PaceAdvantage
09-07-2006, 10:25 AM
Much like I felt when I first opened The Horse Street Handicapper a number of years ago, I don't know where to begin, so I will just let the thoughts flow, with the advance warning that there will probably be a few "parts" to this review.
The Horse Street Handicapper comes with a reputation of being difficult to master, in part because of the technology of the software itself, but also because of the man behind the software, Dave Schwartz.
Dave's been around this game a long time now, and many of you knew him way back when with his first product, ThoroBrain (probably the best name ever given to a piece of handicapping software). The subsequent newsletter, BrainWaves, of which I was an avid reader, was also far ahead of its time back in the early to mid 90s.
Enough of the history lesson. Suffice it to say, Dave Schwartz knows his stuff when it comes to horse racing, handicapping, the mathematics surrounding the game, and what it takes to create a complete, computer-based handicapping tool.
That's where The Horse Street Handicapper (HSH) comes in....
Although Dave has been gracious enough to send me various copies of HSH over the years for review, I've never been able to devote the kind of time necessary to learning enough about the software to feel I had the RIGHT to WRITE a review worthy of publishing. This is partly my fault, and partly Dave's, as the lack of any substantial WRITTEN documentation about HSH is probably its biggest downfall in the eyes of a new user. It makes the task of learning HSH that much more daunting when you have no reference to fall back upon.
Thankfully, this is one of the few negatives I can report about the product. I have been using and learning version 3.11 of the software since early June, and three months later, I am comfortable enough to report that I think Dave may be onto something here (possibly the understatement of the year). I should add that to Dave's credit, he has produced a wonderful collection of informational video and audio CDs which are a must have if you want to master the different aspects of this all-encompassing handicapping program.
What Dave Schwartz has created with HSH is the ultimate handicapper's tool box. HSH is indeed a laboratory of sorts, where you can reach for a myriad of elements, mix them together, and create any number of monsters you can then use to attack the races in a profitable manner.
You want to try your hand at artificial intelligence? HSH has it (Swarms).
You want pace analysis? HSH incorporates a pace handicapping module of which I have only scratched the surface.
You want to model? HSH's dynamic filters and Pickmaster are two of the more robust modeling systems I have ever used....I'll let a post from this very website decribe the Pickmaster tool:
It is Christmas and Dave Schwartz gave his HSH Pro users a Christmas present. It is called PickMaster. What it does is use a dynamic filter to go into the database and pull out races that meet the criteria of today’s race that is being handicapped. We do have control of the criteria. Then PickMaster goes through those races and calculates the statistics of impact values, pool impact values, wins, $Net, etc. This is pretty standard so far, now comes the good part. PickMaster will look at today’s race and eliminate the horses with the low statistics and mark the horses with the positive winning statistics. Best of all PickMaster will recalculate its statistics after each elimination and each positive selection and then show us the horses to eliminate and to bet in today’s race. As usual with Horsestreet Handicapping (HSH) we have control of the program so that people can do it their way and end up with their own selections. You want to try value betting off an odds line? HSH has the option of incorporating a "smoothed" odds lines, meaning it adjusts its own line by considering and incorporating somewhat, the actual tote board odds. When employing a contender selection process, this has proven to me to be invaluable.
Did I mention contender selection? HSH, in my own personal tests, has one of the highest contender hit rates I have come across in a piece of software. In addition to using HSH, I have taken a number of Dave's Basics of Winning classes, in which he gave me a number of ideas on how to come up with a solid contender selection process using HSH. I can report that in my most recent test of contenders (August 26, 2006) where I handicapped 104 races over 16 different racetracks (I did not use races where there were first time starters, and I did not use any races on dirt off tracks), I had the winner in my top 4 (in fields of 8 or more) and in my top 3 (in fields of 7 or less) 82.5% of the time.
Now mind you, the contender selection process I use requires a live tote link (there are a number of ways to achieve this with HSH, among them a simple copy and paste of the BRISbet SuperTote, as well as the optional incorporation of the At The Races tote software), as well as utilization of the database aspects of HSH along with the Pickmaster module. It's a fairly comprehensive process to say the least.
I have used this contender selection process as a jumping off point with HSH. With the high hit rate of the contenders, I reasoned it wouldn't take much to narrow my choices down to 1 or 2, but the question remained how? Dave has, as of late, advocated the use of dutching contenders based in part on their projected $Net returns. As anyone who has witnessed his "Live Play" outings on the Internet can attest, he has mastered the art of dutching his contenders for profit.
