quite the simulcast 3 day challange

[1st time lasix]

Spent time dillengtly handicapping in advance and carefully decided what exotic pools to use based on my opinions and the odds being offered during the long three day weekend. Passed many races and restricted my play to some of the races at Gulfstream, Tampa, the Big A and Oaklawn that caught my eye. Man this is a very tough game! Head-bobbing photo finishes.... just missing parts of overlay exactas, trifectas and superfectas.... Hitting two out of three..... or three out of four in the horizontals. It seemed like I was "all around it" and it felt like I just needed one nice one to fall my way. I managed a near breakeven $$$ overall by hitting a few tickets and staying within my bankroll {which is good considering the onerous take-outs} I enjoyed the mental stimulus......but I conclude again that this is a very tough game. I was motivated, experienced, calm and ready.... but didn't land anything to brag about. A few decent exactas, a triple and a couple of pick threes without favs in the first leg. Let's just say.....I didn't need my social security number. My hat is off to those that can beat it regularly.

[DanG]

You’re not kidding FTL…

That was a mental meat grinder of a long weekend. You couldn’t pay me enough to look at another replay today. (well, maybe there is a figure.) :)

The pools your in are obviously very stressful, not taking anything away from losing a large win bet. You never really forget the good scores lost in photos or by misfortune. It does get easier over time however and it helps to have some mature people around you who have survived the wars.

As you said…tough…Tough…TOUGH game.

[riskman]

It appears that you have all the components to be a winner.Handicapping is anything but easy. No guarantee. No pension plan. You live with uncertainty.You will experience wide swings in the size of your bankroll. And then there is the emotional swings.One day your on top of the world, the next day you are cursing yourself for being an idiot.Burnout can make you reckless ---learn when to back off. It is also a good idea if you can spend time with those who are succesfull --you will learn more from them than any handicapping book. The problem is, they are hard to find.Most of our competition want something from nothing.They do not do the necessary work. We need them--it makes our game easier.
Good luck to you-- you are on the right track.

[boomman]

It appears that you have all the components to be a winner.Handicapping is anything but easy. No guarantee. No pension plan. You live with uncertainty.You will experience wide swings in the size of your bankroll. And then there is the emotional swings.One day your on top of the world, the next day you are cursing yourself for being an idiot.Burnout can make you reckless ---learn when to back off. It is also a good idea if you can spend time with those who are succesfull --you will learn more from them than any handicapping book. The problem is, they are hard to find.Most of our competition want something from nothing.They do not do the necessary work. We need them--it makes our game easier.
Good luck to you-- you are on the right track.

Riskman: Your advice is exactly on the "right track", too!!:ThmbUp:

Boomer

[1st time lasix]

They do not do the necessary work. We need them--it makes our game easier.
Good luck to you-- [/QUOTE] Riskman..... In a perfect world where i could devote the needed time I would watch and re-watch every race run at my favorite venues for 2 and 3 year olds...taking notes and relating them back to the charts in an attempt to identify younger lightly raced talent, ....identify key and "negative" key races. Use a horse watch list and trainer library. As an experienced handicapper I already attempt to recognize the traditional form variables--class conditions, today's pace scenario, favorable distance eligibility, trainer angles, surface preferences, figs. to a lesser extent- equipment changes, jockey switches, Tomlinson numbers, work outs, post position etc. I also have learned to pass certain races {like low level claimers. lifetime 2 L races for older, 5 1/2 fulong turf sprints, races where i think the public has the odds about right} and i have stressed using the proper para-mutual pools where there is a higher probability of an overlay and lower take outs. I also think proper money management bankroll techniques are underestimated by most players in the game for fifty plus days per year. All this doesn't guarantee anything if i wager improperly or just have poor racing luck. It is very difficult to be a winner! You must have some big days to offset most of the days when you don't do much of anything. I think the next stage in my development is probably using a rebate shop. I prefer to go to the local simulcast venue rather than stay at home but the economics may dictate it.

[riskman]

[/QUOTE] Riskman.... You must have some big days to offset most of the days when you don't do much of anything. I think the next stage in my development is probably using a rebate shop. I prefer to go to the local simulcast venue rather than stay at home but the economics may dictate it.[/QUOTE]


In my world, most days I "trade money" lose a little-- win a little more than I lose. Although I say "trade money" I am making a profit but it is basically paying my expenses ie. heat, light, maintenance,power, taxes, food, (I am mortgage free) downloading fees and other expenses related to handicapping info. I also have other forms of revenue-- investments and consulting fees related to my past association with a company in which I had a part ownership. Yes, it is the days when the $40 horse, the $200. exacta and the $ 1000-3000 Trifecta comes in that will make the months profits. When I look over my records I can point to maybe 10 to 20 days over the year that account for 60% of my profits. I am speaking for myself.
At one time, years 2002-2006 I did play full time. It took all of these years to hone whatever skills I have and to dispell the many "myths" associated with horse racing. At some point you learn to confine yourself to a few opportunities and become proficient in that area.Again, I speak for myself. The wagers that show the most profit get the biggest bankrolls. The losing wagers are dropped.
There are many people on this forum that have more knowledge and skills than I will ever have. I never made a post on this board for five years until recently. Most of my posts are in "off topic". I was a "lurker" and read everything on the board. After awhile you get to know the players who are the "real deal". There is no doubt that this forum had a a major influence in the way that I approach this game. It helped me a great deal.
Again, you appear to be doing everything that I would do--
It appears that you have the ability to make decisions under conditions which are never certain. There is always the "bad trip" trainer intent, the misread on the pace, the hidden form, and all the other unknown factors that we the public are unaware of and that is out of our control. That is part of the game that we have to accept. Losing is part of the game but one has to concentrate our energies on improving the areas that we can control. Invest the most money in the most profitable scenarios.

[Pell Mell]

Narrow it down, Specialize!:ThmbUp:

[FlyinLate]

You live with uncertainty.You will experience wide swings in the size of your bankroll. And then there is the emotional swings.One day your on top of the world, the next day you are cursing yourself for being an idiot.Burnout can make you reckless ---learn when to back off.

Agreed. Use this week for example. I've been only playing win bets recently. Completely avoiding all exotics and testing my skills.

Monday-14 out of 20 winners. Great day. Only 3 or 4 of them were favorites and two were over $25 winners.

Tuesday-1 out of 17. WTF? I had 7 seconds, 5 thirds, and the other 4 ran off the board. I second guessed myself out of a 15-1 winner as well. BAD DAY. :bang: