Pizzolla Rises Again -- with Dan Serra

[andicap]

It didn't take long for Pizzolla to find a new partner in Dan Serra, heretofore known for selling his breeding stats on Pizzolla's old site.

They have now partnered to sell a software program composed of Serra's longheld methods. Serra is supposedly one of the best players in Vegas and now, after 40 years in the game wants to share is methods with a "limited" number of people for the special introductory price of $697 (later will be $997). And oh yeah, you have to buy ITS' $1.50/card files to use it.

Interesting how the brochure says the lower price is for Pizzolla's power clients when I have never ordered anything but the book from him. That's a pretty low ceiling!

Anyway, these guys put Dick Mitchell's old Cynthia Pub letters to shame in the hype departent. This brochure throws in the kitchen sink for overwrought claims, exclamation marks, etc. Every marketing cliche is here: limited number of users, brief introductory price, an old handicapper's secrets he wants to tell because he wants to be known for more than just being a
"breeding expert," (it's never about money -- it's always about ego.)

OK, for Vegas people out there: Is Dan Serra known as one of the sharpest handicappers out there as the letter claims? He supposedly plays at the favorite race book of the pros (they don't say which one -- my guess is Sam's) and is considered the best of the bunch. Some wealthy insider "begged" him not to sell his secrets.

There's a 60-day no questions asked guarantee and the software will ot be releaed for a few weeks because Serra supposedly wanted to add a couple of new features. But of course they're taking orders now and asking for half the price as a deposit.

Oh year, just in case Serra's power angles -- which are designed to make you rich overnight -- are not enough of a lure you get seven Pizzolla bonusues (his Form Cycle pattern, "reversals" theory, etc.).

So it's not enough that the program will give me incredible angles with huge bombs that I would never in a million years come up with without his program -- they need to toss in some of Pizzolla's stuff as well!

Oh yeah, I wasn't going to buy it with just Serra's miracle angles,, but if you're throwing in Pizzolla's theories, well that's very different!

Hurry, limited time only! Don't miss out! You'll be sorry!!!
Quit your job! Buy a Ferrari! Never, ever, ever worry about money again!!!!




There is one certainty I will bet on -- someone on this board will post a thread asking if anyone has tried it and if it's any good.

P.T. Barnum and W.C. Fields were so right about suckers.

So let me answer that question before they ask: If it truly worked as advertised, there is no world in the world they would sell it. What, Dan's gonig to give up horseplaying now because even with a "limited" number of buyers those $100 bombs will become $20 horses sure enough when people start betting them. And the $20 horses will become $12 ones.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Serra figures he can make more money selling software than betting on his picks even if they are good. Let's say he's a 50-50 partner with Pizzolla. They sell 500 of these at an average of $800 a piece. That's $400,000 minus marketing/development costs. (Can anyone guess what that would be?) Even if that's $100,000, that leaves Serra with a cool $150,000

But wait -- he's probably getting a cut of the downloads. If those 500 people download an average of just 3 tracks a day, that's over $1,000 a year per person in revenue or $500,000. If Serra is getting even 20% of that, it's another $100,000.

If he wants to slow down betting the horses that's not a bad substitute for a yearly income.

So maybe you ought to rush out and buy the software now before all those $100 horses disappear.
Hey, that's why the guarantee is for 60 days -- that's how long it will take to kill the odds.

[JimL]

Andi, I felt the same way when I read the hype in that letter. Cynthia, advertising is mild compared to this new release! JimL

[Wickel]

Dan Serra must have split with Dave Powers and RPM. Through the summer 2005 catalog, Serra's stuff was being marketed by RPM, especially as freebies if you purchased Mark Cramer's newsletter. Of course, these were the pen and pencil variety. Money talks.

[Buckeye]

Just say the magic word, this is an "incredible" offer!

Thank you so much MP.

[ratpack]

OK, for Vegas people out there: Is Dan Serra known as one of the sharpest handicappers out there as the letter claims? He supposedly plays at the favorite race book of the pros (they don't say which one -- my guess is Sam's) and is considered the best of the bunch. Some wealthy insider "begged" him not to sell his secrets.

I can't speak for now but I lived in Las Vegas from 1997 to 1999 and lived right behind Palace Station (no not in that alley) and Dan was in that Race Book all the time. I can't speak to his handicapping prowess, if fact I did not know who he was until I saw a picture of him a few years after I came back to LA.

[NoDayJob]

Has anyone tried it? Have you quit your day job yet? Do you need an armoured car to take your track winnings to the bank? Maybe Mr. Pizzola might be interested in marketing my "JSS" and "SKHP" programs? I could use some extra walking around money. How 'bout it Mr. "P"?



NDJ

[kingfin66]

You're guilty of as much hype as you accuse Pizzolla of. I came into this thread thinking that there was a much anticipated seminar being announced. Instead, I was treated to your sarcasmn and negativity.

[takeout]

Maybe there should be a poll on the sleaziest marketers in the game.

