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View Poll Results: Which book(s) would you recommend to a Newbie" Up to 3
Picking Winners: A Horseplayer's Guide by Andrew Beyer 1994 22 22.00%
Betting on Horse Racing For Dummies by Richard Eng 6 6.00%
The Winning Horseplayer by Andrew Beyer 2007 8 8.00%
Betting Thoroughbreds by Steven Davidovitz and Andrew Beyer 1997 16 16.00%
Exotic Betting by Steven Crist 2006 13 13.00%
Bet With the Best by Andrew Beyer and Steve Davidowitz 2001 4 4.00%
Getting the Best of It by David Sklansky 1997 2 2.00%
How to WIN the PICK 6 by Steven Kolb 2009 1 1.00%
Betting Thoroughbreds for the 21st Century by Steve Davidowitz and Steven Crist 2009 10 10.00%
Finding The Hidden Horse: Tips, tricks, angles and secrets by William Davidson 2017 2 2.00%
The Blood-Horse Authoritative Guide to Betting Thorougbreds by the Blood-Horse staff 2005 1 1.00%
Profitable Horse Race Betting Using Stock Market Techniques by Aaron Ainslie and Woodbine Mike 2015 0 0%
Secrets of Professional Turf Betting by Robert L Bacon 1952 1 1.00%
Commonsense Betting by Dick Mitchell 1995 7 7.00%
Overlay, Overlay by Bill Heller 2004 0 0%
Thoroughbred Cycles by Mark Cramer 1990 15 15.00%
Handicapping 101 by Brad Free 2004 15 15.00%
Complete Idiot's Guide to Betting on Horses by Sharon B. Smith 1998 0 0%
Beyer on Speed by Andrew Beyer 2012 12 12.00%
Trifecta: The Business of Betting Thoroughbreds by Bobby Zen 2012 0 0%
Finding an Edge: A 21st century book by Ron Loftus 2014 1 1.00%
Winning without Thinking by Nick Mordin 2002 3 3.00%
Six Secrets of Successful Bettors by Frank R. Scatoni and Peter Thomas Fornatale 2005 10 10.00%
Money Secrets At The Racetrack Paperback by Barry Meadow 2000 17 17.00%
Smarter Bets - The Exacta Way by Keith Hoffman 2013 0 0%
Betting Maidens and 2-Year-Olds by Dan Illman 2005 1 1.00%
Winning Horseracing Handicapping by Chuck Badone 1999 1 1.00%
The Power of Early Speed by Steve Klein 2005 4 4.00%
Modern Pace Handicapping by Tom Brohamer 2000 25 25.00%
None, just go to the track. 4 4.00%
None, all are outdated 8 8.00%
Other (please specify) 20 20.00%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 100. This poll is closed

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Old 11-26-2017, 09:22 PM   #46
ultracapper
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A very large majority of members here will be able to give you better advise on this particular subject than I, but I strongly, strongly, strongly suggest that all efforts when originally getting started should be focussed first on finding what makes handicapping and horse racing in general, FUN!!

Whithout fun, this experience will be gut wrenching. IT'S GOT TO BE FUN!!!!
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Old 11-27-2017, 12:54 AM   #47
thaskalos
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IMO...the newcomer to this game has to develop as strong a liking for the handicapping aspect as for the actual watching and betting of the races. I have spent a large portion of my life at horse-betting facilities...and the carelessness that I see there by virtually every person present never ceases to amaze me. To a man, they all buy the form or the program on their way into the facility, and they all do their handicapping in-between the races...while furiously flipping the pages from the 1st race at Hawthorne to the 3rd at Aqueduct...and then to the 4th at Parx. After giving a brief glance at the race in question, they quickly dash to the betting terminal...where they decide in the most haphazard manner possible how to structure their wagers and bet their money. And some of these careless people bet amounts of money that are hard for any reasonable person to comprehend. I strongly suspect that the vast majority of the "at-home" bettors are just as negligent in the performance of their horseplaying duties as their "live-racing" counterparts. And they do it this way for many years, at great financial cost...because this is what's most "fun" to them.

If the newcomer isn't of the studious type, who develops an understanding early on about the difficulty and the demands that are associated with the proper play of this game...then it would benefit him immensely if he never got involved in this game at all. Foolhardy habits are very difficult to break...and far too costly to keep.
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Old 11-28-2017, 08:19 AM   #48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thaskalos View Post
IMO...the newcomer to this game has to develop as strong a liking for the handicapping aspect as for the actual watching and betting of the races. I have spent a large portion of my life at horse-betting facilities...and the carelessness that I see there by virtually every person present never ceases to amaze me. To a man, they all buy the form or the program on their way into the facility, and they all do their handicapping in-between the races...while furiously flipping the pages from the 1st race at Hawthorne to the 3rd at Aqueduct...and then to the 4th at Parx. After giving a brief glance at the race in question, they quickly dash to the betting terminal...where they decide in the most haphazard manner possible how to structure their wagers and bet their money. And some of these careless people bet amounts of money that are hard for any reasonable person to comprehend. I strongly suspect that the vast majority of the "at-home" bettors are just as negligent in the performance of their horseplaying duties as their "live-racing" counterparts. And they do it this way for many years, at great financial cost...because this is what's most "fun" to them.

