source for scratch reason ?

[Robert Fischer]

Other than purchasing the bris PPs, is there a free service that accesses the data to the reasons a horse has scratched? i.e. trainer,vet,stewards...

[GameTheory]

TSN "Instant Programs" (free) have a "Scratch Watch" at the bottom showing horses scratched from their recent starts with the given reason.

[Tom]

BRIS Instant, too. They have a few days up at a time.

[Robert Fischer]

thanks guys

[njcurveball]

Unless you know the "exact" reason, the recorded one is about as accurate as using the weight carried in the program. Vet scratch may sound ominous, but I have seen Vet scratches for horses missing their medication. Steward scratches sound bad, but they can scratch if the horse is not on the grounds on time. Trainer scratches may seem crafty, but entering a horse in two spots is no guarantee they win the easier one and usually if they are sharp, the odds will be short in an easy spot.


Just my 2 cents, perhaps you have found a more productive way to use them. Good luck!

[Tom]

The only one I uses as a negative is trainer, but I combine it with a missed work, or a poor work, or a jockey change, class drop....something to further make it seem negative.

Not sure if you use the HTR comma charts, but i like to printout the horse's entire record ( since March 2006 anyway) and see all the real races and scratched races to get an idea what the trainer is doing with it today.
I'd like to be able to merge the works into that report, but I need to work more on that.

I ignore steward scratches.

[njcurveball]

The only one I uses as a negative is trainer.


Sounds like you got something there Tom. :ThmbUp:

You are much better at it than I am. A trainer scratch could mean anything from a bad cough in the morning to a drop of rain on the track. The horse could be super sharp and turn up 2 days later or coughing like mad and still turn up 2 days later cause the owner needs the money.

But if you got something to work, than I suggest keep on doing on what you are doing. :ThmbUp:

[Robert Fischer]

I don't mind seeing "Main-track-only"(especially up in class) and "Off-Turf"(if today's is turf) scratch explanations.