I know Dan Serra well, although I haven't talked to him in a while, since maybe late 2002 (whenever I stopped going to racebooks and started playing online). Danny is as good as they get on breeding. He'd put Tomilson (and just about everybody else) to shame. He makes his own sire ratings by hand for wet tracks and turf. He did that for years. The numbers are darned accurate. I sat next to him in the race book and watched him at work. No computer for this guy, at least up to 2003. All pencil and paper and a lot of elbow grease.

As far as handicapping, he isn't one of the greatest. He's competent, but not one of the great minds of the game. Breeding, yes. Overall handicapping, no way.

The race book he used to patronize, at least in 2001 and 2002, was the Gold Coast. I know that because I went in there every morning to talk to a man who had an in to one of the big-name California trainers. Danny was always there, either working on a large mound of papers that dealt with his sire stuff or scanning the DRF's. The Gold Coast would hardly be considered one of the premiere racebooks for the pros. The accomodations are modest at best, the place is noisy, and it's too well-lit. It's a favorite of the low-to-middle range locals, because they usually comp the regulars to free racing forms and a lunch buffet with X amount bet. At the time, Danny had an arrangement where some guy backed him for $50 WP on his sire horses, usually on wet tracks. He hit some monster prices, too. $50 and up wasn't uncommon. But Danny isn't really a gambler at heart.

If he's teaming with Pizzolla, he's lending his name and possibly a few ideas (besides his sire ratings). I doubt Danny even owns a computer, unless he's gotten into them recently. And I won't rant and rave about Mr. Pizzolla, except to say that he learned from Howard Sartin how to repackage the same thing over and over and sell it as something new.

[Vegas711]

Andi


You took the words right out of my mouth, I was thinking the exact same thing.

Mike Pizzola may I ask WHY?????? this is really low!!!!!

[NY BRED]

DAN SERRA APPEARS TO HAVE HIS OWN SITE ON POST TIME SOLUTIONS
FOR HIS SIRE RATINGS @ $45 MONTHLY, AND NOW UNDER THE TMH
PROGRAM, THESE NUMBERS ARE INCORPORATED /FACTORED INTO
FINAL RATINGS.

I'M UNCERTAIN WHY ANYONE WOULD RESORT TO SIRE RATINGS AFTER
DOING SPEED/PACE ANALYSIS UNLESS YOU'D WANT A FANTASY TYPE
OF TIE BREAKER,AND POTENTIALLY SEE A WINNING BET GO DOWN IN FLAMES
BASED UPON BLOODLINES RATHER THAN WORKS/TRAINER/POST POSITION
INFLUENCE.

INTERESTINGLY, THE DRF INCORPORATES TOMLINSON RATINGS
WHICH I ALWAYS FORGET/NEGLECT TO REVIEW FOR THE REASONS STATED ABOVE.

I DO USE THE TMH PROGRAM AND HAVE DONE DECENTLY
WITH IT AS A GUIDE, AND NOT AS A BLACK BOX PROGRAM.

MY ONLY THOUGHT PROCESS (IF I STILL HAVE MY WITS AFTER THIS PAST WEEKEND AT SARATOGA) IS THE ONLY POTENTIAL VALUE OF THE SIERRA RATINGS WOULD BE TO WEIGH FACTORS IN MAIDEN SPECIALS, WHICH
COULD BE USEFUL.
CURRENTLY TMH DOES NOT RATE MSW'S AND IF THIS IS STILL THE CASE,
THERE WOULD BE NO SENSE TO PURCHASE THE PROGRAM.

FINALLY, IF YOU ARE A TMH PURCHASER, I STONGLY FEEL
THERE SHOULD BE AN UPGRADE OFFER RATHER THAN A NEW PURCHASE/LIMITED DISCOUNT APPROACH TO CURRENT USERS WHICH
IS OFFENSIVE.

[turfbar]

hey also a Master Handicapper for 12/13 years ,used mike's other products
TMM but find the MASTER really quite good it points out things NOBODY NOBODY else does and I will always remmember MP picking Lemon Drop Kid in the Belmont with (hey Billy Mott's Horse forget its name) in a stone cold exacta
that paid $1400 sumtin sumtin!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alysheba88]

Originally Posted by takeout

Maybe there should be a poll on the sleaziest marketers in the game.

John Piesen, hands down

[brdman12]

Funny to see this here today. I received three advertisements in one day.
1. Heritage books from Kelso Sturgon And John Piesen's with all their systems...trashed.
2. Something from Tom Conte..I am not familiar with...trashed
3. Pizzola...at least I read his material...and respect what he has accomplished.
Glad to see someone else did, and can read about other's ideas. I won't order it...but for some reason..I saved it...lol

[andicap]

Serra's/Pizzolla's brochure tout more than his sire ratings -- they say he's doing this because he's tired of being known as just a breeding guy.

On the computer thing, the brochure notes that Serria is a paper-pencil guy, saying he's a total novice at computers, but was convinced to put his stuff into a program.

On being "negative:"

I know people who swear by TMM. My post was not meant to imply anything about TMM or whether it works or not. Hell, there are probably people making money reading tea leaves. The tone of the brochure just totally turned me off and was way, way over the top. And who the hell would sell a black box program -- which they are promoting it as -- for $700?