Do you leave your racing form at home?

[pondman]

Do you take your Racing form or whatever data you have to the track with you?

In the last few years, I've made my pick days in advance, and don't take my Racing form with me to the track or simulcast. I've got my selections and if the odds are in my favorite I bet. Or I sit and socialize. This prevents me from making bad bets.

I'm just wondering how many other people do this?

[Greyfox]

I handicap at home, usually glancing over the races the night before and then the next morning going deeper.
Most of my betting decisions are made at home, but I want the form with me when I go to the OTB or Track.
There are several reasons for that. Among them are (off the top of my head):
1. scratches. A scratch can change the whole dynamic of a race.
2. track surface. A rain shower, storm etc. changes the type of runner I might focus on.
3. track bias. This seldom happens, but when it does, I might have to make sure that the runners that I have chosen aren't biased against.
4. post parade appearance. If my player looks sick as a dog in the post parade then that too can change the race dynamic.

[Casino]

Laptop is my form,has all my notes.

[Elliott Sidewater]

Pondman, what about late scratches? They could change the complexion of a race a lot and I'd think you'd need to have the form to go back and reexamine the race in the light of a change that would affect the pace matchup. I also agree with Greyfox's other reasons for not leaving the form home. On the few times that I have accidentally forgotten to bring my sheets with me (I use BRISNET, print them) I have found myself practically lost and unable to bet very much. I recalculate my odds lines by hand after I get the program scratches at the track, and there are usually plenty of them.

[Track Collector]

I can not recall a time where I was at the track or OTW and did not have my handicapping data with me.

When I do go, it is mainly for the purpose of "action" bets. My wagering activity falls in to two categories. The first category involves pre-defined selections for each racing day which are made via an ADW. These selections are based on specific criteria and are to be played faithfully. They can be identified the day before the involved races take place, and are only modified in the event of scratches. By nature they are also very selective. On the other hand, the second category termed "action" bets are made at the live track or OTW and involve trying to find some profitable plays in a race that does not qualify for the first category. History has shown that in general my "action" bets are a losing proposition. Since I like the challenge, and until I improve at the second category, I minimize the impact of category two wagers by making the wagering unit size MUCH less than those from category one.

[dansan]

I leave my form at the liquor store, I use bris

[thaskalos]

If you have to go to the extreme of leaving your racing form at home in order to keep from making irresponsible bets...then you have serious discipline problems, which are sure to resurface somewhere else down the line.

It's better to spend some time addressing those problems, instead of playing games with yourself...

[Edward DeVere]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

If you have to go to the extreme of leaving your racing form at home in order to keep from making irresponsible bets...then you have serious discipline problems, which are sure to resurface somewhere else down the line.

It's better to spend some time addressing those problems, instead of playing games with yourself...

Nuts.

". . . my friend had hit upon the real key to intelligent betting. A horseplayer cannot operate according to some theoretical textbook notion of what is right and wrong. He has to adapt his approach to suit his own temperament and personality."

(Andrew Beyer, MY $50,000 YEAR AT THE RACES)

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by Edward DeVere

Nuts.

". . . my friend had hit upon the real key to intelligent betting. A horseplayer cannot operate according to some theoretical textbook notion of what is right and wrong. He has to adapt his approach to suit his own temperament and personality."

(Andrew Beyer, MY $50,000 YEAR AT THE RACES)

Very true. The same philosophy is widely espoused in the world of (day) trading.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Edward DeVere

Nuts.

". . . my friend had hit upon the real key to intelligent betting. A horseplayer cannot operate according to some theoretical textbook notion of what is right and wrong. He has to adapt his approach to suit his own temperament and personality."

(Andrew Beyer, MY $50,000 YEAR AT THE RACES)

There are some "theoretical notions" about successful betting that should not be violated, regardless of what the player's temperament (and personality) is.

The Beyer that you quoted above bares little resemblance to the player he is today...and he has admitted this himself.

I sat in the audience years ago, when Beyer shared the podium with some other horse racing authorities...and they were all asked how many bets they make in a day.

Whereas the other authors/handicappers replied that they all made 3-4 carefully selected plays a day...Andy Beyer delighted the crowd by stating that he had wagered on about 40 races on that particular day...and that he would get up tomorrow "with the roosters", because he intended to bet on 40 races more...

This style of betting suited his personality...he said.

He told the crowd how much he enjoyed jumping from the 5th at Belmont, to the 4th at Arlington, and then to the 7th at Woodbine...like a kid in a candy store.

In his subsequent works however, he advocated a much more disciplined approach...and admitted that his early "gung ho" betting style was a recipe for disaster.

IMO, lack of discipline is the biggest malady plaguing the horseplayer...and he should do everything in his power to rid himself of this problem.

And I don't think that leaving the racing form at home is the best way to do it...

[Hard2Like]

Make extensive notes sheet off formulator($2.95) at home to take to track or simulcast,then buy a simulcast program($2.00) to use strictly as a reference,like a roster.Paper DRF($7.00)w/4-6 tracks that I don't bet is an automatic toss in these times.A printer for my computer would eliminate my need for that stinking simulcast rag,and I'd rather be spending that two bucks on ink and beer anyways.And soon I hope to become computer literate enough to bring my laptop with me,further lowering the (initial) costs of these ventures.
Bruce

[BlueShoe]

Not take my Form? Never happen. Well, almost never, the one time it did happen was a goof. One morning was very late getting going. Grabbed my Form, dashed out the door, and drove faster than I should have to the track. Sat down, opened it, and lo and behold, discovered that in my haste had grabbed yesterdays DRF. Since redboarding is not my thing, a trip to the newsstand was required. It was not the extra five bucks (some time ago, was $5 then) that ticked me off, it was that all my work was gone, all the figures and notes that we mark up our Forms with.

[classhandicapper]

Sometimes I actually do the opposite. There are days I do no handicapping at all before I go to the track. I buy the DRF when I get there and handicap between races. (ask Aaron lol) The only difference for me is that it limits the types of plays I can make because I don't have all my notes and information. I may only make trainer based plays that I have in my head, take advantage of a bias, plays the stakes races because I have all their trips in my head etc... I don't think its such a great idea though. I don't do as well that way. But sometimes the fresh air and sunshine is more important than spending a few hours studying the races.

[therussmeister]

I never do any handicapping at home. It prevents me from over-thinking a race, but, alas, not under-thinking. I have my laptop with me, it has everything I need.

[Tom]

If I go to the track, which is not often, I take a print out of the aces I plan to look at. A day at the races is never a serious outing, just entertainment.Serious racing is done at home.