If the newcomer isn't of the studious type, who develops an understanding early on about the difficulty and the demands that are associated with the proper play of this game...then it would benefit him immensely if he never got involved in this game at all. Foolhardy habits are very difficult to break...and far too costly to keep.
you have to be prepared hours before the race and be able to adjust if the track does not favor you.

Mountaineer was a great place for me this year because i have been playing it consistently this century. the part i like is that you can spot the bias right after the first race has been run. for most people it takes them 2 or 3 races. i have been fortunate to get it right almost all the time and have made money on that 2nd and 3rd race before the rest of the crowd was able to figure it out! its about the only thing that has worked well for me in racing lately. its only about 4 months to go for the new season to come rolling in.
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Old 12-20-2017, 06:56 PM   #49
delayjf
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I think the best foundation for a new player is still Ainslie's Complete guide. If you start there you can get a better grasp of Beyer.
I'm not sure Ainslie is still relevant today - If I had to pick one book for a newbee, I would pick the newest version of Davidowtiz book. It covers everything from speed / pace to bias and trainers profiles and relates better to the modern game. I would also add Fotias work on pace to the list (Blinkers Off)
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Old 12-27-2017, 02:26 AM   #50
TucsonGreyhound
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Originally Posted by CincyHorseplayer View Post
I picked Beyer as much for his insight into the game and because I like his stories and actually has some literary skill! I like Quinn because he has an intense grasp on the game and writes like they are textbooks. I wish Beyer would write a big fat 1,000 pager on just racetrack experiences. I know he's got it in him! Andy whatta ya say brother?!
Yes! Are there any classic books out there someone can recommend that focus more on the gambling shenanigans, degenerate lifestyles back in the golden ages of horse racing? I love that stuff!
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Old 12-27-2017, 11:12 PM   #51
Racey
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any book by

mark cramer such as kinky handicapping
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Old 01-08-2018, 02:09 PM   #52
Baron Star Gregg
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Originally Posted by Quesmark View Post
My "other" selection is:

The Handicapper's Condition Book, Revised: An Advanced Treatment of Thoroughbred Class
Dec 12, 2000
by James Quinn
The Handicapper's Condition Book is FANTASTIC!

Quote:
Originally Posted by davew View Post
for the people who do not like reading books, I suggest a DVD set of one of the daily racing form handicapping expos to get a handle on types of factors some people take into consideration when betting.
Sorry but this would be a waste of money to most people.

Quote:
Originally Posted by thaskalos View Post
IMO...the newcomer to this game has to develop as strong a liking for the handicapping aspect as for the actual watching and betting of the races. I have spent a large portion of my life at horse-betting facilities...and the carelessness that I see there by virtually every person present never ceases to amaze me. To a man, they all buy the form or the program on their way into the facility, and they all do their handicapping in-between the races...while furiously flipping the pages from the 1st race at Hawthorne to the 3rd at Aqueduct...and then to the 4th at Parx. After giving a brief glance at the race in question, they quickly dash to the betting terminal...where they decide in the most haphazard manner possible how to structure their wagers and bet their money. And some of these careless people bet amounts of money that are hard for any reasonable person to comprehend. I strongly suspect that the vast majority of the "at-home" bettors are just as negligent in the performance of their horseplaying duties as their "live-racing" counterparts. And they do it this way for many years, at great financial cost...because this is what's most "fun" to them.

If the newcomer isn't of the studious type, who develops an understanding early on about the difficulty and the demands that are associated with the proper play of this game...then it would benefit him immensely if he never got involved in this game at all. Foolhardy habits are very difficult to break...and far too costly to keep.
I've actually talked to a young man in line at the window that didn't know the race he was going to bet was on the turf and that the turf course was GRASS.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TucsonGreyhound View Post
Yes! Are there any classic books out there someone can recommend that focus more on the gambling shenanigans, degenerate lifestyles back in the golden ages of horse racing? I love that stuff!
The book The Backstretch (My First Decade Playing the Game) has some of what you're looking for as long as you can look past the writing skills of the author and his editor (if there was an editor).
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Old 01-08-2018, 07:21 PM   #53
mikesal57
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Originally Posted by Racey View Post
mark cramer such as kinky handicapping
What exactly is in this book?

I have had this book for 25 years and never even got into bending the cover...


It would be considered ultra pristine condition...LOL

Mike
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Old 01-09-2018, 07:29 PM   #54
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Originally Posted by TucsonGreyhound View Post
Yes! Are there any classic books out there someone can recommend that focus more on the gambling shenanigans, degenerate lifestyles back in the golden ages of horse racing? I love that stuff!
These are very good. Also check out the Amazon pages these links take you to for more ideas.

https://www.amazon.com/Horseplayers-...s=horseplayers

https://www.amazon.com/Not-Long-Shot...der_1586485660

https://www.amazon.com/May-Horse-Be-...560Z386413YQXA

https://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Horse-O...JW604X0CN7J0JE
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Old 01-16-2018, 10:28 AM   #55
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Wink

go over to UPINCLASS and see what a few of the handicappers there select on special days of racing like the k.d. etc etc...they select very well indeed...
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