Playing multiple tracks

[Tom]

The old guns or butter question from economics applies here.
If you play one track, you are limited in betting opportunities.
If you play multiple tracks, you don't have the time to really get deep into any one rack.

The big inside bias at Belmont for a few days a couple of works ago - how many charts can you study every day to see that subtle change come and go? How many track profiles can you keep up with? How many trainers can you follow to understand their methods.

Or do you follow a race type, say, maidens at many track, focusing on what wins maiden races?

Do you rely on resources like Andy Serling's daily show and his EXCELLENT track trends column. Do you buy trip notes?

Do you network with other handicappers, like a team, each guy does his specialty and the group shares?

How do you attack the game?

[thaskalos]

I look at several different racetracks...and I prioritize my time by focusing only on the types of races that I find most financially rewarding. For me...this means that the non-maiden races for older horses on the dirt take top priority...and only if there is any time left will I look at any turf races. I believe that we are all better equipped to deal will certain types of races...and it's unwise to spread our time evenly across all the races that we see. That's also the main reason why I favor the vertical wagers over the horizontals.

The trainer stats that are widely available are misleading, as far as I am concerned. I couldn't care less how the trainers perform with certain training maneuvers; I want to see what the trainer is doing with the particular horse that I happen to be handicapping at the time. I believe that the trainers modify their methods to suit the peculiarities of the particular horse...and a thorough investigation of the individual horse's record will tell me more than I could garner from a review of the particular trainer's different statistical training categories. The horse's lifetime past performances are especially useful in this regard.

[Robert Fischer]

I'm always going to at least look at the card for my favorite track(s), but I look around for bet-back/against watch-list plays, and then for full-field multi-race sequences.

I'll seldom play lower-tier tracks even if they have a pick 5 with 50 entrants, but there are times that my favorite tracks have 6-horse fields and strong favorites, so it's either that(going down a tier in quality to an attractive sequence), or walk the dog again.

[Speed Figure]

I always play multiple tracks. I'm now able to download every track each day and very easily go through each race very quickly to see which ones offer potential value. I can then save those to my races of interest to make potential bets. I don't play trainers or jockeys and very rarely look at the horses pp's. All the info I need is on my summary screen. I've now had my software completely redone and just don't have the time on a daily basis to go through pp's, workouts, etc.

[dansan]

If you cant play many tracks you aint going to make it Bud

[Tom]

Interesting.
Why do you say that?

[Dan Montilion]

Originally Posted by dansan

If you cant play many tracks you aint going to make it Bud

Please expand on your thoughts.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by dansan

If you cant play many tracks you aint going to make it Bud

"Make it"...WHERE?

[Speed Figure]

I guess it depends on if your a pen & paper guy or a software guy. It may be very hard to play multiple tracks using just a form.

[46zilzal]

Isolate the contests you have data that you have an advantage......Delete the ones that are consistently too iffy (most turfers, older maidens, etc) delete the tracks that don't PAY and have enough entrants to make them worth following.

Only computerized evaluation allows this in the time provided.

[classhandicapper]

I've automated aspects of the pre race and post race analysis to look for extreme paces, race flows, and biases so I can quickly focus time and attention on anything that might offer an opportunity either today or in the future without wasting much manual time looking at things that won't.

That allows me to look at multiple tracks, but I focus most of my biggest bets on high quality races because I want to know as much as possible about each of the horses in the race.

[Half Smoke]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

The trainer stats that are widely available are misleading, as far as I am concerned. I couldn't care less how the trainers perform with certain training maneuvers; I want to see what the trainer is doing with the particular horse that I happen to be handicapping at the time. I believe that the trainers modify their methods to suit the peculiarities of the particular horse...and a thorough investigation of the individual horse's record will tell me more than I could garner from a review of the particular trainer's different statistical training categories. The horse's lifetime past performances are especially useful in this regard.

I pretty much agree with that almost 100%
unless a player wanted to mess with first time starters which I don't



your post reminds me of one of my favorite racetrack sayings which could also apply to trainers



"A great jockey. A poor horse. A poor bet."

[bob60566]

Now how do the Whales, CAW. also large betting pools play multiple tracks and can easily drop 45k and more on horse to win.?

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

"Make it"...WHERE?

Exactly. You have to define your own "where" and what works for you and for the way you handicap.

I don't use a number-crunching approach to handicapping, and generally feel most comfortable spending my time on 2 or at most 3 tracks a day that I am familiar with. Generally, out of two 9 race cards, I might find 2 or at most 3 races to bet on.

Different strokes for different folks. I'm far up on the year to date. Strictly a win bettor.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Clocker

Exactly. You have to define your own "where" and what works for you and for the way you handicap.

I don't use a number-crunching approach to handicapping, and generally feel most comfortable spending my time on 2 or at most 3 tracks a day that I am familiar with. Generally, out of two 9 race cards, I might find 2 or at most 3 races to bet on.

Different strokes for different folks. I'm far up on the year to date. Strictly a win bettor.

That's right!

I am the exact opposite of you; a number-cruncher whose betting action is comprised almost entirely of exotics wagers, of all types. The game offers a varied menu...enough to satisfy all the different appetites.