ms Access database to handicap races
 

Does anyone use Microsoft access? I use Bris to download my races and access puts them in various tables. I see some use excel which would do some of what I do rank speed etc, I don’t see how it can research, the data.

I don't use Abcess, uh I mean Access ( ;) ), but a number of PA members do. You can do a lot of research using its built-in tools.
You can also query an Access database with Excel so you can use all the math and stats functions etc. and return the results to your spreadsheet. That way your database won't get mucked up by you doing a drop or delete you didn't mean to do.

database
 

Yes I know I use access programming as a hobby. The program shows contenders and possible long shots I don’t bet much. Today at Gulfstream I picked number one in the first two races in the first bombed the second was third @20-1, I only bet 5 total on three races and won 40 on a, trifecta

You are on the correct path with a database. Spreadsheets are easier to get started, but in the long run the database is the better way to go.

I have used Access for 20 years and have never found anything I was not able to do with it.

If you're already proficient in Access, or any database program, that's the way to go. But, if you're not, Excel would be much easier and quicker to use, and can accomplish many of the things databases can do. Many use both.

Spreadsheets are fine for manipulating relatively small amounts of data, but for the volume of data that would be attractive for data mining, a database is a must.

I agree. We have a database spreadsheet that uses "advance filter", and it works fine, but with huge amounts of race data, it would probably bog down.

Imo, you are better off working with Excel and experimenting with different calculations. Some of my calculations involve comparing horses within each race vertically and further comparing against all the races. I don't see how you would do that with a database.

Any database could do that. Your concept of a database is incomplete. Instead of, say, 256 or 1024 rows and columns a database can have multiple thousands of rows and columns, all with whatever data elements you want, same as Excel. You can do any kind of math, logic, string manipulation etc. that you want.

How does one beyond the 255 column limit in Access 2007 without using serveral tables? I'd like to save all my BRIS Multicap files as is(about 1430 columns), but this seems impossible.

Depending on what your trying to do, excel would be your only option I think.

You'd have to divide the raw data file into 6 sets of data, create 6 tables of data, in Excel or some other app, then import that data into Access, into 6 separate tables, then join those tables to suit. Or something similar.

The free AllData_J1 workbook puts each horse's data on 6 separate rows in Excel, but don't know how you would get that into Access.

Why not try one of the free databases available.

Don't know of any that have 1435 columns/fields.