Specializing in Turf??

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by AndyC

Were you a good player from the beginning or did you go to the handicapping school of hard knocks? I know that my education process might have been better had I tried to focus or specialize from the beginning.

I went to the school of hard knocks. And that school taught me that one must "generalize" before he "specializes"...otherwise, it won't work.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I went to the school of hard knocks.

I'm still in that school.

[Nitro]

Originally Posted by cj

When racing here is like the Hong Kong model I'll comment on it. I can only play the cards I'm dealt in North America.

I’m not sure that day will ever come, but I’ve already written to the principals of a few tracks to make them aware that HK racing is becoming more and more popular with players here in the states. I outlined a number of reasons for this, but I’m afraid it’s fallen on deaf ears.

Originally Posted by Tom

I'm HK would fit nicely into someone's schedule that is pressed for time as it is.

On the weekend card racing starts around 12:00 AM EST and the Wed card starts generally between 5 & 7 AM EST. That’s the only issue that many players here have, but I believe it’s well worth getting involved especially if you enjoy big turf fields.
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[Tall One]

Originally Posted by andicap

I have been away for the game for a while now and am thinking about returning.

don't....lol

[crestridge]

Turf racing requires: good contender selection (go deep), with entrants that may appear to be less than worthy, a good Bayesian odds line to locate value, and some way of evaluating these contenders with a strategy unique to you only. And a set of rules that you follow consistently and are unique to your method. I.E., my one rule, for me is, if I have more than two overlays, I pass the race. Because my records indicate (as has been mentioned concerning keeping records) I lose money when I don't follow this rule.

Steve Fierro, in The Four Quarters of Horse Investing, describes classifying races according to difficulty assessing races; A (obvious favs), B (Moderate) C (not obvious, maybe chaotic, difficult to locate contenders)...Turf racing, many times falls under the C classification. Many times the less obvious rated horses win. Hence, provides opportunity for value.

However, losing races, many races..is in "the cards", so to speak!

[Sir Barton]

I am actually Specializing in Turf. I started last week. I am also Specializing in two bet structures Win and Superfecta wagers. I needed to Lighten the load and balance life and horseplay. I am focusing on all turf routes except maiden races for the supers and including maiden races for win bets. Trying to bet a little to win a lot with the supers and subsidize that play with win bets. No super hits yet but up a few hundred being selective win betting. Good Luck

[Capper Al]

Can't challenge the logic to specialize, but I don't have the mentality to do so. I'm bent on universal understanding of the game. Learning something in a dirt sprint might open my eyes to something in a turf route and visa versa. Besides, I only play one card on Saturdays. To fully enjoy my day at the races, I don't have time to skip a race. After the rewrite, when I get serious again and have some stats accumulated, I'll revist this decision.

[raybo]

Originally Posted by Sir Barton

I am actually Specializing in Turf. I started last week. I am also Specializing in two bet structures Win and Superfecta wagers. I needed to Lighten the load and balance life and horseplay. I am focusing on all turf routes except maiden races for the supers and including maiden races for win bets. Trying to bet a little to win a lot with the supers and subsidize that play with win bets. No super hits yet but up a few hundred being selective win betting. Good Luck

If you can make a profit in win betting, that profit can take the sting out of playing supers properly. I'm not a specialist regarding race types, but I use win betting to support my superfecta play, in effect playing them for free! The combination of win profits and smaller more frequent superfecta hits keeps you well in the game until the larger hits happen, and they will, if you're consistent in your ticket structure and demand the possibility of excellent value in that structure.

[cbp]

Originally Posted by Sir Barton

I am actually Specializing in Turf. I started last week. I am also Specializing in two bet structures Win and Superfecta wagers. I needed to Lighten the load and balance life and horseplay. I am focusing on all turf routes except maiden races for the supers and including maiden races for win bets. Trying to bet a little to win a lot with the supers and subsidize that play with win bets. No super hits yet but up a few hundred being selective win betting. Good Luck

Wow. You're already an expert. A week is all it takes here. I've been focusing on turf for over 30 years. The best races to play, IMO, are sprints and maidens.

[Sir Barton]

I did not intend to win bet, but like cj said I did expect to have huge gaps between hits. I started with $3500 playing dime supers and expect to go up 10 cents per $10,000 of bankroll. I am only betting win on horses that jump off the page and scream bet me, I should probably only play the supers on these horses as well but they are so few and far between. Current balance 3855.20 no supers hit yet.

[Sir Barton]

Originally Posted by cbp

Wow. You're already an expert. A week is all it takes here. I've been focusing on turf for over 30 years. The best races to play, IMO, are sprints and maidens.

I am only looking at turf races in North America every day no other races, that is what I mean by specialize. The only races I am betting the super in are non maiden turf routes. My hope is the form of the contenders is more predictable
than in sprints or maidens. I agree there is great value on the win end in turf sprints and turf maiden races but filling out the vertical exotics is more difficult for me in these types of races. Good Luck on your turf wagers going forward.

[Secondbest]

Are you looking at all the tracks or just a few?

[Sir Barton]

I look at every turf race every day at every track. Usually between 10 and 25 wednesday through sunday this time of year.