Using the Daily Racing Form

[LutherCalvin]

In handicapping a race, what is the first thing that you look at in the Daily Racing Form? Do you have any set exclusionary rules which will eliminate obvious losing horses? Do you have any inclusionary rules which point out contenders?

[Doug]

The first thing I look at when using the form is the race conditions.

Doug

[cj]

Ditto Doug, race conditions are the first thing I want to know before looking at any PPs, reveals a lot about trainer intent.

CJ

[superfecta]

What that means is,do the horses have a PP that I can readily start to compare them against one another?A quick glance at every horses last running line gives me a feel for the race.Sometimes I can look at the horses and know I shouldn't get too excited about even playing this race.Too many horses coming from different tracks,or distance changes,or changing from turf to dirt,that sort of thing.Not trying to play every race just because its there.Simulcasting has opened up more opportunities,so passing a race should be no big deal.

[Tom]

Fisrt, I look at the race conditions, then the Beyer pars for that race. Then I scan the horse looking for those have run to the par or within about 5-6 points - at this point, no class, recency, jockey, distance, nothing but conditions and par-ability.
Then I look what they have doing in the last race-if it is a top, if it is way below its best, that sort of thing. Then I look for figure patterns.

[JustRalph]

I stopped using it. I couldn't get it in the paper form in Columbus Ohio. I can download DRF products all day long, and I used too, But I perform just as well with the basic bris or Tsn file in Equisim.
Sometimes too much info would cross me up.

No matter what I am using, I look at race conditions first.

[Derek2U]

On a scale of 1 to 10 my understanding what race conditions
imply is maybe a 3 or 4. I dont see the clues or trainers intent.
ditto for a horse's body language they all look just great specially
when returning 2 the winners circle.

[Jed]

First I look at the race distance/surface. With that in mind I scan the most recent 4 or 5 pp's for each horse concentrating on the Beyers and distance/surf of each Beyer, time between races and whether they showed improvement or declined between races.

[hurrikane]

first thing I do is look at the price.
Then I get out the vaseline. :D

[Fastracehorse]

Hurrikane said this:

Ah, never mind.

Anyways, I do exclude many things from the form.

What I look at is this:

1) I essentially look at the Beyer and determine it's adjustment.

2) Then I want to know what class he is in today - relative to last time - and what the chance is that he will equal his last race Beyer ( adjusted ).

3) The determination of 2) is also derived by trainer intent.

4) Supposing I have a horse with an excellent adjusted Beyer realtive to the field and I think he'll repeat it - I make a race-shape assessment. If the horse fits favorably then I luv it - especaiily if it's a $$.

fffastt

[kenwoodall]

eliminate MSW!