More handicapping claptrap

[andicap]

Every article I read (I think Sartin might also have been guilty of this too) says Belmont is a "sustained" track because of its wide turns.

As the writer said in "My Favorite Year."

"Crap!"

Belmont is running early this summer, horses far off the pace are at a distinct disadvantage. Just another example that people who listen to all the so-called handicapping "experts" are led up the primrose path.

Tom Hambleton once said to me (paraphrasing here), "Don't listen to anything but your own experience. Don't believe what you read."

He was so right.

[hurrikane]

andicap....

you are exactly right and it's been a great summer meet for me. Wish you had waited anouther week to mention it.

[andicap]

Oh yeah, like something I say is going to change people's thinking :)

[GR1@HTR]

Now if they would only let the rest of us folks outside of NY area wager on NYRA tracks via internet or phone we might be able to enjoy some of that good ole fun...

[Tom]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by andicap
[B]Every article I read (I think Sartin might also have been guilty of this too) says Belmont is a "sustained" track because of its wide turns.



Tom Hambleton once said to me (paraphrasing here), "Don't listen to anything but your own experience. Don't believe what you read."


?????And then he wrote a book????

~G~

Tom

[andicap]

Oh, a wiseguy, eh?

Actually he said this to me after he wrote the book.

I think his point was valid. Don't use Pace Makes the Race until you've tried to out yourself and see if it works for you, etc. Don't take anyone's word for anything but your own experience.

[Rick Ransom]

This may start a big argument but here's my theory. People write books after their idea has stopped working. It makes sense from a business point of view, because the reason it's stopped working is usually that it has become so popular that everyone has heard of it. So book sales will skyrocket. If you want to sell a handicapping book now, it had better have "pace" somewhere in the title. Five years from now it will probably be something different. They've just about run out of new ideas, so I think they're going to have to recycle some of the old ones.

[Dave Schwartz]

Rick,

IMHO most people who bother to put their ideas into print believe the ideas to be good. Obviously, it is not their personal path to the Holy Grail or it would never have made it into print in the first place. That does not mean the idea does not have value.

I am not suggesting that all the ideas are good (or even plausible), but much of that is in the eye of the beholder.

I can't tell you how often I have received correspondence telling me how wonderful an idea was only to get a letter from someone else telling me how stupid I must be for thinking of such a thing.


Regards,
Dave Schwartz

[Rick Ransom]

Dave,

I probably shouldn't have been quite so cynical, but I do believe that the methods found in print are at least beyond their prime. The ideas may still have some merit but not enough to profit more by playing them than by selling books or, more importantly giving seminars. It's quite possible that some may really enjoy helping other people, but I think most expect to profit from something they've put that much effort into.

Of course, we all know that software developers never make enough money for what they do. No, I'm not kidding here. I worked as a programmer for about 25 years and I know it takes a lot of effort to develop a high quality product. Most handicappers that become known take an easier road and go into mail order or newsletters or touting.