Useless handicapping books...
 

The Power of Early speed thread got me to start thinking. We are always recommending handicapping books here. How about a thread about books to keep away from. I nominate The Power of Early Speed, Pedigree Handicapping by Lauren Stitch, of course anything that RPM advertises and any of those 73 page handicapping "books" on Amazon.

This is trouble for me, because if I told the truth I would be permanently banned from PA, thus I cannot participate...:cool:

Shoot! So I wasted my money on the power of early speed? I haven’t tried it but hopefully it could work. And your welcome about starting this

I wouldn't go as far as to call these handicapping books "useless"; I'd call them "unnecessary". The best thing for the relative beginner, IMO, is to study an introductory book or two...and then open a modest online betting account whereby he can access the daily past performances for the cost of a $2 wager. Then he can conduct his own research into the game at his own pace, while keeping his "tuition costs" as low as possible...without being misled by the confusing and often contradictory opinions of others.

As far as I am concerned...any books that aren't titled Betting Thoroughbreds for the 21st Century, The Winning Horseplayer, and Blinkers Off...could safely be deemed "unnecessary".

If you try and convince us you're the kind of exaggeration, we won't believe your other threads either.

Are you implying that we should believe him in his other threads NOW?

C'mon Mike, you're just a little upset with me for taking an off-topic video rant, and using it in a horse racing thread.....My bad, used too much firepower against another liberal idiot in the wrong place this time.

I base my opinions of books, methods, etc on whether I learned anything from it. I definitely learned from POWER OF EARLY SPEED.

One book I was disappointed in was
"Off the Charts: Turning Result Charts into Profitable Selections at the Track" by Nick Borg

I had high hopes when I ordered it...didn't learn a thing from it.

I ordered a "grab-bag" of assorted books on e-bay. You couldn't pick n choose...that's why it was called a "grab-bag". The price was very low, even with shipping so I went ahead and ordered one. I received a box with maybe half-dozen books on horse racing.

Don't know if anyone has read, or even heard of "Scientific Handicapping" by two college professors --one Poly Sci, the other Professor of English, who happened to also be horse players. They discussed their findings & testing by going through old stacks of Racing Forms.

That struck me as odd--two college professors using old 'forms for data...like we all did before computers. I finally looked at the year the book was printed: 1963.

It could be valuable to a collector, but a previous owner (or two) underlined sentences on almost every page.

Another book about betting systems (martingale, etc) ...hand written on the opening blank page it said " To Dad: Happy Father's Day 1968--love Nancy"

That is a book you should read.

There are several core principles in that book which have real relevance even today.

I actually did a show about it several years ago.

I have that book too and just looked at it and it's in great shape except, there is a lot of underlining it my copy too! I'll have to go back and re-read it now.

I like Extreme Pace Handicapping for a close look at race shapes and running styles.

But, I can find a use for any handicapping books.

Had a book called Handicapping For Dummies, but I could not understand it.

Just for me personally, I got nothing out of Handicapping Magic

Dave, that was an excellent presentation on decision making on final times/speed figures to use in sprints in that video.

IMO anything by Bill Heller.