DRF drops Sweep's comments?

[BlueShoe]

This is pretty minor stuff,but about 2 or 3 weeks ago noticed that my SoCal edition of the Form no longer carries comments on the selectors page.For decades it was there,usually under the byline of Sweep.Also the name Sweep has been dropped on the selectors column.The graded handicap still there,but no comments.This situation is for all tracks listed for that day,not just California tracks.Just speculating,but could this be a cost cutting effort by the DRF due to declining circulation and revenues?The Trackmans analysis by such men as Free and Litfin still given for a few tracks,as is the Closer Look remarks in the pp's.For those of you that get the hardcopy Form,is it just in the West Coast,or has your edition also dropped the comments?Never payed much attention to public handicappers for obvious reasons,but when things go away,you wonder if there are financial or other problems at the DRF.Recall that not so long ago they had five,not the present four,on the selectors page.

[King Ritchie]

I heard that DRF laid off all the handicappers at the Lexington office a few months ago.

[Greyfox]

I can see why the DRF lays off selectors at lots of tracks.
Some of them give almost every horse in a race a chance with comments like
"interesting," "every right to improve," "should do better on the class drop," "look who's in the irons today," "respect this barn," and so on.

The only two that I pay any attention to at all, at any track, are
Brad Free and Brian Mulligan who comment on the So Cal circuit.

[thelyingthief]

that "sweeps" was a pseudonym for the workout clocker. i believe it was cramer, in his book on form, who advocated a bet when sweeps isolated some contender as a best bet, AND the horse was ignored by the other DRF touts.

are they no longer in charge of clockers? has this duty fallen to the individual tracks or to equibase?

tlt

[Fingal]

I can see why the DRF lays off selectors at lots of tracks.
Some of them give almost every horse in a race a chance with comments like
"interesting," "every right to improve," "should do better on the class drop," "look who's in the irons today," "respect this barn," and so on.

The only two that I pay any attention to at all, at any track, are
Brad Free and Brian Mulligan who comment on the So Cal circuit.

For MANY YEARS Brian Mulligan was Sweep in the So. Cal DRF. :ThmbUp:

[Tuffmug]

What ticks me off is they don't publish the charts any more in the Form. The selector's page is like the comics to me, I get a good laugh at their selections!

[magwell]

What ticks me off is they don't publish the charts any more in the Form. The selector's page is like the comics to me, I get a good laugh at their selections! Your right.... I also miss the charts... I get a form everyday, the morning just isnt good without a "fresh form" but the charts I really miss I also could do without the selectors picks ....

[rgustafson]

I can see why the DRF lays off selectors at lots of tracks.
Some of them give almost every horse in a race a chance with comments like
"interesting," "every right to improve," "should do better on the class drop," "look who's in the irons today," "respect this barn," and so on.

The only two that I pay any attention to at all, at any track, are
Brad Free and Brian Mulligan who comment on the So Cal circuit.

Brad Free? Please tell me your joking.

[BlueShoe]

One other thought is the legal aspect.Is use of the name "Sweep" owned and copyrighted by the DRF?Has perhaps the copytight expired?Just thinking out loud.Like others,miss the charts not being published,and was quite annoyed when they were dropped.Of course,you can now buy the chart recap edition,or Simulcast Weekly,as it is now called,but that involves extra cost and effort to obtain.Have heard a few complaints from subscribers about copies mailed second class postage being delivered late,and first class postage being very expensive.Many retail outlets that carry the Form do not carry the SW edition,thus being a bit hard to obtain.

[turfbar]

I love to hear complaints against DRF.

Turfbar

[thelyingthief]

I love to hear complaints against DRF.

Turfbar

stupid. you should love complaints about the system which produced the DRF. some folks hate their big fat belly while eating marzipan. one is a symptom of the other.

tlt

[BeatTheChalk]

For MANY YEARS Brian Mulligan was Sweep in the So. Cal DRF. :ThmbUp:

"" Can't Fault All Recent .. " :jump: :ThmbUp: :lol: :D

[njcurveball]

Brad Free? Please tell me your joking.


If I had to choose one guy from the Form to read their analysis it would be Brad Free. Now if you said HERMIS! :lol:

[BeatTheChalk]

If I had to choose one guy from the Form to read their analysis it would be Brad Free. Now if you said HERMIS! :lol:

You Are Dating yourself .. if you say " Hermis. " :cool:

[King Ritchie]

I heard from a source on the inside that the handicapper with the worse ROI was Steve Klein.

[njcurveball]

You Are Dating yourself .. if you say " Hermis. " :cool:


He was so bad, he even got banned from being used by the DOT System! :bang:


His top choice immediately became the NO DOT horse. :lol:

[Fastracehorse]

It is apparent how they make their selections based on their angles given for the selection.

In many instances guys over-emphasize certain handicapping factors, such as track biases, class advantages, or, key races.

Some trackman's best bet's of the day make them appear as if they are on 'Crack'!

Brad Free is no better - he does a Del Mar thing where he has a negative ROI betting only one horse a day. Come on Brad, you are the trackman.

But having said the above, their comments can be useful, seeing trouble I haven't seen, recognizing an extreme bias I would have ignored, more intimate knowledge of connections and horses; and hence, I enjoy reading trackman comments.

fffastt

[turfbar]

Ostupid. you should love complaints about the system which produced the DRF. some folks hate their big fat belly while eating marzipan. one is a symptom of the other.

tlt

Obviously u didn't get the jest of my comment STOOPID,I love people complaining about the DRF,which is my paper of choice everyday,wether the form is $.60 or six dollars I will buy it its loaded with data that most morons can't read or too freaking cheap to buy. I love going to the track and seeing the public using the piss ass copies of the program with crap inside ,trying to compete with the DRF. So my comment was made as, well your so smart u figure it out.
Turfbar

[rgustafson]

If I had to choose one guy from the Form to read their analysis it would be Brad Free. Now if you said HERMIS! :lol:

In the DRF. Brad Free had a column discussing the pick six carryover at Hollywood on Wednesday that was titled " Three solid singles in pick six sequence." He talked about a number of horses and said if you included all the horses he mentioned, the ticket would cost $128. Well there were two scratches in the fourth and seventh races and that reduced his ticket to only $40, a bargin. How did he do? Of his three solid singles, none of them won. Two of them ran second and one was out of the money. In two of the other legs he had two horses picked. In both of those races, his selections ran out of the money. But wait a minute, what about the other race? Well alright, he had a winner in the race where he ended up taking five horses after two that he mentioned scratched. Believe me, as far as selections, he is no better than anyone that posts on this board.

[njcurveball]

How did he do? Of his three solid singles, none of them won. Two of them ran second and one was out of the money..

OMG! Lock his A$$ up and never let him step foot at a racetrack again! :lol:

[Fastracehorse]

In the DRF. Brad Free had a column discussing the pick six carryover at Hollywood on Wednesday that was titled " Three solid singles in pick six sequence." He talked about a number of horses and said if you included all the horses he mentioned, the ticket would cost $128. Well there were two scratches in the fourth and seventh races and that reduced his ticket to only $40, a bargin. How did he do? Of his three solid singles, none of them won. Two of them ran second and one was out of the money. In two of the other legs he had two horses picked. In both of those races, his selections ran out of the money. But wait a minute, what about the other race? Well alright, he had a winner in the race where he ended up taking five horses after two that he mentioned scratched. Believe me, as far as selections, he is no better than anyone that posts on this board.

I was thinking about that too. It was an article in DRF! - not just trackman selections.

Kicker is, Free has less experience as a handicapper than most people I consider solid players.

I don't dislike him but there is no need to pedestal him either.

fffastt