Myself? I have tried to go down that road, but I always end up seeking another way. Dutching to me, especially in this day and age, remains a highly stressful endeavor. Trying to time your wager into the pools at the last possible second, while dutching 3, 4, 5 or even more horses isn't the most calming of tasks.
Currently, I am utilizing more traditional ways to narrow down my contenders. By traditional, I am talking about HSH generated speed and pace figures, of which there are plenty to choose from. The results of my testing and actual wagering have been quite encouraging, and I look forward to doing some live testing on the board and in the War Room (http://www.paceadvantage.com/WRtips.html) in the near future.
I will wrap up this first part of my Random Walk Down HORSE STREET with a review of the basics of HSH. Make no mistake, this is a SERIOUS piece of software, aimed at the PROFESSIONAL or semi-PROFESSIONAL. And the price reflects this fact. Currently, HSH can be PURCHASED for $615 (shipping and ALL the the HSH videos are included in this price). It can also be rented for $50 per month plus a one time fee of $99 to cover the price of the videos and start-up tech support (shipping ads another $16). There is also a rent-to-own option, of which I will not get into the myriad details here. Check the website for more info.
Continuing on with the basics....
HSH utilizes the famous Dave Schwartz PAR TIMES, which can also be purchased separately for anyone interested in incorporating them into their own software. I have used Dave's pars for my home-grown handicapping endeavors in the past and can report that they are accurate and effective.
As far as data goes, HSH has partnered with HDW to offer downloading of all past performance data files for every track, as well as all the accompanying charts to complete your database, for $129 a month, around the standard price for most of the programs out there that are utilizing HDW data. As many have written here on this very website, HDW data is in a class by itself, and I for one am glad Dave partnered with this most excellent group of data providers.
No review would be complete without mentioning customer service. Dave Schwartz is quite accessible, as anyone who has called the number listed on his website can attest. Not only is he quite accessible, but he is also quite generous with his time. If you are genuinely interested in learning more about HSH, or if you are interested in learning more about any of the products or services he offers, give him a call during listed business hours.
Alas, we have come to the end of part one of my Random Walk Down HORSE STREET. In subsequent posts, I hope to discuss the Basics of Winning classes I have taken under Dave's tutelage, as well as offer more insights into The Horse Street Handicapper.
For more info on HSH:
http://horsestreet.com/
The Horse Street Handicapper comes with a reputation of being difficult to master, in part because of the technology of the software itself, but also because of the man behind the software, Dave Schwartz.
Dave's been around this game a long time now, and many of you knew him way back when with his first product, ThoroBrain (probably the best name ever given to a piece of handicapping software). The subsequent newsletter, BrainWaves, of which I was an avid reader, was also far ahead of its time back in the early to mid 90s.
Enough of the history lesson. Suffice it to say, Dave Schwartz knows his stuff when it comes to horse racing, handicapping, the mathematics surrounding the game, and what it takes to create a complete, computer-based handicapping tool.
That's where The Horse Street Handicapper (HSH) comes in....
Although Dave has been gracious enough to send me various copies of HSH over the years for review, I've never been able to devote the kind of time necessary to learning enough about the software to feel I had the RIGHT to WRITE a review worthy of publishing. This is partly my fault, and partly Dave's, as the lack of any substantial WRITTEN documentation about HSH is probably its biggest downfall in the eyes of a new user. It makes the task of learning HSH that much more daunting when you have no reference to fall back upon.
Thankfully, this is one of the few negatives I can report about the product. I have been using and learning version 3.11 of the software since early June, and three months later, I am comfortable enough to report that I think Dave may be onto something here (possibly the understatement of the year). I should add that to Dave's credit, he has produced a wonderful collection of informational video and audio CDs which are a must have if you want to master the different aspects of this all-encompassing handicapping program.
What Dave Schwartz has created with HSH is the ultimate handicapper's tool box. HSH is indeed a laboratory of sorts, where you can reach for a myriad of elements, mix them together, and create any number of monsters you can then use to attack the races in a profitable manner.
You want to try your hand at artificial intelligence? HSH has it (Swarms).
You want pace analysis? HSH incorporates a pace handicapping module of which I have only scratched the surface.
You want to model? HSH's dynamic filters and Pickmaster are two of the more robust modeling systems I have ever used....I'll let a post from this very website decribe the Pickmaster tool:
It is Christmas and Dave Schwartz gave his HSH Pro users a Christmas present. It is called PickMaster. What it does is use a dynamic filter to go into the database and pull out races that meet the criteria of today’s race that is being handicapped. We do have control of the criteria. Then PickMaster goes through those races and calculates the statistics of impact values, pool impact values, wins, $Net, etc. This is pretty standard so far, now comes the good part. PickMaster will look at today’s race and eliminate the horses with the low statistics and mark the horses with the positive winning statistics. Best of all PickMaster will recalculate its statistics after each elimination and each positive selection and then show us the horses to eliminate and to bet in today’s race. As usual with Horsestreet Handicapping (HSH) we have control of the program so that people can do it their way and end up with their own selections. You want to try value betting off an odds line? HSH has the option of incorporating a "smoothed" odds lines, meaning it adjusts its own line by considering and incorporating somewhat, the actual tote board odds. When employing a contender selection process, this has proven to me to be invaluable.
Did I mention contender selection? HSH, in my own personal tests, has one of the highest contender hit rates I have come across in a piece of software. In addition to using HSH, I have taken a number of Dave's Basics of Winning classes, in which he gave me a number of ideas on how to come up with a solid contender selection process using HSH. I can report that in my most recent test of contenders (August 26, 2006) where I handicapped 104 races over 16 different racetracks (I did not use races where there were first time starters, and I did not use any races on dirt off tracks), I had the winner in my top 4 (in fields of 8 or more) and in my top 3 (in fields of 7 or less) 82.5% of the time.
Now mind you, the contender selection process I use requires a live tote link (there are a number of ways to achieve this with HSH, among them a simple copy and paste of the BRISbet SuperTote, as well as the optional incorporation of the At The Races tote software), as well as utilization of the database aspects of HSH along with the Pickmaster module. It's a fairly comprehensive process to say the least.
I have used this contender selection process as a jumping off point with HSH. With the high hit rate of the contenders, I reasoned it wouldn't take much to narrow my choices down to 1 or 2, but the question remained how? Dave has, as of late, advocated the use of dutching contenders based in part on their projected $Net returns. As anyone who has witnessed his "Live Play" outings on the Internet can attest, he has mastered the art of dutching his contenders for profit.
Myself? I have tried to go down that road, but I always end up seeking another way. Dutching to me, especially in this day and age, remains a highly stressful endeavor. Trying to time your wager into the pools at the last possible second, while dutching 3, 4, 5 or even more horses isn't the most calming of tasks.
Currently, I am utilizing more traditional ways to narrow down my contenders. By traditional, I am talking about HSH generated speed and pace figures, of which there are plenty to choose from. The results of my testing and actual wagering have been quite encouraging, and I look forward to doing some live testing on the board and in the War Room (http://www.paceadvantage.com/WRtips.html) in the near future.
I will wrap up this first part of my Random Walk Down HORSE STREET with a review of the basics of HSH. Make no mistake, this is a SERIOUS piece of software, aimed at the PROFESSIONAL or semi-PROFESSIONAL. And the price reflects this fact. Currently, HSH can be PURCHASED for $615 (shipping and ALL the the HSH videos are included in this price). It can also be rented for $50 per month plus a one time fee of $99 to cover the price of the videos and start-up tech support (shipping ads another $16). There is also a rent-to-own option, of which I will not get into the myriad details here. Check the website for more info.
Continuing on with the basics....
HSH utilizes the famous Dave Schwartz PAR TIMES, which can also be purchased separately for anyone interested in incorporating them into their own software. I have used Dave's pars for my home-grown handicapping endeavors in the past and can report that they are accurate and effective.
As far as data goes, HSH has partnered with HDW to offer downloading of all past performance data files for every track, as well as all the accompanying charts to complete your database, for $129 a month, around the standard price for most of the programs out there that are utilizing HDW data. As many have written here on this very website, HDW data is in a class by itself, and I for one am glad Dave partnered with this most excellent group of data providers.
No review would be complete without mentioning customer service. Dave Schwartz is quite accessible, as anyone who has called the number listed on his website can attest. Not only is he quite accessible, but he is also quite generous with his time. If you are genuinely interested in learning more about HSH, or if you are interested in learning more about any of the products or services he offers, give him a call during listed business hours.
Alas, we have come to the end of part one of my Random Walk Down HORSE STREET. In subsequent posts, I hope to discuss the Basics of Winning classes I have taken under Dave's tutelage, as well as offer more insights into The Horse Street Handicapper.
For more info on HSH:
http://horsestreet.com/