New player, question about book comment

[hansend]

Hey guys, new player here. Home track is Fonner Park in Grand Island, NE. Quite a bit of simulcasting goes on here and I am hoping to make a hobby with it.

For now I am trying to learn the ropes by reading some books that I have seen commonly posted in the Library section. I have currently read "Handicapping 101" a couple times and am now working my way through "The Handicapper's Condition Book".

I have a question regarding a comment the author made in "The Handicapper's Condition Book" about keeping records of the charts. What is the best way to go about acquring these charts? Especially for tracks that I may not be frequently betting but I would like to keep a history to see how some previous restrictions may have been placed on races. This sort of plays big at Fonner with the low claiming races (which I can easily get those charts of course), but in case I want to play a different track on occasion that may have the same types of races I'd like to be as informed as possible. Is it just getting the condition book before the season starts or is there some other way?

Thanks for any help you may provide, I'm sure I'll have many more questions as time goes on.

[andymays]

Equibase and DRF put out result charts every day. They are free for a certain amount of time after the days races. Some others here would know better and I'm sure they will chime in.

Welcome to the board! :ThmbUp:

[alhattab]

Hey guys, new player here. Home track is Fonner Park in Grand Island, NE. Quite a bit of simulcasting goes on here and I am hoping to make a hobby with it.

For now I am trying to learn the ropes by reading some books that I have seen commonly posted in the Library section. I have currently read "Handicapping 101" a couple times and am now working my way through "The Handicapper's Condition Book".

I have a question regarding a comment the author made in "The Handicapper's Condition Book" about keeping records of the charts. What is the best way to go about acquring these charts? Especially for tracks that I may not be frequently betting but I would like to keep a history to see how some previous restrictions may have been placed on races. This sort of plays big at Fonner with the low claiming races (which I can easily get those charts of course), but in case I want to play a different track on occasion that may have the same types of races I'd like to be as informed as possible. Is it just getting the condition book before the season starts or is there some other way?

Thanks for any help you may provide, I'm sure I'll have many more questions as time goes on.

I don't know if Condition Book has been updated. Back in the day, when the book first came out, the Form didn't include in the PPs the conditions for conditioned claiming events. Now the conditions, abbreviated, are there in the PPs. Sometimes the conditions are straightforward, like "NW2L"- nonwinners of two races lifetime. Other times, conditions as printed in the PPs are less clear, like "NW1Y" which is generally used for nonwinners in a specified time period (typically 6 months, 9 months or a year). The result charts tell you more info. and are still the best option for the most complete picture, but the PPs are better now than they were in the original book.

[Imriledup]

DRF puts out a 'charts weekly' magazine with charts for that week from a lot of different tracks
I doubt there's Fonner charts, but i don't know that for sure.

[BillW]

DRF puts out a 'charts weekly' magazine with charts for that week from a lot of different tracks
I doubt there's Fonner charts, but i don't know that for sure.

The online version is useful too.

[Tom]

Sim Daily - on line - has all tracks, all charts for one calendar year.
BRIS has charts archives back to the early 1990's for a nominal charge.

[BUD]

I wish Books were the magic pill--But it is a great indicater--If You are in the crows & do not care for reading to much and you find yourself devouring these books its a good chance that you'll really like being in the game---The Lows--The Lows--& highs--And the Lows-

Do you me 1 favor--Do not get to high with the highs even as I write sometimes they are far and few---Do NOT get to low with the LOWS even when they feel as they are here to stay--

Continue to do as you know to do--In other words..Keep on Keeping on--
You will only lose if you do not put the effort- Energy & time in---Luck will soon follow-

[ranchwest]

Until a few years ago, the Equibase charts could be "scraped" for use in a database, but now they are "protected".

Some people print the charts and put them in notebooks.

If you're very familiar with a track or circuit, it can help to look at the charts to see which horses were in the race and how the race unfolded, as well as the odds. And, as has been noted, the complete conditions plus the track condition. Also, if scheduled for the turf, the charts would show the actual surface (turf or off the turf) and distance (off the turf is not always run at the same distance as the turf was scheduled to be run).