Winter Racing

[sq764]

I have to say that I am so sick of Winter harness racing.. It's just like night and day from the Summer. It especially kills me because I am a fractional handicapper and rest heavily on late fractions. With the cold weather and the wind, it really throws things off.

I have been betting more lightly this Winter than I ever have and really have no desire to change that. I just cannot wait for the 85 degree weather and those blazing 25 and change last quarters!!

[Alc]

Is it possible to just concentrate on Cal-expo and PPK or are they affected also?

[sq764]

Not affected, but not my choice of tracks.. Not that fond of 5/8 mile tracks like Pompano (not to mention Ranger, Hennasey and Wallis win about 85% of the races, and very chalky).

Cal Expo is a nice track to play pick 3's and 4's because there is a lot of stupid money bet into those pools.. But the majority of the time, the 6-7 horse fields are unappealing.

[baseball3109]

I like playing the 5/8 and 1/2 mile tracks but at Pompano its so hard to find a nice price on a horse. It's basically the same as you said SQ, with Wallis, Hennasey, Ranger and Georgy Nap winning all the time as the chalk. I'm big on fractions too but look at the bright side spring and summer are almost here.

[trying2win]

--SQ and Baseball, have got it right about Pompano Park. Too many short win prices, so I've pretty well given up betting there.

--The have's...i.e. the top 4 drivers Bruce Ranger, Kevin Wallis, Wally Hennessey, and George Napolitano Jr. are just dominating the current meeting at Pompano. The disparity between the have's and have not drivers at this track are huge, unlike someplace like the Big M where the driver colony is much more competitive.

T2W

[baseball3109]

t2w,

It's pretty much the same when George comes to Pocono and just dominates the meet.

Speaking of the Meadowlands who do you like in the Clyde Hirt?
I'm leaing towards the 1 horse Smoke n Sizzle. I'll probaly play him over the 2,3,4,8. It's a tough field though.

[sq764]

I really like Cam's Primetime.. I think he looks the best in here, just Gingras scares me, he is just not that good.

[Exactaman]

i like the winter myself sq... if you pay attention to the differences in fractional patterns from night to night, you have an edge over those who don't. ie if you know that all the last halfs were slow on one particular night, you can apply that knowledge to your fractional analysis.

[sq764]

I am not big on variances, which is why Winter racing is a light time of year for me..

[Exactaman]

i go through the charts and figure variances all year anyway, so the winter is right up my alley.

[sq764]

I think the Summer is more consistent, in terms of variables. Beyond a stormy night, you are going to have dead closers with the advantage at BigM and Balmoral. That is when the juicy prices arise and the fractional analysis is a key..

[trying2win]

SQ,

I don't always agree with your harness handicapping strategies, but I sure agree with your views on pace handicapping at harness tracks in the wintertime. Since the start of this year by trying to pick winners by mainly using fractional analysis, all I've got is red ink. It has just not been reliable. Seems to me, I recall reading a harness handicapping book many years ago, where the author was cautioning when using times in winter harness racing.

It's the old story. If one plan doesn't work, try another. I still look at the fractions of a harness horse's recent starts. The difference is, I've switched over to using trainer angles or other angles about 2 or 3 weeks ago, as described in some of Al Stanley's Harness Handicapping Newsletters and his handicapping books. The results have been much better. The win percentage is nothing to write home about...I'm guessing in the range of about 20% (I'll have to check it out). I've had to endure some rough losing streaks, but the prices have been very good when some winners did arrive.

Al Stanley's Trainer Power Play Angles #1 and #3, plus his Trainer Tip Off Angle were losers. Al Stanley's Trainer Power Play Angle 7, Special Gaining Angle, Three Factor Impact Angle, Two Move Angle and Gold Key Class Angle, have done very well so far. It remains to be seen, how well some of these angles will fare out over a longer period of time though. When the weather gets warmer, I may go back to betting the odd harness horse on fractional analysis again.

T2W

[melman]

Talk about being on both sides of the fence that would be me. I like winter racing for the nights when things are "out of whack". Make nice bet backs. However I also prefer the summer racing when LS is even more important. Had a nice bet the farm horse last night at Club Med (I did post it to JoeG in the War Room last night) so I do still bet hard in the winter. BTW stop by the War Room any harness player would be nic e to talk with you. If you sign in and no one is their just hang for a few minutes. That is one other thing about winter racing I do most of my betting from at home. Hate to leave the igloo on these cold nights. Anyone use or know of Sports Eye the harness pub?? I like it for the Club Med fractions.

[Exactaman]

sounds good mel, i will check it out this Sat. last Sat was very hard on frontrunners, strangely first over was much better, there's a few i'm looking forward to seeing this Sat.

i grew up in ny, always look forward to getting the eye when i get back home.

[melman]

OK nice to hear from you Exman. And I agree looking forward to this Sat night. Think there will be some plays if the weather is half way decent. That is a major problem with Sports Eye they have a very limited range in which you can obtain it. Wrote them an e-mail and they said they are "considering" going with an on-line edition. Would be nice I think.

[norm f]

You could call it sour grapes on my part Trying but ,when i asked for some definitions of some other of those angles the answer i got was copywrite cant help you.Ok i respect that.But, now you just rattled of a bunch of angles some of which i know and others i dont,1 I specifically asked for ( respected again) But if your not going to explain what your saying, its all greek to most of us im sure and a waste of your typing and our reading

[Exactaman]

melman, just was able to get into the room after you left. i had to delete sun java from my system. next time

[melman]

OK Exactaman, will look for you in the future. Always good to see a harness person. From the past I knew it was a techinal problem with the War Room. Others have had some problems. BillW great at helping people with that sort of thing. Also nice to talk with Omega another harness fan. Hey there are a few of us out there. Stop by again.