How long does it take you to handicap a card?

[cmoore]

I took a speed reading class last week and can handicap a race in less then 30 seconds..Look at fairgrounds race 2 today...I did that one in less then 5 seconds..It's amazing how good that course helped me..

[jimmy m]

For some reason all my life i just cant handicap the night before and there are are just a few tracks like all the so cal tracks and then maybe Gulfstream or Churchill i can sit at night or in the morning and study the card.I just like to handicap in between races.I only play about 2 tracks a day.I mostly play Mountaineer so with the weather the way it is this time a year i like to see how the track plays thru the night plus i want to hear Nancy and marks comments when i play Mountaineer too Jimmy

[Horsefan]

Utmost admiration for handicappers, how do you do it? I don't bet, I'm trying to teach myself to enjoy reading the past performances (tiny writing) because I want to really know how to judge my favorite Triple Crown contenders early each year. If I had to do a full card it would take me forever. Do you guys also depend on keeping ongoing records on individual horses- that is my goal. To have the pps constantly updated on a nice big sheet of notebook paper, something that's easy to read.

I think that this point means everything, I cannot see the younger generation wanting to learn the craft of handicapping. I hope that I am wrong-

This all begs the question of whether all this time consuming anaylsis is a reason why folks arenot drawn to the game. Casinos offer quick action with little thought and preparation. Is our sport a victim of its very nature ?

That and not enough of the big races on regular television to give the everyday person something to fall in love with.

[A. Pineda]

Originally Posted by Horsefan

This all begs the question of whether all this time consuming anaylsis is a reason why folks are not drawn to the game. Casinos offer quick action with little thought and preparation. Is our sport a victim of its very nature ?

The time-consuming analysis is the main attraction , at least it is for me. The instant gratification, if you were correct in your analysis and made an appropriate wager, is nice too.

Since I search for one playable race daily, I have plenty of time to handicap, and usually spend three hours on that race, and then proceed to structure my wager.

If I had to answer your question, I would have to say, "yes." The not-so-subtle effect of the high takeout is soon evident to the novice, and is another contributing factor.