How does Handifast work?
 

I didn't see anything in the stickys that describes how it works. I'm fairly new to handicapping and have played around with one or two free tools like TimeformUS, but am looking for something that allows me to do my own handicapping by letting me configure my own factors and angles. Then I'm hoping I could download/import PPs and let the program make selections based on the handicapping method I configured.

Would Handifast work for what I want to do?

Gasser57,

I don't think handifast would be what your looking for.
But there is a program that Raybo made available to everyone that is great for what you want to do. You can check it out at
https://alldataexcel.weebly.com/ and download it. If you know how to use excel you will enjoy this great program.


Chuck

Fairly new to handicapping and you want to do your own thing!!!!!!
Dam, your going to make us idiots look bad cause we've been trying for 40 plus years :lol::lol::lol:

Give us some more info and we'll save you some time......
Most likely it's been done before

Mike

Thanks Chuck - I'll check it out.

Just been at it a year or so, and have become decent at it but realize there's a lot of room for improvement. I want to continue to learn by using a tool that automates my handicapping process as much as possible, and provides some flexibility for me to tweak things as I learn more. I just don't want something where whoever designed the program or software does all the handicapping for me.

OK...

ALLDATA is the place to start....like it did for me

All the data can be figured out from the PP's it gives you

Steps

1) have a plan....what factor(s) you like to configure..

2) find where they lie in Excel

3) design the output you want to see...most likely on a clean sheet

Almost 99% of any idea can be used or devised in Excel...
I've got much help from MrExcel.com forum..

Good Luck

Mike

Thanks Mike! I appreciate the guidance and will check ALLDATA out. Heck, I need an excuse to improve my Excel skills for my work anyway, and these ideas will give me some motivation.

Greg

Yes...I knew nothing about excel...now I love it

So I spent some time on the ALLDATA site, as well as the related forum and from what I gathered you have to use Brisnet or Jcap data files. But since I just play a few races a week, I've just been using the free Brisnet PPS Plus PDF files available from downthestretchs.com.

Since these are convertible to Excel format, can they be imported and used with ALLDATA?

these PDF PP's do not work....I wish they did to save money...but they wrote it like this to discourage people like us...:rant:

Unfortunately , data files need to be purchased....

You can buy on a daily bases at brisnet.com

Mike

That's true. It wouldn't hurt to spend a few bucks on some data files to try ALLDATA out.

OK...all that aside for now


Tell me/us why you think that what you know can be put into Excel and make things better?


If you have a winning approach now , then yes....Excel can do things faster for you ....

If you dont, then Excel wont make things better....you'll just be more disappointed but "Faster"


What I'm trying to say....go into it with something good and profitable...

Mike

For now, a simple Excel worksheet like this but using my own handicapping factors might save me a little time. And if a scoring method better quantifies the differences between the horses, it might help me improve my wagering strategy, which I feel hasn't kept up with my handicapping ability.

So for now, baby steps. I'll focus on improving my handicapping and wagering strategy with a simple Excel worksheet for a while, and then play around in Excel and maybe Access to and see if I can automate things more.

Sounds like a plan...good luck!

Mike

Thanks Mike.