods without bankrupting yourself and at the same time staying objective. Maybe PRN found that it was more profitable to compromise a little in order to lower their cost of doing business. I never did put much faith in independent reviewers though. Movie reviews are the same way. I pay attention to how they describe the plot but not to how well they liked it. The consumer's opinion is more reliable.