HPWS info/ideas/players ?

[adwplayingfool]

I'm a 28 year old player who has never been in a major live Handicapping contest. I have been playing since I was fairly young and have had mixed results. As far as "betting" goes I have had some huge hits but always end up behind the eight ball at the end of the year. I think chasing and poor money management coupled with the obvious large takeout with no real rebates in Virginia always gets me in the end. As far as contests go I am fairly steady but "untested". Though I generally have not been a consistent contest player choosing rather to just bet live money I have won a contest on ezhorseplay (colonial downs state run contracted adw), advanced in contests like BTH on xpressbet, played and scored in derby wars contests and the final year youbet was independent I came in second place in their derby day or BC day (can't remember) hit every show bet on a card contest hitting 11 of 12 races with only one person going 12/12 and taking down the entire 50k prize (Horse I had came in fourth just short after leading and fading in the stretch, stung pretty bad). Last year I decided I wanted to attack contests more heavily but I got busy with life. I just realized I had a shot still to qualify for the HPWS at the end of March this year. From what I see my best bet is to try and do so through Horseplayersqualify. My questions are:

1. Are there any better ways to try to qualify just over a month out?
2. Is the major live tourney experience worth pressing hard to qualify these next few weeks or should I take some more time and try to qualify for NHC or HPWS next year earlier on?
3. Should I manage to qualify is there anything I should know about the contest before going, main difference between being on location as opposed to online?

All though I generally haven't played contests as a 99% cash player and never have at a live venue I fair decent when I fire online. I don't know if this is because money management is not a factor in most contests with set amount bets or if I naturally play prices that I consider value as opposed to chalk which seems to be a major piece of the puzzle... or maybe even that when I lose a few races I start "chasing" with legit longshots which also seems neccesary in these contests.? Any ideas/advice from the braintrust on this aspect of the game will be appreciated for a less experienced younger guy in the game.

[Stillriledup]

Here's some info.

http://www.equinometry.com/2014/02/1...good-bad-ugly/

[adwplayingfool]

Thanks SRU. Lots of useful info in there about NHC qualifying. Definitley better to stick to the free options or in person qualifiers from those numbers. It is nice to see someone actually take the time to break out the options and costs. I would love to qualify for next years event and now I know how best to approach that goal. Is my best option to get into the 2014 HPWS to try to qualify in the "mega" event on Horseplayersqualify February 23rd or are there other options out there I am missing? That is the only qualifier remaining that I see on the Orleans website.

[CincyHorseplayer]

Good topic.I remember a few years ago seeing a book out strictly about Handicapping contests.If anybody has a link to that or a link you can get access to all the opportunities out there I'd be grateful.Obviously I am not utilizing this player benefit and should be.

[cato]

Even better, there is a new book out on handicapping contests --

"NEW RELEASE!

The Winning Contest Player
By Peter Thomas Fornatale
Price: $24.95
Item #B1922 320-pages

In The Winning Contest Player, Peter Thomas Fornatale interviews over thirty of the country's best players and with their help lays out a complete strategy that tells you how you can win in handicapping contests, from the basics to the specifics of endgame strategy."


https://store.drf.com/stores/1/THE_W...7699449EC594DC

____

There is an older book by Noel Michaels you can get on Amazon.


Handicapping Contest Handbook, Revised and Updated: A Horseplayer's Guide to Handicapping Tournaments Paperback – September 29, 2005
by Noel Michaels (Author)


http://www.amazon.com/Handicapping-C...pping+contests

If you are interested in doing contests you should consider reading these books - will save you lots of time and trouble and get you on the right path!

Cato

[Meerz]

http://www.equinometry.com/2014/02/0...-me-the-money/

[adwplayingfool]

Thanks you for all the responses.

[cnollfan]

In a format like HWPS that is not a live bankroll, the contest basically boils down to whether your longshots win more races than everybody else's longshots. If you naturally gravitate toward price horses anyway you should be fine.